Desert Willow 'Bubba'

One of the trees that is highly sought after right now is Desert Willow, Chilopsis linearis.   Native to west Texas and the Edwards Plateau this small deciduous tree looks like a willow, but is not.    Dr. David Creech of the Stephen F Austin Mast Arboretum, lists 20 different Desert Willow cultivars.  Discovered by Paul Cox of the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, 'Bubba' is the one that is making a name in the nursery trade.   Propagated from cuttings, 'Bubba' has darker green leaves and large purple bloom.   It also tends to have a more upright growth habit.   One website also makes the claim that 'Bubba' is deer resistant!  How great is that!   Desert Willows propogated from seed may not be true to the characteristics of the mother plant - lots of cross pollination going on . . .   And now a few more descriptions:   Small tree (20 feet tall x 20 feet wide), likes full sun, very high heat tolerance,  low water needs, summer and fall bloomer, deciduous, adaptable to most soils,  hardy to zone 7.

You'd think we'd be writing about one of our products - but this one is one we wish we planted five years ago!   We hope to get some in the ground this season;  we'll keep you posted on what we learn as we grow them here at the nursery.

And the lucky winners are . . .

The winners of the drawing at First Community Bank are  Bill Greer, Maria Garza, Manuel Soria III, and Elizabeth Padilla.   They will each receive a 5" caliper Live Oak tree compliments of the bank.  Congratulations!

Bill Greer with the Stuart Place staff

Texas Mountain Laurels

Simmons Oak Farms can't wait to begin harvesting this year's crop of Texas Mountain Laurels, Sophora secundaflora.  They are still putting on fresh growth so we'll wait another couple of weeks.    This years crop looks great -  full trees with lots of bloom stems.   Most should bloom heavily this spring.  Your customers will love that!  Imagine how stunning this tree will look when all these stems are covered with clusters of purple flowers.

These are the bloom stems

If you haven't placed your order  yet, give us a call!

Wordless Wednesday - Dreaming of Spring

First Community Bank's 30th Anniversary

We started the week with deliveries -   Large Southern Live Oaks to three more First Community Bank locations.   The bank is celebrating its 30th anniversary this week.   Watch the Valley Morning Star for the special events at the different locations -  and then stop by and sign up to win one of these trees!   October is a great month to celebrate 30 years of service to the local communities. 

Here's the tree to be given away by the Los Fresnos Location.

Clumping Date Palms

When I said it yesterday, I knew I would have to eat my words -  My statement that "Phoenix reclinata (Senegal Date Palm) is the only clumping date I know of " is so very wrong -  Case in point, Phoenix theophrasti (Cretan date palm) and Phoenix loureiri.

I do have a little to share re:  Phoenix reclinata hybrids.   This is from Betrock's Cold Hardy Palms. 

"Senegal date palm, or rather what appears to be this species, is often seen growing in USDA Hardiness Zone 9B or even 9A.    The pure species is not hardy abaove Zone 10A, but much of what is sold as this species in U.S. nursery trade is of a hybrid origin.  Hybrids with P. canariensis, P. dactylifera and P sylvestris are not uncommon, and are hardier than the pure P reclinata.  They are almost always identified as P reclinata.  Specimens sold as P. reclinata with bluish or grayish-green leaves are assuredly hybrids.  Like the species, the hybrids are cliustering palms that can achieve 25-30' of height."

Our seed was harvested from P. sylvestris so you can count on it to be a cold hardy palm.

Senegal Date Palm, Phoenix reclinata

Have you been looking for a tropical focal point with a low cost?    This Senegal Date Palm,  Phoenix reclinata, may be just what you are looking for.  

You can see that the main trunk has just over a foot of clear trunk - but its overall height is between 7 and 8 feet.  Even freshly trimmed up for harvest, it is an attention grabber.   It is the only clumping Date palm that I know of. 

Originally from India, Senegal Dates are hardy to zone 9.   It has a moderate growth rate; this one was in a one gallon container less than three years ago.    Senegal date is drought tolerant and not picky about its soil.   Ours have been growing in a nice sandy loam, but we will shortly transplant one to an area with a higher clay content.  We'll keep you posted on that.  

Senegal Dates do have long sharp spines on the petiole.   

According to Betrock's Guide to Landscape Palms, "Senegal date palm suckers vigorously and a single plant can consist of more than 20 stems if left unpruned.  It hybridizes readily with other date species, and a fair amount of the material in teh nursery trade is probably of mixed parentage.  It is valued as a specimen plant for accent, but sufficient room is necessary to allow for its natural spread.  Senegal date looks best if trimmed up to reveal the slender, matted trunks."

Our parent plant was a Phoenix sylvestris so our hybrids are Phoenix sylvestris x reclinata.   We've priced them at $65 each. 

Mystery Date

What do you do when you think you  have planted a couple of rows of this medium-sized, solitary trunked, stately palm, Phoenix sylvestris . . . .  

 . . . . and as the palms mature they show the characteristics of this much larger, clumping trunked palm with vicious spines on the leaf margins?     We fear that our Phoenix sylvestris (also known as Silver Date or Toddy Palms) are actually Phoenix reclinata (Cliff Date) -  or a cross between the two. 

Yes, this is a stately and extremely striking palm  - but we just don't have any first hand experience with it.  

So this morning, we'll be harvesting a couple and bringing one to the nursery to grow in our sandy loam.   Another will be planted in good old Harlingen clay.  

In the field, their 'pups' are still small and somewhat easy to work around.

Don't you just love the fronds of a Date Palm?

Landscaping for Businesses - My Little Rant

This is the kind of business that I love to see come into our towns.   This company installed an attractive (and full) landscape and then actually took good care of it.  In small towns, the chain stores often do as little as they can get by with.  One of the big box stores here in Harlingen planted one lone hibiscus in a number of their parking lot beds - and they have a landscape department!  My thought is if they can't bother to landscape their store, I can't bother to buy plants from them for my home.   Call me a plant snob, but I'd rather spend my nickels and dimes with a store or restaurant that has an attractive landscape.   Landscaping is an outward sign of a company that cares about its customers!