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Livistona nitida


Jon T

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Kind of toasted after two 14-degree lows and several 8b nights, plus lots of low 20s.  Had thin sheets on each of the three three-footers sometimes, but they were blown off at various times, often all night.

I'd call it heavy to severe damage, though the spears and just-opening leaves are only moderately damaged.

Gotta say that they looked pretty good until it started to drop below 20 -- maybe a little better than my l. australis and chinensis.  DL. decipiens/decora is actually about the same as nitida, and doesn't look so bad comparatively, since half the fronds were frayed and straw-like even before the cold.

Jon T.

Jon T-Central CA coastal valley foothills-9A

Forever seeking juania australis...

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

No damage at 24F/ -4.5C. with Frost

Same applies for decipiens

Regards Andy

Bangor, Norin Iron Zone 9a Min temp normally around -3 Degrees C, rarely -6C. Only 2 x -2.0C so far, verging on 9b this year. No snow or Frost this Winter. Several just subzero's this year, lets hope it stays this way. Normally around 5C to 10C + in winter, with lots of wind & rain. Summers usually better, 20C to 25 C occasionally 25C to 28C, also quite humid being a coastal town

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  • 2 months later...

I covered mine to keep it dry.  Our low went down to 16F, and I had many nights in the 20's.  

Folar damage showed in April==about 40% burn.

2 Spears pulled, however, as soon as the late April/early May heat come on, 3 new spears pushed out and it is as happy as can be now.   This will be a 'protect each winter' palm for me, but it is pretty so I will do that.

C from NC

:)

Bone dry summers, wet winters, 2-3 days ea. winter in low teens.

Siler City, NC

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  • 7 months later...

In north Florida.

Low of 21 F, 10 hours at freezing temps.

No overhead protection.  Little or no frost.

No damage.

These appear to be hardier than L. chinensis, one of which was located nearby and showed mild damage at the same temps.

Jason

Gainesville, Florida

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  • 1 year later...

Never been damaged in my N-FL yard either. They don't even stop growing in the winter even after a heavy frost. I'm thinking they are reliable to 20f without damage as long as the duration of the cold isn't too long.

Land O Lakes FL, a suburb on the North Side of Tampa, FL

Summers are great, 90f/32c in the day & 70f/21c at night with plentiful rain & sun

Winters are subtropical with occasional frosts and freezes. Tropical cyclones happen.

We have a few Royal palms in the warm microclimates but Coconuts freeze.

I am a Kayaker, Hiker, Bicyclist, and amateur Photographer that loves the outdoors.  

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  • 7 months later...

It took 3 weeks of sub zero temps with at least 2 excursions to -4c/24.8v and 2 lower dips to -5c/23f.

substantial leaf burn, oldest are worst off, with about 85% damage, newest growth damaged but not too bad, probably 35%.

2 good healthy looking spears.

This is in an exposed area with no protection what so ever.

It took Frost, Snow and Ice!!!

Regards Andy.

Edited by AJQ
  • Like 1

Bangor, Norin Iron Zone 9a Min temp normally around -3 Degrees C, rarely -6C. Only 2 x -2.0C so far, verging on 9b this year. No snow or Frost this Winter. Several just subzero's this year, lets hope it stays this way. Normally around 5C to 10C + in winter, with lots of wind & rain. Summers usually better, 20C to 25 C occasionally 25C to 28C, also quite humid being a coastal town

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  • 1 month later...

Multiple nights below freezing with ultimate lows around 20 degrees. Some damage to fronds and emerging spear but ultimately looks pretty good, especially in comparison to other palms!

-Krishna

-Krishna

Kailua, Oahu HI. Near the beach but dry!

Still have a garden in Zone 9a Inland North Central Florida (Ocala)

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  • 2 months later...

Low of 14F. 14 days straight of below freezing temps. 50% overhead protection. 30 Plants in pots (3gal to 10gal) and in the ground had minimal leaf damage although had the spear pull on half of the plants. Most are putting out new spears and it looks like only one is dead.

Jason

Gainesville, Florida

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  • 2 years later...

Here's an update on my post of 5 years ago (post #1 above): The livistona nitidas all survived that tough run of 14 degree nights, and they are fine and growing well now. I have had temps down to 21 since then, and probably 25 nights in the mid-twenties, and I've never seen any l. nitida damage since that catastrophic winter of 2007. The are much better than australis or decipiens/decora at resisting even cosmetic damage. I believe that livistona nitida is the toughest of the livistonas for a California 9a climate that gets an 8a blast every decade or two. Love to hear updates or similar/alternate experiences from the rest of you!

Jon T-Central CA coastal valley foothills-9A

Forever seeking juania australis...

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  • 3 years later...

Any N FL reports since 2013?

Darkman in Pensacola - Looking for cold hardy palms and plants that make Pensacola look tropical

Life - Some assembly required, Side effects frequently experienced, Mileage may vary, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!

Statistics - Opinions that analyst twist to support the insanity of those that pay them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Mine in Jacksonville looks perfect as of Jan 2016.   Hate to lose it, but I've sold the property and it's going to the new owners one week from today.  The ones I have here in Winter Haven grow well but they aren't very quick.  

Land O Lakes FL, a suburb on the North Side of Tampa, FL

Summers are great, 90f/32c in the day & 70f/21c at night with plentiful rain & sun

Winters are subtropical with occasional frosts and freezes. Tropical cyclones happen.

We have a few Royal palms in the warm microclimates but Coconuts freeze.

I am a Kayaker, Hiker, Bicyclist, and amateur Photographer that loves the outdoors.  

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  • 2 years later...

Love this palm...took 30 hrs below freezing with ultimate low of 19F for a couple of hours. 2014 Polar Vortex. Then 2 weeks later had frozen rain for 48 hours. No damage.

L. saribus and chinensis both 100% leaf burn from the same event as did Phoenix hybrid. Queens & albas dead.

L. nitida is a solid N. Florida 9a palm.

David Simms zone 9a on Highway 30a

200 steps from the Gulf in NW Florida

30 ft. elevation and sandy soil

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Can't say I had such good luck with L. nitida. One of my two trunking specimens in Natchez, Mississippi (9a) succumbed to the 2010 freeze (three-day freeze to 18F with the accompanying long-term cold); The other croaked this past January with 13.5F. It was right next to a trunking mule that amazingly lived through the event. Almost half my L. chinensis were killed as were two out of three L. saribus; and one of two small L. decipiens. So they have a better record for me than did L. nitida. My recommendation in colder than 9b areas of the humid Gulf is to stick with L. chinensis and L. saribus, always keeping a range of sizes in play, as it's the larger specimens with an aerial bud that die in the super-cold events and the young ones will make it for many years in an attractive state to keep the composition looking good as they come along. To me nothing can beat the appearance of a young L. saribus, just one of the coolest palms right down to their shark's-teeth, and it is a real gift that it will survive such cold. L. nitida are just very dicey if you expect teens at any time, especially since they are faster and  will be a bigger PITA to remove when they get killed. Maybe I had genetically challenged individuals, but I personally also find them to be rather charmless palms with too much of a similarity to Washingtonia in general aspect (the latter being much hardier and resilient). I have a feeling L. nitida is hardier in drier climes.

  • Upvote 1

Michael Norell

Rancho Mirage, California | 33°44' N 116°25' W | 287 ft | z10a | avg Jan 43/70F | Jul 78/108F avg | Weather Station KCARANCH310

previously Big Pine Key, Florida | 24°40' N 81°21' W | 4.5 ft. | z12a | Calcareous substrate | avg annual min. approx 52F | avg Jan 65/75F | Jul 83/90 | extreme min approx 41F

previously Natchez, Mississippi | 31°33' N 91°24' W | 220 ft.| z9a | Downtown/river-adjacent | Loess substrate | avg annual min. 23F | Jan 43/61F | Jul 73/93F | extreme min 2.5F (1899); previously Los Angeles, California (multiple locations)

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  • 3 years later...

Freezing rain with ~1/3 of an inch of ice accumulation.  Low of 19F the following night.

Foliar damage was quickly apparent just 3 days following the ice event.   

Previous lows of 19F did not result in any foliar damage. 

Appears to have approx. 40% foliar damage from the ice accumulation, full extent of damage TBD. 

 

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