Imagine my surprise when, instead of the usual hairy Trachycarpus trunks, I saw these! As my friends Mark & Gaz call it they've gone full Brazilian...
Stripped of their typical furry fibers the trunks look so thin and vulnerable, at least that's my take on it.
You can see their more hirsute look towards the top of this one.
What's your opinion?
Need something to compare to? Here's mine, hairs and all.
Thinking back to my early days in Portland I kind of remember being a bit offended by all the shaggy business, but now that I'm used to it...
And I can't imagine my palms going naked!
If you're curious here again is the link again to the process my friends Mark & Gaz went through to strip the trunks on their Trachycarpus.
Now back to the drive-by garden. Having run across the busy street and getting into my car this caught my attention. WWTT? That's a Magnolia!!!
See...
It really is...
But it's been shaped to look like a mushroom. Why!?
Why...
All material © 2009-2016 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
Not having much exposure (hehe) to palms myself, I can't say that the naked trunk looks bad or wrong -- in fact I like the color! The mushroom magnolia... some people can't resist pruning. Growing up I didn't know that shrubs and trees had natural shapes, as everything I saw everywhere was always pruned.
ReplyDeleteHow sad ("growing up..."). Why do people feel such a need to control?
DeleteWhy indeed? I much prefer palms au naturel, but then I do prune up my Yucca rostratas, so I guess it just depends. That magnolia though? It's just sad.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point, I too trim my Yucca's...but then that's dead foliage...?
DeleteLove them both, hairy and naked!!
ReplyDeleteHave you kept with the maintenance on your trimmed palm(s)?
DeleteI prefer them stripped. The same goes for Yucca rostrata and similar yuccas. To my eyes, they look better without the dead stuff.
ReplyDeleteBut it's all personal preference, and a hairy trachy is still a pretty sight.
Interesting. But are the fibers on the palm really "dead stuff?" I don't know the answer but I'm leaning towards no. It's always that brown color, it's not like the Yucca leaves that were once alive (blue/green) and then turned to brown.
DeleteThat is quite a different look! They do look a bit more like the palm trees I'm used to seeing here in SoCal, but the hairy look is pretty cool too!
ReplyDeleteI think that's why some people like the naked look. It's what their eyes are used to seeing.
DeleteI think that's why some people like the naked look. It's what their eyes are used to seeing.
DeleteI like them stripped, the top has a better display
ReplyDeleteTrue, it does change how you see the top of the palm.
DeleteI can see a mix of striped and hairy. I think the contrast would be dramatic — and educational. As for the magnolia, a short person lives there who wants to smell the flowers and see them up close . . .
ReplyDeleteHa! Nice rationalization.
DeleteMany, many, years ago I use to dislike the hairy look of the Trachycarpus' trunk, but it has become attractive to me now. The stripped trunk, not so much. Some subspecies or species naturally shed the fiber leaving a natural clean trunk. I have also heard that stripping the fiber off the trunk doesn't weaken the plant to cold. Besides, the fiber is a good place to get vines to grow up the trunk and to tuck epiphytes into for that jungle look!
ReplyDeleteJohn(Aberdeen)
You've hit on an important point for me - the vines and epiphytes. I can't wait for my palms (I have 3) to be tall enough to really work that angle.
DeletePerhaps because of the 1970's I like them hairy. Like you, at first, the hairy trachycarpus trunks didn't appeal to me but now am a fan, especially because vines can easily grab on to those hairy trunks. Cut or uncut both appeal to me but I wouldn't go through the trouble of doing that to my own palms. The magnolia is just wrong.
ReplyDeleteJust wrong indeed! And your 1970's comment has me thinking of a certain Burt Reynolds poster...
DeleteI'm not a fan of the Magnolia pruning but I like a mix of smooth and hairy on the Trachy. I've seen quite a few palms here in Florida this week with ferns tucked into the trunks. I like that look.
ReplyDeleteFerns! Yes...that would be fabulous. Did you take pictures?
DeleteThat poor Magnolia! Does stripping the palm like that expose it to winter weather damage, or is it allowed to regrow its fur protection before winter arrives?
ReplyDeleteOnce removed the fur does not grow back, but of course at the top (where it's growing) there will be new growth. I've heard that taking away the fibers does not effect their winter hardiness, although it seems like it would.
DeleteI actually like the mushroom shape of the magnolia because sort of looks like a bonsai. That being said, it looks like it has been whacked by hedge shearers and is pretty ugly, but imagine if it were artfully pruned that shape with a nice open structure. But that's just me.
ReplyDeleteArtfully pruned could make a difference. The whacked back look is never good.
DeleteNot a Trachycarpus fan (oops, bad pun), but I like palms with sleek trunks like Archontophoenix. At least the Trachy looks healthy, as does yours. On the other hand, that poor Magnolia...
ReplyDeleteI doubt I would be a fan either, if we could grow the others up here in the PNW.
DeleteIs there a real reason to strip the fuzzy stuff? Traps excess moisture? Vermin make their homes there? If not, I can't say that I would do it... The Magnolia is a whole other kettle of fish!
ReplyDeleteNo reason other than looks.
DeleteThe new owners of the home probably just moved up from L.A. and want the palms to look like washingtonia.
ReplyDeleteYou could be right.
DeleteI don't really mind the look of the bare trunks (interesting rings), but my first thought is that the "hair" might play some kind of role in the palm's natural state -- shading the trunk, holding in moisture, sheltering particular insects or other fauna... ?
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I know I've read that it doesn't effect the palm's hardiness but I haven't ran across any info on the other possible benefits.
DeleteI'm not really into Trachycarpus, but I prefer the hairy look. That said, I prefer palms with naturally-smooth trunks. But they aren't hardy here. (Actually, my favorite hardy palms have little or no trunks: Chamaerops, Rhapidophyllum, and Sabal minor.)
ReplyDeleteThat poor magnolia! You know I have harsh views of people who treat their plants that way.
I'd be happy to share the address with you if you'd like to go have a talk with them.
DeleteThe mushroom magnolia is just sad but the naked palm just made me laugh!!
ReplyDeleteIt's a new species: mushroom magnolia!
DeleteThis obsession our culture has with excess body hair seems to have been taken to a new level. I think I prefer the more natural "European" look.
ReplyDeleteHa!
DeleteI can't believe they did that to that poor, poor Magnolia. Feeling highly indignant about that, but then again, I'm still over sensitized about pruning issues. As for the palm, I could only wonder - who has that kind of time on their hands...?
ReplyDeleteRight?
DeleteIt's kinda like the bear/clean-shaven dilemma...or clear countertops/everything out where you can reach it. My kitchen has got to be a nightmare to clean-freaks.
ReplyDeleteAs long as it works for you that's all that matters...
DeleteI've never seen a trunk stripped like that. Interesting indeed.
ReplyDelete