Totally OT but I've never known the palm trees so smothered in flowers.

The largest tree in our garden, which after many years without a severe
winter is now well 20 feet tall, is a mass of flowers, and the scent
is amazing.

Picture at www.easterling.freeserve.co.uk/palm.html

The photo was taken around 15:00BST today, notice the deep blue colour
of the sky. Absolutely fantastic now the dirty air has been pushed away
eastwards.

Graham
Penzance

Is that what is known as a Torbay palm, Graham? Do you know what its latin
species name is?

ta,
Dave
"Graham Easterling" wrote in message
oups.com...
Totally OT but I've never known the palm trees so smothered in flowers.

The largest tree in our garden, which after many years without a severe
winter is now well 20 feet tall, is a mass of flowers, and the scent
is amazing.

Picture at www.easterling.freeserve.co.uk/palm.html

The photo was taken around 15:00BST today, notice the deep blue colour
of the sky. Absolutely fantastic now the dirty air has been pushed away
eastwards.

Graham
Penzance

The largest tree in our garden, which after many years without a severe
winter is now well 20 feet tall, is a mass of flowers, and the scent is
amazing.

I noticed the palms' blossom/flowers were amazing too when I ventured into
Exeter the other day.

I gather they are not real palm trees; I think they are called Cabbage Trees
in their native Australasia and are related to the Yucca.

I have seen them growing back up in the West Midlands so they must be pretty
frost hardy.
________________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
70 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

Is that what is known as a Torbay palm, Graham? Do you know what its latin
species name is?

Sorry Graham to answer your question!

Yes, it is also known as the Torbay/Torquay Palm.

The Latin name is Cordyline australis and it is a native of New Zealand, and
not tropical at all.
________________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
70 m amsl

Nick,

The cabbage tree - cordyline banksii - is not the same as a Cornish /
Torbay Palm.
See www.trevenacross.co.uk/shop/page4a.htm. It's smaller & slower
growing.

Graham

Nick G wrote:

The largest tree in our garden, which after many years without a severe
winter is now well 20 feet tall, is a mass of flowers, and the scent is
amazing.

I noticed the palms' blossom/flowers were amazing too when I ventured into
Exeter the other day.

I gather they are not real palm trees; I think they are called Cabbage Trees
in their native Australasia and are related to the Yucca.

I have seen them growing back up in the West Midlands so they must be pretty
frost hardy.
________________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
70 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

Just picking nits..

Cordyline Australis is a native tree in New Zealand where it is commonly
called the cabbage tree. It is not Australian. Australis in this context
means southern. They do survive and flower in Berkshire but the occasional
hard winter (some time ago) has killed them. They are also quite common in
Ireland.

Wonderful photo - probably the best flowering cordyline I have seen.

Steve

"Graham Easterling" wrote in message
ps.com...
My palm trees are a variant of Cordyline Australis, an Australian Palm.
Known as Torbay Palms in Devon, and not surprisingly, Cornish Palms in
Cornwall.

There are large variety of palm trees grown in Cornwall. As Nick says
many are fairly hardy, but in my experience -5C is the absolute limit
if they are wet, as the ice seems to kill them.

www.trevenacross.co.uk/shop/page4a.htm shows some of the palm trees
grown in Cornwall.

Graham

Dave.C wrote:

Is that what is known as a Torbay palm, Graham? Do you know what its
latin
species name is?

ta,
Dave
"Graham Easterling" wrote in message
oups.com...
Totally OT but I've never known the palm trees so smothered in flowers.

The largest tree in our garden, which after many years without a severe
winter is now well 20 feet tall, is a mass of flowers, and the scent
is amazing.

Picture at www.easterling.freeserve.co.uk/palm.html

The photo was taken around 15:00BST today, notice the deep blue colour
of the sky. Absolutely fantastic now the dirty air has been pushed away
eastwards.

Graham
Penzance

Graham,

Cordyline Banksii and cordyline australis are two different species but, in
New Zealand, both are called cabbage tree. C. Australis is by far the most
common and spread throughout the country while c.banksii is a hardier
version found in forested areas - hence called the forest cabbage tree.

Steve

"Graham Easterling" wrote in message
oups.com...
Nick,

The cabbage tree - cordyline banksii - is not the same as a Cornish /
Torbay Palm.
See www.trevenacross.co.uk/shop/page4a.htm. It's smaller & slower
growing.

Graham

Nick G wrote:

The largest tree in our garden, which after many years without a severe
winter is now well 20 feet tall, is a mass of flowers, and the scent
is
amazing.

I noticed the palms' blossom/flowers were amazing too when I ventured
into
Exeter the other day.

I gather they are not real palm trees; I think they are called Cabbage
Trees
in their native Australasia and are related to the Yucca.

I have seen them growing back up in the West Midlands so they must be
pretty
frost hardy.
________________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
70 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk

Steve Thomas wrote:
Graham,

Cordyline Banksii and cordyline australis are two different species but, in
New Zealand, both are called cabbage tree. C. Australis is by far the most
common and spread throughout the country while c.banksii is a hardier
version found in forested areas - hence called the forest cabbage tree.

Steve

"Graham Easterling" wrote in message
oups.com...
Nick,

The cabbage tree - cordyline banksii - is not the same as a Cornish /
Torbay Palm.
See www.trevenacross.co.uk/shop/page4a.htm. It's smaller & slower
growing.

Graham

Nick G wrote:

The largest tree in our garden, which after many years without a severe
winter is now well 20 feet tall, is a mass of flowers, and the scent
is
amazing.
I noticed the palms' blossom/flowers were amazing too when I ventured
into
Exeter the other day.

I gather they are not real palm trees; I think they are called Cabbage
Trees
in their native Australasia and are related to the Yucca.

I have seen them growing back up in the West Midlands so they must be
pretty
frost hardy.
________________
Nick G
Otter Valley, Devon
70 m amsl
http://www.ottervalley.co.uk


Is this the same tree the 'Nut' comes from that I use for turning. Sold
as Banksii Nuts.
Joe

On 12 Jun 2006 13:09:04 -0700, "Graham Easterling"
wrote:

My palm trees are a variant of Cordyline Australis, an Australian Palm.
Known as Torbay Palms in Devon, and not surprisingly, Cornish Palms in
Cornwall.

There are large variety of palm trees grown in Cornwall. As Nick says
many are fairly hardy, but in my experience -5C is the absolute limit
if they are wet, as the ice seems to kill them.

www.trevenacross.co.uk/shop/page4a.htm shows some of the palm trees
grown in Cornwall.

Graham



A sign of the times, I guess but many garden centres are now selling
agaves, oleanders and other semi-tropical/mediterranean type plants.
Our yucca on our front lawn has grown so well in recent years it is
now resembling a joshua tree, and has just thrown up five huge flower
spikes, looking a bit like giant asparagus.

Martin

In message , Steve Thomas
writes
Just picking nits..

Cordyline Australis is a native tree in New Zealand where it is commonly
called the cabbage tree. It is not Australian. Australis in this context
means southern. They do survive and flower in Berkshire but the occasional
hard winter (some time ago) has killed them. They are also quite common in
Ireland.



They also grow freely here in the Isle of Man, because we have
exceptionally mild winters for our latitude. Guess what? They're called
the Manx Palm too!
--
Alan