Ricky,

That flowering is beautiful!

I have a question for you. I just put my foxtail in the ground after being in a pot for a couple of years. It is still small: only three-four feet tall. Do you think it will survive the winters in Jacksonville if it gets wrapped at the base and has heat lamps on it as well? Or, over time, is there just no way?

Thanks,
Carol

Carol - I wouldn't use the heat lamps or the wrap, just let it acclimate. If it doesn't make it, it doesn't belong there.

Aw come on, I use them on my citrus for 2 or 3 nights every year when it is going into the 20s. I can't let 2 or 3 nights determine that something doesn't belong when it *does* belong the other 363 days! (I would be out tons of oranges and a lot of money by now!) Not to mention all the plants I drag into the garage for a day or two. There is no way I would use the "oh well" philosophy. Don't you do *anything* to protect any of your plants when the temperatures really dip?

Maybe I was misleading in my original post. I don't mean that I would need to use wraps and heat lamps ALL winter; only on those few nights where we have a hard freeze.

Carol - Years ago, I tried to save stuff on my patio when we had a cold spell; not anymore. If it dies, I replace it. Maybe that's tough love in the garden, but who are we to disagree with nature?

I'm in Clay Co. (SW of Jax) I have a few pf them here in pots and move them into a sheltered area when it gets under freezing. I moved them onto the covered patio when it gets too cold. The largest one is 10 ft now and that is gonna be harder to do when it gets bigger plus now it needs a bigger pot lol. I have a handtruck and that helps alot with moving stuff around.

You must be a lot more well-healed than me. It's worth a little bit of effort to save than to waste, throw out and buy more. One - it is conservative and two - I want to retire young. I put away every penny I can. Wasteful, wasteful, wasteful.

oo that is one beautiful palm!! the flowers are really neat, too....are they fragrant?

Amazing, beautiful pictures and blooms! Thank you Fawnridge! Makes me want to plant a fan palm.... Which leads to the conundrum that Fawnridge and Love-the-Yard presented so well. How much effort, money, and in these drought days, water, does a gardener want to spend? Where is the bar for "too high maintenance"? I think I'm glad each gardener differs in this... allows me to see so many awesome plants that I don't grow myself.