I always enjoy watching your videos, because you always give a lot of good information about the plants your showing. I feel your video help encourage people to add more trees to their yards.
Thanks, Mel! This one gets huge so maybe not for everyone (especially how small the builders apportion lots) but my yard would not be the same without it. I’m so excited it’s now able to bloom and can share it.
Your RP looks so beautiful - I hope mine can be this gorgeous some day. Few questions... 1. Looks like the roots travel, but have the roots ever pulled up any of the pavers around it in your yard? 2. Do you fertilize at all in the spring to push growth or encourage blooms? Seems like you did when it was young, but no need anymore? 3. Do you trim when it's dormant or wait until the first sign of life so you know how far to cut?
Your tree will certainly mature in time and be stunning! 1. Yes; a year ago I redid the edger and path near the rootball because it was pulled up a little and the tree needed more space. The new DG path is raised well above the soil level. Over time, the roots develop a buttressed effect so I think the issue with concrete lifting is only once the tree gets very mature (10+ years). 2. Correct; I directly fertilized the tree in year 1 but after that do not fertilize this tree in the spring or any time to encourage blooms or growth. I do feed my other trees and imagine the RP passively gets fertilized. The chicken run is just a few feet away so my hens are also passively fertilizing the tree. 3. I typically do an annual hard prune of the tree in April once the tree leafs out (to top/shape it) but skipped last year. I also do some light pruning of branches just to clear the walking path during summer and fall as needed.
Thank you so very much! I live in 8a and would love to keep the two trees I brought from Tampa, Florida. I managed to keep them alive this past winter by keeping them in pots and inside the house. But, eventually, they have to get planted out in the yard. I’ll keep them inside this winter.
You are welcome! 8A is really pushing the limits but I wonder if once you plant in the ground, a heat sink may help in the winter by covering the ground around the tree with large river rocks to absorb heat so it radiates it at night. I am doing that with my plumeria and last winter they went unscathed even when lows dropped to 26 F.
If you are local to the Phoenix area, Green Life Nursery carries it along with other local tropical nurseries. It is also very easy to grow from seeds. You can find seeds and starter plants on ebay or etsy.
@@donv6686 There are some in the East Valley. Tropica Mango is in AJ. Arizona Fruit Trees (Jay Barringer) is in Mesa. Queen Creek Tropicals is in QC. A Tropical Concept may also have them and is in central Phoenix. I suggest contacting the nurseries before driving out to confirm prices and stock.
I trim my RP to about 11-12 feet each year. Not letting it go crazy. This is going on its third summer. So glad to know that it will eventually still bloom even after pruning. Do you think trimming it the way I do would keep the roots from being less invasive? It’s 20 ft from my house. Will need to keep an eye on it.
20' is a good distance. Yes; keeping it smaller should keep the root system smaller also. The biggest buttressed roots are right near the root ball. It's where people try to plant this inside a sidewalk or in a courtyard a few feet from a wall or their house where they get into issues as that trunk can get massive like 4' wide or bigger over time.
@@EnlightenmentGarden Thanks, Natasha. It’s such a beautiful tree it really does provide a great microclimate with a tropical look! I’d be pretty sad trying to find a replacement…
This particular tree came from an online nursery called Top Tropicals (FL). They no longer ship to AZ but if you are local to the Phoenix area, Green Life Nursery carries it along with other local tropical nurseries. It is also very easy to grow from seeds. You can find seeds on ebay or etsy.
