GioGio,
I bought the brevifolia as seed from a popular online retailer. I don't know if you can get potted ones in Canada. I've kept it dry, bone dry. But given no protection from cold (no mulch, or anything else.) The pretection is a clear plastic roof that slightly warms the temps during the day (I would guess) but does nothing at night. Hence the -32c it had to dal with. Yucca elata can take similar cold and I will be trying Yucca thompsonia (Variety of Rostrata) seed soon as I've heard it will be hardy too!
Just because we're colder then the Swest of Ontario, does't mean we can't grow cool stuff!

Musa Ottawa, The Canadian zones take more then just winter minimum temperature into account. They are inaccurate and so I don't use them. Though I know a number of people do. You don't have to be super intelligent to know that if English holly won't survive it's not a zone 6 (5b)! I tried Ilex aquil. when I saw that the Canadain zone map listed Sydenham as 5b. Then we got -32 (followed by -28c the next winter) which toasted so much stuff (holly, Yucca filamentosa exposed leaves, Giant sequoia (zone 6 plant) etc). I concluded that because of the possible cold outbreaks Sydenham was best rated 5a/4b as on the USDA map. The same map shows Ottawa as 4a/b, but the heat island make it more like zone 5.
Cheers,
Paul

Hi PaulNS

So going back to MUSA Ottawa question. Toronto is listed as a 6A. Does that mean I should look for Plants suited for 5B.
I'm 10 minutes north of Lake Ontario. We do not get as much snow or rain like the surrounding area would.

I normally look for Zone 5 plants but thought I might try some zone 6 next year? What are your thoughts?

Thanks

GioGio, Toronto is listed as 6a on the Canadian map, yes. So is Kingston Ontario. Kingston will see an average low in the zone 5b range on the USDA map. So Kingston is 5b.
Toronto: The airport sees temperatures that average to 5b as well. Toronto Island has temps that are increasingly in the zone 6 range ( I would guess soon that with global warming, increased pollution, heat island) it will be solidly 6b. Toronto city should be fine with zone 6 plants. I know of people who have been sucessful with basjoo, So. mag. etc... It's a very good climate for Canada. Just shy of Niagara, but warming more quickly!
Don't be bound to the zones, but know what they mean, and how the Canadain version of the climate zone map is inaccurate and confusing. Most zone 6 plants will be fine for you. And no one ever said not to try some different stuff, by all means please do! It's just that one of the keys to pushing the zones is understanding your own climate. For this reason I'm gona reccomend Dr. Francko's book, "Palms won't grow here and other myths". It details what some of us already knew, and what we can expect. Importantly, his experiments are in a climate that is similar to both Halifax and Toronto (more similar to Toronto with the extreme cold events he has to deal with!).

Anyway, You can grow zone 5 plants yes, but try different stuff. You'll never know what will work until you try.

Hope this helps.
Paul

GioGio,

As long as you can compensate for the very cold nights from Dec-Feb you should safely be able to maintain US zone 6 plants. As soon as I finish this note I'm going to order the book that Paul has refered to. Hopefully, this book will provide insight into pushing the zone limits.

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Regards

PhilNS, Are you saying since that I don't have"super intelligents",.. which it would have been more polite if you were to just say that i was misinformed and that there is more facts, and that ottawa is more of a zone4b, but a person of your intelligents i don't know why i am explaining this to you.

But I appreciate you explaining it to me that there is other facts to ottawa plant zone and that it is more of a zone 4b then a zone 5a, I just really appreciate you saying that i don't have super intelligents, thats all,.................

To others, I enjoy having this gardening chat and sharing information with all of you.

However, is windsor, ON a zone6b or a 7a, I knwo that it is something like that. Oh

Ok, now I really have a question, for a musa basjoo, which is hardy to zone3, how much mulch should I protect it with order to help it survive this winter, Oh it is its first winter outside all winter..

thanks

musa ottawa

PaulsNS

Thanks for all the info. I have done some research and have decided to add a Yucca Faxoniana (Palm Yucca - $16.00 1gal), Trachycarpus Takil (Kumaon Fan Palm - $25.00 1gal), Trachycarpus fortunei (Windmill Palm - $18.00 1 gal) and a Yucca Brevifolia (Joshua Tree). The only place I have found to carry the Joshua Tree is Ty Ty and they are pretty expensive. Where did you buy your seeds? and when would you start germinating them?

Phil,

I'm with you. I'm going to add the book to my christmas list.

This past weekend I put my musa to bed. I hope the majority of the stalk survives the winter.

Thanks

GioGio,

Good luck on the Musa, with the temps expected to go below freezing later this week I will have to put my musas down for winter. By the way, don't be discouraged if the stalk freezes because it will come back next year bigger and better.

Also, on your message you put some prices and sizes next to some of plants you wanted to add to your collection. Where did you get those values? And when do you plan on getting them?

Thanks
Phil

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Regards

Hi Phil,

Those prices came from the Tropic.ca site located in B.C. I plan on ordering them next March/April.

Hope that helps

Does anyone know how much mulch I ought to apply on top of my musa basjoo?

To be safe I would apply at least 2.5 feet. This should depend on how deep the ground tends to freeze in your region.

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Regards
Edited by PhilMusa on Nov 15, 2005 at 10:41 AM

Ok kool, thanks Phil, If you guys wanna see something really kool, about hardy palms, check these websites out.

http://www.polarpalm.net/

http://hometown.aol.com/fitzroya/myhomepage/cooking.html

This is where I got my encouragement on wondering what could grow here.........

Musa ottawa

Very interesting sites. Thanks.

Now all I need is to find some to buy this spring.

Regards
Phil

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Regards

Hi Musa/Phil

I picked up some Trachycarpus takil seeds (best know as Windemere Palms) and some Yucca Brevifolia - Joshua Tree seed the other day. I'll let you know how it turns out and if you want I'll sell you a plant.

I still will order the sister palm to the Takil which is the Fortunei which I'll order from Vancouver to get around the importing documentation certificate.

Have a great winter guys.

GioGio,

Good luck with the seeds and with your Basjoo!

Thanks
Phil

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Regards

Hey Everyone, Happy holidays, and I have an annoucement to make. I had a break threw with one of my palm trees. It was my Livistona Australis. I have had this very small palm(less then a foot tall), for 2 yrs now, and knowing me I enjoy pushing tropicals to their limits. 1st outside then pulled in, the coldest temp I saw it at was -10C no protection, and covered in ice. Yr 2(this year) I pushed it too -15C and no protection once again.....I think that I have a pic of it when I pulled it inside.................Well, next winter Im hoping to push it top -20C, and it it survives, I will plant it in the ground and then see what happens. I have garden pics if anyone is interested in seeing them. I am hoping on making up a website but haven't gotten around to it yet.