What is that "THING" growing on my windmill palm?

Spring is here and that means lots of phone calls and inquiries about the yellow "thing" growning on the windmill palm!

Well, that "thing" is a flower.  Once the windmill reaches a certain maturity it will bloom each year.  It will start in a pod and the pod will open and a whitish/yellow "flower" will emerge.  There is a possibility seeds will be produced but you need a male/female close by each other in order for the seeds to germinate.

Removing the pods/flowers will not harm the palm and will in fact conserve growing energy for your palm. Clip the flower stems off at the base when seen each year.

Do You Want to Create Your Own Paradise?

You don't have to live in the tropics to experience that laid-back tropical vibe!

Aahhhh....Paradise

The natural beauty that surrounds you at exotic, tropical gardens seems to automatically create that sense of casual, laid-back comfort that allows you to completely relax and unwind. Lets face it, is difficult to feel overly stressed when you are surrounded by beautiful and exotic gardens with lush foliage, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and an unending display of flowering plants of every imaginable color.  As your senses soak it all in, the laid-back attitude and sense of well-being is almost automatic.

What if it was possible to create a piece of that Island allure in your everyday life? What if you could create an exotic tropical backyard landscape at home?  It's not only possible...it's easy with PPOL.  Check out our variety of cold hardy and low-maintenance palms, then give us a call and we'll guide you through the steps to creating YOUR paradise!

Winter Care for your Palm

The colder weather is finally here!  It's time to start thinking about preparing and protecting palms when severe temperatures arrive - or worse yet - SNOW!  With these freezing temperatures heading your way is when your palm trees will require extra attention. The percentage of your palm tree surviving colder temperatures is determined by the palm tree itself. The type of palm tree you have is key to the cold tolerance it can handle with out damage. The age, height and environment the palm tree was grown in and overall health are all factors as well.

Below are some suggestions to help protect palms against frost damage.

1.  Make sure palm is HYDRATED!  Water the ground around the palm early enough that it has time to soak up the water prior to a freeze.  DO NOT keep the foliage wet.

2.  To help reduce leaf burn during a frost or wind event, try wrapping the head of the palm with frost cloth or a sheet.  If using a regular sheet or netting, you can also add a low-watt light (a string of holiday lights are a good suggestion) under the sheet - USE EXTREME CAUTION TO SET IT UP SO IT WILL NOT SET ANYTHING ON FIRE OR BECOME AN ELECTRICAL HAZARD !!!!!!

3.  If you are unable to cover your palm and there is snow, be sure to get the snow off the foliage immediately.

4.  Don't forget the mulch!  Mulching your palm tree with 3"- 6" of mulch will help protect the fine tender feeder roots which are close to the surface from freezing.   It will also retain moisture and warmth for the palm tree reducing the need for watering.