Howea fosterana - Kentia Palm Trunk

Hi would love to be able to grow but living in Midlands, England have no hope plus don't think it would go with the cottage, build in 1789 :-) I've said to others, I was born in England but grew up in places like Brazil, and Sri Lanka so these plants remind me of my childhood.

Sorry to hear that! :>( However, you're correct you would not be able to grow this palm outdoors in Midlands, England. It's too tender to cold. I'm sure there's a few really hardy palms which can grow there like: Trachycarpus species and Chamaerops humilis.

I'm lucky here in San Diego, California we can grow many hundreds of species of palms in the landscape.

Thanks, will have to look into them. I'm having to be very patient, we have only been here coming up to a year. The garden was very overgrown and in a state with a really horrible weed called horsetail. Don't know if you get that at all anywhere in USA. It is really hard to get rid of. As said house was built in 1789 so planning to make it mainly old English cottage garden but would love to put in a bit of a twist :-).

It sounds like a fun gardening project. :>)

Yes, horsetail is a horrible weed in many parts of the U.S. even here in San Diego's dry subtropical climate. It spreads like wildfire! It's horrible just like the Brazilian pepper trees which take over everywhere here.

Have just looked up Brazilian pepper trees. Glad I've not got to contend with that. Thats the trouble of introducing some of the plants from other countries. Here we all dread the most is Japanese knotweed. Thank god not got that. My problem is having the dogs have to be so careful with weed killer. Shadow, the younger, darker of the 2 has not grown a brain yet. He is into everything and eating everything. 1st week we got him had to rush to vets as he had eaten the berries from a Mountain Ash. Had to chop tree down as he would not leave them alone and they made him so ill. My main problem is horsetail, brambles, nettles and blackthorn. Had thought I wanted blackthorn as I make Sloe gin for Christmas but then Stega warned me about how evasive it is and found out 1st hand when found it in back of one of my boarders. They send out lots of runners. Look forward to seeing more photos of your tropical garden. :-) jen

Yes, you're lucky the Brazilian pepper tree can't grow there.

We have a lot of other pest plants and trees, though. Another one that I don't like is Carrotwood tree (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) and Castor Tree (Ricinus communis) and Nicotiana glauca they pop up everywhere. Also, Lantana is another weed in my yard. I've kept a couple, though. The pink variety spreads all over my neighborhood. Lantana is toxic to most animal...except most birds. The birds spread them everywhere.