[kittygilchrist]

This is a screen shot of UF IFAS Facebook page...
Check out their page and like, if you like!

[tommy steam]

Once again very useful information.

[Bonanza]

It's unfortunate that unknowing residents still request and demand queen palms and that landscapers recommend and plant them.

They are really borderline unsuitable for our climate zone, and are a constant maintenance headache between pests, rodents, fertilization and diseases.

Villagers need to learn that there are other good and better choices and landscapers need to just say no regarding supplying and planting them.

They truly win the prize for being the #1 Florida trash palm!

[kittygilchrist]

Three cheers for that post, Bonanza!

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

It's unfortunate that unknowing residents still request and demand queen palms and that landscapers recommend and plant them.

They are really borderline unsuitable for our climate zone, and are a constant maintenance headache between pests, rodents, fertilization and diseases.

Villagers need to learn that there are other good and better choices and landscapers need to just say no regarding supplying and planting them.

They truly win the prize for being the #1 Florida trash palm!

Everyone is entitled to an opinion.
If you go by the facts:

Queen palms are hardy to sustained night temps of 22 F , TV avg lowest is 26F. (Hundreds of 10+ year old queens in Stonecrest, North of TV)

Most tall palms require more fronds to be pruned per year than the queen, and queens are in the middle as to size and quantity of bloom pods. They only produce 3-5 fronds per year, placing them low on the maintenance bar, if compared to other tall palms.

Queens have one of the largest canopies, have no thorns on the fronds, and are soft enough that if the last 4' or so of the frond is hitting a screen enclosure in a storm, it probably did no damage to the screen.

Queen palms get high marks in my book for a palm closer to the home. Every plant and tree has some sort of maintenance, pest and disease weaknesses... If you like the look of them, don't let the naysayers scare you away. Drive around TV homes North of 466 and areas even North of 42 and look at the thousands of stately beautiful queens.

The queen palms ability to handle the weather, pests and diseases in this area has made it a popular palm in this area for a century. I wouldn't make my decision to, or not to plant them on someone else's opinion, I would look at the facts.

[kittygilchrist]

If you are one to make decisions based on research by UF, the first principal is
Right plant right place, and queens are not recommended in our zones.
When there is a hard freeze, queen palms die.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

If you are one to make decisions based on research by UF, the first principal is
Right plant right place, and queens are not recommended in our zones.
When there is a hard freeze, queen palms die.

But, we had a hard freeze this year......and they didn't die

UF research? Or the opinion of someone from a UF outsource division?

Try reading Betrock's Cold Hardy Palms by Alan W. Meerow, or some of the publications UF uses to teach student after degrees in horticulture. Or talk to a palm expert. As I said, the FACT is... queen palms do very well here. If you know of some documented facts, other than "this guy from UF said..." I would love to see them. Though having lived here through 2 of the hardest freezes in this area in the last 100 years back in the 80s, and watched as over 95% of the queen palms turned recovered.. I will be a hard sell on the "queen palms freeze here" thing. And since I like them, and I see them as beneficial to the way things look around here and to my many friends in the growing and planting business throughout this state... I will continue to defend my old friend the queen palm from misguided and false information.

My background, friends and education go well beyond one program from UF. It spans this country and includes all the nurserymen and farmers, the FFA and collegiate programs from ALL the colleges in the US. Again, the Master Gardeners program is great, for home owners, but it is a far cry from a real college education in Biology, horticulture and agronomy.

#LongLiveTheQueen

[Ozzello]

Kitty, you spoke to me in person I believe, at the chili cook off, on the subject of queen palms. It was obvious you have quite a fervor for stamping out the evil tree. I don't expect to change your view, but I have a lifetime of education and firsthand experience.
Hearsay from one guy from UF that doesn't teach credited courses can't convince me I didn't see what I saw with my own eyes.

[kittygilchrist]

Onthe subject of queen palms, I rely on research by UF and advice from the extension agent that this is not a safe zone to plant them. Having lived near here most of my life I am certain that occasional lengthy hard freezes occur. Last year there was only a light brief freeze.

[Ozzello]

Last year was a typical freeze, according to scientific data, average. The last 10 years have been light.

"Research by UF" is quite ambiguous. Can you be more specific as to the research performed? There has been quite a lot of research data published on the subject and I read all I find, haven't found any scientific data agreeing with what you say, and plenty of data saying queen palms are fine here. Not to mention tens of 1000s of queen palms looking pretty happy in this zone over the last 50 years.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Onthe subject of queen palms, I rely on research by UF and advice from the extension agent that this is not a safe zone to plant them. Having lived near here most of my life I am certain that occasional lengthy hard freezes occur. Last year there was only a light brief freeze.

What extension agent? Lake and Sumter do not say the Queen palm won't live here. Every publication I have ever seen (based on science and not personal opinion) says Queens are fine in zone 9A.

Kind of realizing you have a personal vendetta against these palms, and I could show you facts from now till kingdom come Kitty, and it wouldn't matter... happy trails girl, this is a waste of my time.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

Kitty, you are 100% correct in all your comments and I find this Ozzello person to be ignorant of so many facts, although he claims to be an "expert." An expert, my eye!

Queen palms are trash trees. Landscapers plant them because they are cheap. They actually promote them. And contrary to what this guy says, they ARE high maintenance and most of them develop frizzle top because they aren't properly cared for. I find him grasping at straws in trying to make the queen palm an acceptable palm for this area, or in any area, actually. You couldn't give me one planted for free -- anywhere!

His comment that this thread is a waste of his time is insulting but he certainly has wasted enough of his time "attempting" to get his erroneous opinions presented. And what is even more insulting is his "happy trails girl" swan song comment to end his final (?) post, aimed at you. The nerve of him! I would no more trust this person with my landscaping than I would my 5-year old adorable granddaughter!

Keep up with your landscape and plant comments, and don't stop. They are always well received and offer tons of information.

And hopefully, the above comments are the absolutel end to any future posts from this Ozzello, the expert.

Well Bonana , if your opinion meant 3 shakes.... Back up what you say with some facts

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by Ozzello

What extension agent? Lake and Sumter do not say the Queen palm won't live here. Every publication I have ever seen (based on science and not personal opinion) says Queens are fine in zone 9A.

Kind of realizing you have a personal vendetta against these palms, and I could show you facts from now till kingdom come Kitty, and it wouldn't matter... happy trails girl, this is a waste of my time.

Here is author and text of the UF publication I cited elsewhere not recommending queens here. Sumter is zone 9a.
People can plant them anyway, and many continue to do so.


Syagrus romanzoffiana: Queen Palm1
Timothy K. Broschat2

The queen palm is a popular feather-leaved palm with graceful arching leaves (Fig. 1). It is one of the hardiest of the tropical-looking palms, being suitable for planting in USDA plant hardiness zone 9B (>25°F). Queen palms are considered to be moderately tolerant of salt spray. They can reach heights up to 50 ft with a spread of 20–25 ft.

[Ozzello]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

Here is author and text of the UF publication I cited elsewhere not recommending queens here. Sumter is zone 9a.
People can plant them anyway, and many continue to do so.


Syagrus romanzoffiana: Queen Palm1
Timothy K. Broschat2

The queen palm is a popular feather-leaved palm with graceful arching leaves (Fig. 1). It is one of the hardiest of the tropical-looking palms, being suitable for planting in USDA plant hardiness zone 9B (>25°F). Queen palms are considered to be moderately tolerant of salt spray. They can reach heights up to 50 ft with a spread of 20–25 ft.

Very good, 25 degrees is close enough. Completely accurate if you are growing seedlings, as they do not withstand the cold the adult palms we plant in this area will take. He is teaching people who plan to own and run nurseries. You can drop the temp to 22 and add zone 9A when you are talking adult trees. Maybe he wrote that too in his one book on palms, and you forgot to cut and paste that?

Schooled in N. Dak., Kansas and Ohio and his specialty is woody ornamentals and nutrient disorders and utilization. He is THE MAN when it come to the Ixora. There are better go tos at UF and through out the SE US on palms imho

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by Ozzello

Well Bonana , if your opinion meant 3 shakes.... Back up what you say with some facts

Are you speaking to me? That isn't my name, Ocello.

You claim to be the expert so I'm waiting for you to show your source of information for your many pro queen palm comments.
Kitty has already provided you with the salient facts and their sources, so I need not duplicate them.

Somehow I don't think that the last 4 feet of a queen palm frond hitting a screen and not doing damage to the screen is a prerequisite or reason for planting a palm.
You just may be the only person in the world who thought of that one.

I thought you weren't going to waste your time anymore on this topic?