Collector Palms is a great seller! I bought a 5ft Trachy and a nice 3ft CIDP. Both were very reasonable, packaged well, and shipped fast! Oh, and very healthy too. I don't normally like to plug online sellers, but this one delivers what they advertise!

BTW, I have ordered from Paradise Palms and actually got two decent Trachys, also quite reasonable. Both are still alive and doing well so I guess I have no complaints. Good luck!

I have ordered from Collector Palms. Ryan is a man of his word, and sells quality plants, usually at a very reasonable price. I have bought 2 plants from him in the last year. I got a 5.5' trachy and a 3' needle palm. The trachy was cheap, healthy, but definitely a "shade-grown" tree. Nice, but somewhat "leggy and stretched" as is the term I have seen used here before. If the price it right, go for it. The needle I got from them was a steal. I paid $60 delivered (including shipping) for a nice big one, it has a foot of thick trunk. It actually looks like a smaller trachy. I couldn't be happier with that one!

If you are looking for a large trachy, and at a good price, I can steer you in the right direction. Early spring this year, I planted (in ground) a 7-footer with almost 4 feet of thick 10-11" diameter trunk. I paid under $200 (plus shipping) for the tree. Stunning tree, instant landscaping effect... This, from a different seller, who does occasionally sell on Ebay. I did that deal outside of Ebay though.

Thanks guys.
Bob, I haven't actually ordered from Paradise, but just read some threads on the forum with some really bad stories. Also, when I called them a couple times they were kind of rude. Just didn't seem like the kind of person that really gave a crap if they sold you something or not. Just rubbed me the wrong way I guess.
mnpalms, I would be interested in your palm source if you wouldn't mind. Probably not going to buy any trachys right now, but I have a plan for 9 larger size trees when I'm ready, so I'm just trying to get some first hand recommendations. My local nurseries have nice ones up to 5', but they're so much mre expensive than the online stores. I have planted 5 trachys and potted 2 pindos since April, so I think I gave myself enough work to do this winter for now. I'm probably going to add 1 or 2 pygmy date palms within the next month though.

I recently ordered from Collector Palms as well, and my experiences were the same as above. Plants were very nice, well-packed, shipped promptly. He threw in a free, one gallon sized needle palm with my 2 plant order, which I thought was a really nice gesture.

Tnwindmill-

The seller I mentioned goes by Julia4537 on Ebay. She does regularly sell $165 trachys there, but I had emailed her about getting bigger ones. She has them... We did a deal outside Ebay, and I ended up with 2 trees that are twice the size of the ones shown in her auction. One was for a friend. Also, she will tell you the tree you will get is much larger then the one shown in the file picture in her auction anyway. Look close, the one in the auction shown is actually flowering. She does have even bigger ones that are not listed, you just have to ask. This seller mostly sells fruit and other tropical trees, not too many palms other than trachys. I couldn't be happier with the big trachy though!

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxp1FBS

http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=gxp2Wqr

(Pictures from April)

thanks mnpalms-I'll definitely check her out! By the way, was curious what your winter plans were for a tree that big in your zone. I've always heard that in my zone you need 2 or 3 winters with some protection, but if the tree is 7' when you plant it, that sounds it could be quite a job. My two 5' trachys are about 6' in diameter, so they aren't going to be easy.

Tn-

My winter plan is similar to what the poster here "Arctictropical" does. I was planning on protecting pretty heavy the first two winters for sure. Then maybe devise an easier way to do it, perhaps similar to what that guy from Iowa does/did with even less hardy washys. I'm in a favorable micro-climate right where I live, and that is where my 4b/5a claim comes from. I'm actually just southeast of Minneapolis/St. Paul.

More details about the planned protection: Foamboard insulation box, made with a 2x2 pine wood frame. Xmas lights and a CFL bulb inside for light and a little heat. I'll monitor the heat level during the coldest snaps and have some extra heat available if needed. I do expect the tree to be very hardy already, due to its size and maturity. I'll cover it Late November/Early December when overnight lows start to go lower than 20F, then uncover it in early March when the risk of subzero temps, or even the risk of it going below the high teens/low 20s has passed. Also, to minimize the width of the foam box, I will tie the fronds up, just like arctictropical does. My big trachy does have a very wide spread, it would be a big job to cover it untied! My big needle palm, it will be covered with a 50gal plastic garbage can, mulched somewhat. I might put a CFL bulb in with the needle as well. Not really for the heat, but for the light. I believe one of the main reasons for Arctictropical's success with his trees, is the fact his have light all winter.

I've also ordered bare root palm seedlings from Collector Palms on Ebay about two years ago. They were packaged very nicely and in perfect condition.Shipped to Minneapolis, MN

Tatsuo

I have a 10-12 Foot Canary Palm with palm span reaching 18 feet high that is in great condition and Sunscape Landscape wants to "sell" my tree and cover costs for removal. Does anyone have any history with Sunscape Landscaping Nursery in Tampa, FL that could give me some insight if this is a good idea, and a price range I should be looking to sell the tree for.