PalmsNorth.com

It's been a loooong time since I've posted here, though a few of you may still remember me (Jim?). I have a bit of a dilemma, and I hope to get it figured out before winter. I have two in-ground trachys (windmill palms) at my Minnesota home. One has been in the ground for about 7 years now, and it flowers every year. Nice and slow growing so no issues with winter protection. It's about 7-8 feet tall with close to 5' trunk. It has only grown about a foot since I planted it. The other one was planted in the same area about a year later as just a little baby with barely any trunk yet. It is now 9-10 feet tall with at least 6' of thick trunk. It has grown like a weed! I don't think I will be able to protect it again this winter. Last winter was difficult enough...

Both the trees look great and are extremely healthy, despite the fact I quit fertilizing them years ago (intentionally). Both have been exposed temps in the low 10s (f) several times and have never shown any cold damage. Also they have been snowed upon heavily many, many times. I usually protect them from December through March 1 regardless of snow cover and temps. Covered and maintained with a string of C-9 Xmas lights on a Thermocube, about 10 degrees (f) is the coldest they have experienced.

I am looking for opinions or suggestions on what I should do with the big one. We do have a part-time residence in coastal Cape Coral, FL, so I have considered moving it there. Problem is, we almost never drive down anymore, always fly since we keep a car down there also. And I imagine shipping it would cost a fortune? Is it worth trying to sell? Or donate? I can't stand the thought of of it dying. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And I’ll try to re-learn how to post photos here and get some up soon.

Nice problem to have!

I just donating it to a local palm fan, someone who can care for it while you are in Florida.

Is it possible to just extend your coverage from last year?

BTW

I still have some hybrid Yucca from one of yours.

Thanks for the replies. I thought about extending the enclosure, but unfortunately it would be just a band-aid and maybe buy me one more season. This thing is growing like a weed! I originally intended on taking the palms with when we move to the Florida house permanently, but that is still at least a few years away. It would definitely be cool to see how they grow there.

I have another yucca thompsonia down there and it absolutely loves the humidity and more frequent rain. The thing has flowered the past two years also. The one in Minnesota (Jim got some of the hybrid) has only flowered once though. It has grown a couple feet since I got it several years ago however.

I have kind of drifted away from the cold hardy tropicals, as I have got more into the stuff I grow in Florida. I have several large mature coconut palms, tall royals, 3 species of bananas, papayas, Xmas palms, etc. It still amazes me how fast things grow in that zone. We get more bananas, papayas, and coconuts than we know what to do with. And now the tree that produces the giant avocados is starting to produce...

In summary, in-ground in MN I still have the two large trachys, large y. thompsoniana, one of the thompsoniana hybrids, 2 y. filamentosas, Japanese bananas, large purple cannas, and giant elephant ear.

How do you protect? After trying different things I just now use the plastic barrel method. Easy to put up/take down and secure. The one drawback with the barrel method is if you have to protect a lot of palms(like me) and have space for the barrels during the off season.

Scott/Omaha

Something else you might try to maintain height is to hurricane cut them. By necessity I've had to do that with 3 of my windmill palms for various reasons the palm will have to spend the whole next season growing new fronds not adding height.

I have 7 of them around my yard now (among other species of palms in the ground) and I will have the same problem to deal with in time and that is what I plan on doing to keep them around 9/10 feet high.