Traveler palms (Ravenala madagascariensis)

[Susan]

Thx Kapohocat...email on its way


Later that day..

email shows a delivery failure. Will try one more time from home instead of the office.

[Susan]

bummer...PunaWeb mail no workie. Cat we aren't arriving until Sep 24th. Thank you for the offer of photos. If they will be gone by then save your strength and we will catch up with you later. email me at sjmccarty@comcast.net if you still want to.

Mahalo, Susan

[alfastatik]

We have a row of the travelers palm (tree) in front of our place, when the travelers palms get big, they get messy with new keikis and dead leaves.

The Podocarpus (yew) is big, lush and bushy and provides great border. You could consider big bananas for an edicble border (these can be messy too.). Pine is nice for a border too, the needles keep the weeds down.

Jeffrey Krepps
jevkreppsz@juno.com
Kurtistown, HI

[missydog1]

I like triangle palms for form, arecas for a thick hedge. Podocarpus works really well, but is so nondescript. It would be so boring if everyone had podocarpus hedges, as it is boring all the oleander screens on the west side, even though they make good screens.

Otatea acuminata aztecorum (Mexican weeping bamboo) is very graceful and grows pretty quickly, drought tolerant. Bamboo is typically a little more pricey than some other plants, but I choose it every time.
http://bamboonursery.com/photos.asp?type=52
photo
I'm not sure where you are; it's probably not a good Mountainview variety, but lower elevation yes.

[Susan]

Thanks Jeffrey and Kathy.
I did a little online research on the Podocarpus.
Thanks for the suggestions.
I also thought about Vitex. Beautiful purple flowers and lush foliage. I just didnt want to grow the same thing I have here in Texas.
I am sure the weeping bamboo would be ok in Orchid Land.

[missydog1]

Oh sure, Orchidland no problem. The thing with bamboo is it's hard to have faith that the tiny little plant with be a full screen within a year and mature in two years. It looks so nothing. It can be worth it to buy some that is a year older to get the presence faster. There are so many types of bamboo that will work. The otatea is relatively affordable and doesn't get as tall. I have other bamboo that I put in the ground here less than three years ago, with only one piece taken from a parent plant, that is now 30 foot tall on the way to 40-60. Otatea will stay at 15 feet or so.

Re your original question, yeah I agree, the travelers are messy and high maintenance. The similar in form giant white bird of paradise has been low maintenance for me. I suppose that coquis would love that too, but what don't coquis love. Just gotta keep the stuff away from the house.