Garden Giants

The Good, The Bad And The Challenge Of Palm Trees.

I don’t remember exactly when the palm tree trend started, but certainly in the 1990s it was common to see massive palms on the back of equally large trucks being transported to new homes in trendy Auckland suburbs.

Frightening amounts of money changed hands for these giants of the tropics and I certainly never envisaged a time when I’d be able to buy one as tall as me for about $50.

We already have more than enough palms. But if you’re planning to plant one or more, these are your choices.

There are around 100 species of palms that’ll grow in Auckland’s north – Bangalow, Queen, Phoenix, Butia, Dypsis, Washingtonias and dozens more. And there are fewer, but still quite a number, that’ll grow in the south.

Why bother growing plants where they would not normally grow? Because it’s nice to have something tropical to look at through your frost-encrusted windows, and because there’s a challenge in seeing whether you can get a tropical plant to thrive in a cool location.

If you’re in the southern part of the country, give these a go.

BUTIA CAPITATA (JELLY PALM)