What is this tree and why do strange plant growths appear on it every spring?

Sanguine Fan

We inherited a nice tree in my front garden when we bought our present home. We refer to it as a 'palm tree', but I have no idea of its correct name.

Every spring a number of strange plants sprout and grow quickly from each of the branches. Every spring I cut these growths off with a hacksaw.

This year's 'crop' has been particularly profuse but I managed to remove every one of the 'parasites' - if that is indeed what they are.

I am attaching some photos of the tree and the growths. Can anyone shed light on this phenomenon?

Oldtree

Its the "palm Tree's" flower

yellowlabrador

Thank you, you put a smile on my face. but don't qworry we've all been there as novices.

Paulownia

We all have to learn sometime, I love teaching people about plants. It is Cordylyne Australis also known as cabbage palm, most of them were badly burned by the big freeze a couple of years ago. I sawed one down and even though I removed as much of the stump as I could it keeps on sending shoots up. My advice is don't plant one unless you really love it, I have always thought they look a little out of context in our climate. They also seed all over the place. On the upside though the scent from the flowers !!! is truly wonderful and lasts for a long time

lottpaul

+1 on the scent - it's beautiful. The flowers dont look great but they more than make up for it scent-wise. Mine don't seed very much but they are pretty tough and even if they fall/are cut down etc they will grow again from the base - usually with more stems. The fallen leaves can be a nuisance for lawnmowers - they are as tough as leather and will wrap themselves around the blades. Solution is just to pick them up beforehand

Sanguine Fan

Paulownia wrote: »

It is Cordylyne Australis also known as cabbage palm, most of them were badly burned by the big freeze a couple of years ago. I sawed one down and even though I removed as much of the stump as I could it keeps on sending shoots up. My advice is don't plant one unless you really love it, I have always thought they look a little out of context in our climate. They also seed all over the place. On the upside though the scent from the flowers !!! is truly wonderful and lasts for a long time

Thanks for that. I should have realised that the tree was flowering, especially given the time of year. But I know nothing about flora and gardening for me consists of keeping the vegetation from mutating into Triffids and engulfing the house!:rolleyes:

That said, I do like the tree. It seems a little exotic for our north Atlantic setting and brings to mind the tropics. I still don't like these 'flowers' though. Most of my neighbours leave theirs on the tree and eventually they rot and look very unsightly.

My sense of smell must be non-existent. I have just spent an hour with my head stuck between the leaves trying to remove the 'flowers' and I could not detect any scent whatsoever.

kylith

Will the seed germinate in our climate? I've had one appear in the garden a couple of years ago, but had no clue where it could have come from as someone told me that cordyline's won't grow from seed here.

Rancid

kylith wrote: »

Will the seed germinate in our climate? I've had one appear in the garden a couple of years ago, but had no clue where it could have come from as someone told me that cordyline's won't grow from seed here.

The seeds definitely germinate here quite easily. If you're over-enthusiastic about weeding, you may actually remove the tiny seedlings because they look almost exactly like a blade of grass when they begin to grow.
I always found them sprouting in the gaps between the paving slabs under the cordyline trees, so started keeping an eye out for them, easing them out with a knife and replanting somewhere safer.

CJhaughey

Cabbage trees grow the whole length of NZ, the southern part of their range is cold, probably colder than here for most of the time.
They are a tropical species that has evolved to be able to handle cold conditions over millenia.
Yes the big freeze did kill some of them but they could have very well been variants that aren't as hardy as others.
There are distinct variations in type throughout NZ from the subtropical north to the subantartic south.
Those that didn't die are probably the tougher South Island versions.
Little known fact, you can eat the pith inside the trunk!

goat2

how does that pith taste,

it is a pity to cut the flowers from the cordyline, those that you cut are the sprouting flowers, if you let them on, there are some birds that love them and i love watching them feed from the flowers,

CJhaughey

goat2 wrote: »

how does that pith taste,

it is a pity to cut the flowers from the cordyline, those that you cut are the sprouting flowers, if you let them on, there are some birds that love them and i love watching them feed from the flowers,

Not sure, apparently the Maori ate them quite a lot.
Not really my thing eating such a nice tree but if times got tough then...

zagmund

goat2 wrote: »

it is a pity to cut the flowers from the cordyline, those that you cut are the sprouting flowers, if you let them on, there are some birds that love them and i love watching them feed from the flowers,

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. We get huge swarms of starlings (I think) descending on it every so often. It's great to watch. Because of our location we don't get too many birds spending time in the garden (as distinct from passing over it) and this is one of the few plants that attracts them.

z

kylith

Rancid wrote: »

The seeds definitely germinate here quite easily. If you're over-enthusiastic about weeding, you may actually remove the tiny seedlings because they look almost exactly like a blade of grass when they begin to grow.
I always found them sprouting in the gaps between the paving slabs under the cordyline trees, so started keeping an eye out for them, easing them out with a knife and replanting somewhere safer.

Good to know so I can keep an eye out in future. Initially I thought it was a phormium spreading but the leaves were long. I'm not mad on them, but I'll take a free plant, no bother.

Northumbria

It's a Cordyline australis flowering. They're quite pretty when they do that, no need to cut them off. You only need to be worried if you see "puss" and white growths coming out of the trunk after winter damage.

Paulownia

I think that is what the maoris call taking the pith! I think there are a lot of things I would taste before gnawing the centre of a cordyline log!

flutered

Paulownia wrote: »

We all have to learn sometime, I love teaching people about plants. It is Cordylyne Australis also known as cabbage palm, most of them were badly burned by the big freeze a couple of years ago. I sawed one down and even though I removed as much of the stump as I could it keeps on sending shoots up. My advice is don't plant one unless you really love it, I have always thought they look a little out of context in our climate. They also seed all over the place. On the upside though the scent from the flowers !!! is truly wonderful and lasts for a long time

plus the starlings really enjoy them

evolving_doors

Tried to dig one out before after the bad frost...too deep.. Attacked the underground stump 2 feet down with chainsaw... Growing Back again this year!

Mr Steak

Decided to get rid of a clump of these last summer during the heat wave. Basically soaked them in petrol and burned them out. Shovelled off remains and sprayed paraquat/roundup mix

Paulownia

there is no way to get rid of the roots known to man short of importing some of those ozzie palm eaters! I have tried everything and now just cut them off when they appear above ground.

magicbastarder

Armelodie wrote: »

Tried to dig one out before after the bad frost...too deep.. Attacked the underground stump 2 feet down with chainsaw... Growing Back again this year!

i dug one out last year. who needs gym membership - it was like digging up a three pronged parsnip over a foot in diameter and three foot long.

Paulownia

Well Magic, if you feel you need more exercise I have 3 stumps still producing shoots. One was cut down by my father and he is dead 12 years.
I like a man who can rise to a challenge!

Oink

Paulownia wrote: »

I think that is what the maoris call taking the pith! I think there are a lot of things I would taste before gnawing the centre of a cordyline log!

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/hearts-of-palm-recipes.html

They're actually tasty enough.

EDIT: actually I think that might be a different type of palm tree...