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Tropical Plants/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| Queen Palm Seed Pod | 2/7/2012 | Nick McCann |
| Q: How often does the Queen Palm form the large seed pod. Last spring in Florida was the first time I ... A: yes once the palm has matured, it will send out an inflorescence (pod..flower..seed) every year and ... | ||
| shaping Dracena Margenata | 1/30/2012 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have a 26yr. old Dracena Margenata that has relocated with me from the east to west coast and back ... A: if you cut a trunk halfway, and replant the top section, it will root and grow,,,meanwhile the ... | ||
| A massangeanas needs your advice to stay alive | 1/23/2012 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have a massangeanas. I have had it for over 5 years it came in a basket with 7 other plants. They ... A: It sounds like a lack of humidity, the moistened pebbles need to be added and new soil needs to be ... | ||
| tropical suggestion | 1/10/2012 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have a commercial greenhouse in a tropical region. it is a 3000 square meter greenhouse which I ... A: your geographical region sounds similar to where I am,,,but probably a little more heat and ... | ||
| perennials for zone 10 | 12/26/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I'm an avid perennial gardener in zone 5 (WV). My husband and I purchased a house in SW FL where I ... A: there are numerous choices, but I would recommend a newcomer to Florida (gardening wise..) to go ... | ||
| Bouganvilla | 11/27/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: We live in the Caribbean and recently our bouganvilla started dropping all its flowers and looks ... A: ,was it a granular fertilizer that you watered in? if so, the sudden drenching of water could have ... | ||
| BANANA PLANTS | 11/18/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I RECEIVED SOME BANANA PLANTS FROM A FRIEND THAT HAVE BEEN CUT FOR THE WINTER.I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO ... A: Cut the crown back to about 2 feet , clean all the soil off the Corm (root ball) then wrap the Corm ... | ||
| Sickly papaya | 9/28/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I live in zone 7b in central AL I have a papaya tree that I germinated from seed. it is living in a ... A: It is difficult to point a finger at the exact cause without seeing the plant and having a history ... | ||
| Tropical houseplants | 9/16/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I live in zone 7b-8a (depending who you ask) in Central Alabama. I have a few tropical plants that ... A: They can remain outside until night temps begin dipping below 35 degrees or so,,,when frost is ... | ||
| Pentas | 8/30/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have lots of different colored pentas and all flourish except for the white ones. I care for them ... A: I too have had difficulty with the white varieties,,but can't seem to find out why, but unlike the ... | ||
| Bougenvilla Plants | 8/29/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have heard these plants try to take over other plants in the same area or vicinity of themselves. ... A: they are aggressive growers,,and if you mean that they tend to envelope other plant in their ... | ||
| Needle palm | 8/28/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: Can you tell me what the water requirements are for this palm? I'am just not sure how much water it ... A: a very slow growing Palm with very few problems, treat it like your others and it should be fine, ... | ||
| passionfruit and banana's | 8/24/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: we planted passionfruit about 12months ago ,they had a huge amount of flowers on them after about ... A: The Passionfruit has several varieties, some are self fertile, while others need pollination from ... | ||
| Ganoderma Butt rot | 8/24/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I had asked you some questions last week about my Queen palms and you had said it was probably ... A: I suspected that Ganoderma was the culprit, if the conch is present, then the palm is effectively ... | ||
| Robellini palm fungus | 8/19/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have several palms that I believe are Robellini palms. They are doing fine. But the trunks are ... A: ...Pray Scott,,,,thats about all that can help with this disease,,,it is spread by spores, and ... | ||
| Robellini palm fungus | 8/18/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have several palms that I believe are Robellini palms. They are doing fine. But the trunks are ... A: I wouldn't be concerned about the powdery like substance, it is probably "Lichen" (no image here to ... | ||
| Please help with my olive tree | 8/18/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I've recently bought a potted olive tree, which is about 30 centimeter tall (I keep it potted, it's ... A: keep it on the moist side, but not wet and in a location where it gets morning Sun and afternoon ... | ||
| Dog ate roots of Mandevilla Plan... | 8/5/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: Is this poisonous or toxic? the plan seemed to be dead or on it's way... so I dumped soil and all ... A: I just saw that you named it...sorry.....Mandevilla are very common in our Florida landscape,,and my ... | ||
| Dwarf Cavendish Banana Tree leaf curling and turning yellow | 7/20/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I just received my tree at the beging of July, and already my poor little tree is not doing well the ... A: Often Bananas are shipped without any attached Corm, or root system, and they will eventually grow, ... | ||
| plumeria | 7/15/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I live in Jamul Ca annd have over 100 plumeria plants some are sooo huge i put stakes to hold them ... A: Yes, but be aesthetic about it, wherever you cut, is where new growth will emerge from side shoots, ... | ||
| is this a baby papaya? | 7/14/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have an avocado growing in a pot on my porch. The avocado is 6 months old and 12 inches tall. ... A: It needs to be cross pollinated, and only one insect does it, so there won't be any fruit,but it has ... | ||
| is this a baby papaya? | 7/14/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have an avocado growing in a pot on my porch. The avocado is 6 months old and 12 inches tall. ... A: ...water the container well,,,and then carefully, using a utensil (either large spoon or even a ... | ||
| is this a baby papaya? | 7/13/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have an avocado growing in a pot on my porch. The avocado is 6 months old and 12 inches tall. ... A: it is indeed a Papaya!..now it needs to be in a larger container and eventually in the ground if you ... | ||
| Passion fruit | 7/13/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: Last month I purchased two passion vines, one edulis flavicarpa and a hybrid edulis, and planted ... A: the fact that they are not dying is the key, many plants take time to set their roots and acclimate ... | ||
| Tibouchina compacta leaf drop | 7/4/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: 4+ weeks ago planted 3 Tibouchina compacta, all in partial sun. Am not familiar with this ... A: when a plant suddenly drops its leaves, it is more then likely caused by a change in the surrounding ... | ||
| Sick Brug | 7/3/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I used the horticultural oil and the copper fungicide one week later. It was looking better and now ... A: your pic didnt come in, but the fact that its the lower leaves is good, if it were the top ones we ... | ||
| Saga Palms | 6/27/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I live in Central Texas we have had our saga palms for 6 years. We had a very cold winter this year ... A: I am certain that your Sago will be fine, I say this because you have pups forming at the base and ... | ||
| adonidia palm | 6/23/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: Nick. I have an adonidia palm tree that for the most part is doing really well. It is indoor, in 20" ... A: It definitely needs to be in a larger container, and if you can't find one locally, you will need to ... | ||
| identify a plant | 6/23/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I'm trying to identify a plant. It was my grandads who died last week. We know he grew it from seed ... A: It appears to be a "Bird of Paradise" that is in dire need of a larger container, hence its lanky ... | ||
| removal of foxtail palm seed pods | 6/18/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have several large foxtail palms. Should the seed pods be removed from the palms? I have a ... A: Go to any of the box stores,,,,,Lowes, Home Depot etc....and you will see a 20lb bag of fertilizer ... | ||
| removal of foxtail palm seed pods | 6/18/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have several large foxtail palms. Should the seed pods be removed from the palms? I have a ... A: You should remove them when they are in the inflorescence stage (flower), just so you don't have a ... | ||
| Spots on my Brugmansia | 6/9/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: My brug is gowing nicely (no flowers yet)but the bottom leaves develop this light brown stuff all ... A: Yes, always apply late afternoon and allow to work overnight, then wash off residual oil the next ... | ||
| Spots on my Brugmansia | 6/8/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: My brug is gowing nicely (no flowers yet)but the bottom leaves develop this light brown stuff all ... A: Its hard to tell definitively whether its scale or a fungal infection, so, I would hit it with the ... | ||
| damaged fox tail palms | 6/6/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: Looking down into the top of the tree(s) where the fronds initiate, all you see is brown brush. ... A: The one on the left needs to be cut off at soil level, for it is indeed "kaput", this will not ... | ||
| ponytail palm | 6/5/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: My ponytail palms also froze this winter when Tucson temps dropped to a rare 15 degrees. The trunk ... A: Ok, let the one on the right develop as it is, with the crown in tact, snip the tiny sprouts at the ... | ||
| ponytail palm | 6/4/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: My ponytail palms also froze this winter when Tucson temps dropped to a rare 15 degrees. The trunk ... A: Yes, allow the sideshoots to develop, then when the stronger ones prevail, you can snip off the ... | ||
| transplanting pygmy plams | 6/4/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: I have recently transplanted a pygmy palm from the ground into a pot. My palm has been healthy ... A: just by the size of that palm, I know you did not get the entire root system, therefore it is ... | ||
| Bromeliads, Yucca | 6/2/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: Several weeks ago, I bought 3 Bromeliads, & 1 Yucca. I repotted them in plastic pots with rocks in ... A: Oh! my bad, just saw about the yucca, sry....yuccas like and need very little water, but unlike the ... | ||
| Bromeliads, Yucca | 6/1/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: Several weeks ago, I bought 3 Bromeliads, & 1 Yucca. I repotted them in plastic pots with rocks in ... A: Bromeliads need to have indirect light, avoid direct sunlight; when watering, you actually water the ... | ||
| sick avocado | 5/31/2011 | Nick McCann |
| Q: What is wrong with my avocado seed? This avocado seed is 5 months old. It has split and as you can ... A: It initially grows and takes its nutrients from the water alone without use of a root from the ... | ||
Nick McCann
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
broad spectrum knowledge in the field of tropical plants;
Experience
I am a certified Master Gardner in Florida (8years)
Organizations
Master Gardner Association of Charlotte County Florida
Education/Credentials
Master Gardner training....accredited each year with required seminars and educational training.
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