amazing palms that came back from -5f

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 8:13 pm

Palms that came back from -5F in southern New Mexico.
http://youtu.be/CCaICH_ZpLw

Jubaea · Post by **Jubaea** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 8:36 pm

Thanks for posting the video. I'm surprised that they made it and even that people would plant Washingtonia robusta there. What zone is it there 8?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 9:31 am

Great video Aaron.
And that needle palm was totally undamaged!

Barb

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:35 am

Jubaea wrote:Thanks for posting the video. I'm surprised that they made it and even that people would plant Washingtonia robusta there. What zone is it there 8?

It is zone 8-8b until last year.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:36 am

lucky1 wrote:Great video Aaron.
And that needle palm was totally undamaged!

Barb

Kind of makes me want to try another needle palm or two.

Okanagan desert-palms · Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:38 am

This guy is top notch. You got to like it when he says W.filifera is cold hardy to -5f and survived up to -20f

. I`m sure that would be a short duration at that temp. Now all I have to do is get mine that big. Thanks for sharing this video Aaron.

John

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 11:44 am

Okanagan desert-palms wrote:This guy is top notch. You got to like it when he says W.filifera is cold hardy to -5f and survived up to -20f . I`m sure that would be a short duration at that temp. Now all I have to do is get mine that big. Thanks for sharing this video Aaron.

John

I had to laugh a bit when He said that. I think the -20F was very brief that same year in Roswell NM a few filiferas survived, but only in the southwest could I belive it.

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 4:08 pm

Agreed!

That needle is a FANTASTIC example of just how tough they are. They really can take temps of -15F without batting an eye... If it is a quick freeze... And dry... I think they bottom out at around -20C here in the east, for damage at least. And even then a new planting will have spear pull (in most cases).

Anyway, it is really fascinating to see just how much cold these palms can take in ideal conditions!

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 5:42 pm

Paul, do you have some needles?

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:50 pm

Needle palms seem to be hard to find, even on Ebay of any real size.

Paul Ont · Post by **Paul Ont** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 4:22 am

I do have 2 needles, one has been planted out for a few years now (3 winters), the other is still in a pot. The one planted out has some damage each winter AND it is protected in a palm house. It seems OK until temps in the house approach -18C (0f), when leaf damage begins. I previously had one planted out, and it survived the winters with just frost cloth warpping, but the spear would pull, and the thing shrank 3 years in a row before perishing the 4th!

Needle palm after exposure to -25C in the east, young plant, first winter (main stem died, it came back from suckers):
<a href="http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2669 ... OUQB"><img src="http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/42737 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="IMGP0927"></a>
<a href="http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2561 ... BEPW"><img src="http://inlinethumb63.webshots.com/49470 ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="IMGP0925"></a>
<a href="http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2822 ... LOBD"><img src="http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/8363/ ... 600Q85.jpg" alt="IMGP0926"></a>

Paul