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Hello and welcome.

When I retired I decided to expand a hobby I had when at work ; germinating palm seeds, and raising some of them as palm seedlings and plants.

Since I started these pages I’ve been joined by other enthusiasts in Britain and the mainland of Europe to form a co-operative. They, like me, take a joy in germinating seeds, and admire mature palm plants.

We germinate the seeds of hardy and other types of palms, including tropical ones. To pay for our hobby we sell the surplus seedlings we raise. We believe we are unique in being able to offer such a range of palms.

Although we tend to grow only small quantities of specialist plants, we often get large surpluses of seedlings, and can supply larger numbers of certain plants to commercial companies.

The seedlings and plants we have are quickly accessible through the shortcuts on the left.

Its not true that palms will only do well in tropical or sub-tropical places. Some are frost hardy, and will survive very well if planted out in British Gardens. The Chusan, or Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) will survive several degrees of frost, and can be planted out in British gardens. Also the stunning Brahea armata (The Blue Hesper Palm), and Butia capitata (The Jelly Palm).

Some are reputedly hardier than this, for example I am germinating and growing the hardiest palm of all, the so called Needle Palm, Rhapidophyllum hystrix, which reputedly can survive minus 4 degrees F or minus 20 degrees C. However such palms are rather slow growing in temperate areas (like Britain).

In the summer, the beautiful Livistona chinensis or Chinese Rain Palm, and the Ribbon Fan Palm (Livistona decipiens) survive well on the patio or in the conservatory. Pictures of these are shown in ‘Some Palm Plants Described’ on the left.

Palms are not just for places with high sunlight levels either. Many prefer lower light levels and cannot tolerate full sun. These make good plants for house and shady spots in the conservatory, or are hardy enough to survive outside in the shade. Many of the Chamaedoreas are in this group.

I've included a range of aspects of these fascinating plants including references and links to other pages that I've found interesting. I hope you find something of interest in these pages too. I have to admit that I find germination of the seeds a great challenge and fascination, as do many of us, so there may be a bit too much concentration on this at the expense of other things like care and growth.

I'm not, nor do I pretend to be, an expert on palms. I’ve got a degree in biology and half a lifetimes interest in growing plants. A lot of the information on these pages is just a record of what I’ve learned about palms over the last 15 or more years. Hopefully I’ll continue to learn more, and be able to relate my enthusiasm for them as I do so. What is in the pages is in no sense definitive or authoritative, so please don’t take it as such.

Thanks to the other members of the co-operative, we have access to a wide source of information which far exceeds my own, and which can be drawn on to answer questions.

David Ison

( please call me Dave!)