Chamaerops humilis silver first winter SPEAR PULL

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Thu Apr 11, 2013 10:33 pm

The bad news...
My august planted, winter heated, late February uncovered c.humilis looked great.
Until today. With one of its main trunk's fronds looking all floppy. That spear pulled and from two other main trunks and two other minor trunk shoots.
Two major and multiple secondary trunks are still solid and did not pull.
(funny I was thinking just yesterday, it may be nice to trim off a few of these dozen shoots.....)
This plant was tough as nails through many many -5c and a few -7 or 8c nights. But this 48 hours of rain, wind from the north and temps sitting at 1c more or less (only one km south/150 feet higher than my locations altitude got hours of freezing rain) it is what proved to be too much.

So i pulled the spears. Now what? Any suggestions? Tips?
Yes, before this rain-freeze event I covered again the following : Brahea armata, Washingtonia filifera, Musa basjoo, Butia capitata and tiny sabal louisiana. But my heart is racing now that I think about my Brahea. Oh my. It will be a high of seven celcius tomorrow...

I am kicking myself for not photographing the Niagara escarpment tonight from below with the top half trees clearly glimmering in icy ice from freezing rain, but halfway down, no ice whatsoever.

Pics to follow of the c.humilis.

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 5:35 am

The good side, South, not windward
.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/8641878855/" title="IMG_00000108 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8527/8641 ... bd22_z.jpg" width="359" height="640" alt="IMG_00000108"></a>

And the north side that faced the driving rain and all the wind.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/seedscanada/8641879165/" title="IMG_00000107 by seedscanada, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8532/8641 ... 8589_z.jpg" width="640" height="359" alt="IMG_00000107"></a>

The spears pulled from the front and right of the plant but not the dryer back and left of the plant. Any tips or suggestions to help it recover?

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 7:16 am

Looks like more leaves will pull,keep a close eye on the leaves that
are still there,they appear to have closed blades which is a sign that they will pull too.

If it continues to lose leaves you may want to do some trunk cutting,this opens the
damaged area up and keeps the fungal infection from getting what it enjoys most....
low 02,dampness and low light.

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:27 am

Last fall my sister who lives in Acton, ON, zone 5a, planted Chamaerops humilis silver and covered it with a straw as I was recommended. As far I know the palm is alive and looks good. Looking forward to get a pic from her as soon as it will be opened again in a couple of days.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 10:42 am

Glad you've covered everything else up again before the freezing rain hit, Adam.

Sad to yet again see proof that cold-hardy palms need to be kept dry, dry, dry.

Fingers crossed that beauty recovers.

Barb

seedscanada · Post by **seedscanada** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 1:08 pm

One small spear pulled on my needle palm. Lost my Yucca aloifolia altogether.

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 3:27 pm

man it sounds ruff up there..short of catching one on fire nothing will kill a yucca in this zone.

chadec · Post by **chadec** » Fri Apr 12, 2013 6:10 pm

Hate hear about your chammy. Thats one of my favorite palms and would cry if something happened to mine.