Those passing by Travis Frank's house on Fifth Avenue East in Dickinson will likely do a double take. Frank has given his residence a taste of the tropics by planting a 14-foot-tall palm tree in his yard last Saturday.
However, he didn't stop there. Frank purchased 12 palm trees last week that will all soon adorn his yard.
"Within a week I'll have most of them out," Frank said. "We live in North Dakota, but it'll be nice to pretend we don't. It's fun."
The live palm trees set Frank back about $3,500 and he is also erecting a couple of artificial trees which cost about $1,500.
"I love palm trees," Frank said. "I just like growing things in general."
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He has been researching palm tree care and maintenance for about year and decided it was time to put his knowledge to use.
"Last summer is when I really dedicated to it," Frank said.
He planted a windmill palm last summer that survived through the winter and decided to go all out this year.
Keeping the palm trees alive will be a lot of work, but will be worth it, he added.
The palms that are planted in his yard will begin to be damaged when the temperature drops to about 20 degrees, he said. The trees can stand temperatures of about 15 degrees without protection, Frank added.
When the weather begins to get chilly, Frank will wrap the trunks of the trees with heat tape. The fronds will be wrapped with Christmas lights to keep them warm and give them light.
Frank will then wrap the trees in plastic and bubble wrap and monitor the temperature and humidity.
The other palm trees he purchased are potted and can be taken indoors in the winter.
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However, Robyn Rebel, owner of Taylor Nursery, isn't so sure the trees will make it.
"They can do what they want to keep them warm, but I think it will be for nothing," Rebel said. "I don't think he'll get them to grow or survive."
The trees should do fine during the summer or indoors with proper care, she added.
However, Frank is determined to keep the trees alive and has gone through a lot of trouble to get them.
He flew to Las Vegas and browsed greenhouses until he found the ones he wanted. Frank rented a truck to haul them back and got some help unloading and planting the large palm in his yard.
Rebel has never heard of anybody in the area wanting to plant palm trees in their yard and she doesn't sell them.
"That usually is strictly a tropical plant," she said. "It is a little odd."
