PalmsNorth.com

Hi all, my folks are down in galveston on a service project this month and I asked if they'd take me back a palm in their truck. Outside of a windmill palm, what would be the next best one for me to get that I can overwinter here in Michigan? Does anyone think I can do a sable palmetto???? I really like what those look like.

That's going too depend on how much protection you can give them? The only palm I had for over 2 winters was a needle palm and that was covered with no heat. (zone 5b)

Hi Wheelman, i tried Sabal palmetto this winter and i had succes to overwinter him with protection. Check my post under butia capitata..i wrote how to protect it here in Quebec, colder than your area.

Ben

There are many cold hardy palms out there! Sabal palmettos are supposably cold hardy into the teens, but it doesn't seem like to many people on the forums have that type or try to overwinter them. I'd like to see it done, go for it! There's a writeup on Wikipedia for cold hardy palms, alot of good info for researching different types.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardy_palms

Andy

Andy,
I really think a big Trachy is far and away your best bet for a trunked palm.

I did manage to keep one of two untrunked Sabal mexicana alive in the ground during -30 C in February, 2011, but it was not at all easy and the poor thing was defoliated. Meanwhile a trunked Trachy nearby with cover and insulation but no heat survived (two others like it died). You just have a much greater margin of error with Trachy than Sabal (other than S minor).

If you want a trunked palm that isn't a Trachy, try a med. fan palm (Chamearops humilis). Or better yet, the biggest needle palm you can find!
--Erik

TerdalFarm wrote:Andy,
I really think a big Trachy is far and away your best bet for a trunked palm.

I did manage to keep one of two untrunked Sabal mexicana alive in the ground during -30 C in February, 2011, but it was not at all easy and the poor thing was defoliated. Meanwhile a trunked Trachy nearby with cover and insulation but no heat survived (two others like it died). You just have a much greater margin of error with Trachy than Sabal (other than S minor).

If you want a trunked palm that isn't a Trachy, try a med. fan palm (Chamearops humilis). Or better yet, the biggest needle palm you can find!
--Erik

Erik, I completely agree. The more cold hardy, the better. A trunked Trachy, or something with no trunk like a Minor or a Needle is always your best bet. And Sabal palmettos aren't exactly known for there cold hardiness, I just figured if that's what he wants to try, it can't hurt right? I mean they are cold hardy, just not like a Trachy. Then again, most palms are cold hardy atleast to freezing.

He could always leave it in the pot & pot plant it in the summer

Andy

Trachy, Trachy, Trachy for trunked palms. Sabals grow soooooooooooooo slowwwwwwwwwwww up north with cool soil temps. Trachys will push out far more leaves than any Sabal.

I really want a sabel but I can live with another trachy, now it's just a matter of how big my folks and fit in the bed of the truck.

I was just hoping to hit up someone who could tell me they were doing well with a sabel palmetto. I have a Mexican Fan Palm in a large pot in my house right now, what are you all's thoughts on that going out doors eventually and making it? It's got boots on it as well like the palmetto which is why I bought it.

I'd be curious too about that. Anyone in zone 5-7 over winter a Mexican Fan Palm outside? I just bought one today at local nursery that emails me when they get new palms in and bought this one for $17.99. I'm going to up pot it into something a bit bigger and dig a hole outside and set the whole thing in the ground and bring it in when winter is close. Growing some by seeds as well, so maybe will plant a couple of those in the ground just to see what happens on the south side next to the house.

Palmettos need a lot of heat in the summer. You may get them to live for a few years up north, but they will decline without the heat they require. Trachy is about your best bet.

here's a recent video of my Washingtonia filifera protection is Massachusetts USDS zone 6b. It survived.

http://youtu.be/phDR1DCV3qk

Very cool! How long has yours been in the ground?

Also like the Monkey Puzzle....never heard of that plant, nor did I realize that Eucaliptisis (sp) would grow in your/my zone.

the Washy saw it's first winter here........not much of a test since our low was 5F. Coldest daytime high was about 20F. Euc's aren't really hardy here.....more testing on my end....I'm sure they will die once we get down to 0F or slightly below. They are more of a zone 7a plant. They seem to get 'long term' hardy south of Wash DC area. Your even colder than me so they will be a waste of time in your area unless you protect.

Thanks for the info. I'm germinating a bunch of Mexican and California palm seeds...all doing well I might ad, so may experiment around and plant some on the south side of my house when they are a bit bigger and see if I can over winter them.

Keep us updated!
Tulsa has had Washy in the past (see photos in Francko's book, but they got a lot more winter protection than his book implies). All dead now.
Washy look good in Dallas, Ft. Worth, Tyler, etc. Ditto with palmetto.

I did an 11 foot Sabal Palmetto and Beny did also here in Montreal with protection it was a success
Pindo Palm has also been a great surprise the last 3 winters
CoconutMike

Any special ways your getting your Pindo Palm to make it through the winters there?

Yup-same box method as Beny describes above
mike

Heres a picture of my 2 Washys(probably both Filibusta)last year and this spring.

The leaves were conveniently burned off by a blown weather forecast-hear that?

Not my fault


Last November
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April 6th 2012
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Those dang leaves are already 3' across and giving me nightmares in regard to protecting next fall -
M

Pretty sure Bill in Mass has some decent sized ones but he makes it look to easy!

Impressive palms that you over winter. Even though I'm germinating some seeds it will be a while till any of them could go in the ground. May just have to run back and buy another $18 Washy and plant next to the south side of my house. Other one I bought I just potted in larger pot and buried it all in the ground for the season by one of my ponds, but will pull it up in the late fall and put inside.