Coldest hardy Cool Loving Palms

[Alicehunter2000]

Living near the coast in Northwest Florida allows me the remote possibility of growing palms that might otherwise die due to extreme heat experienced by those living further inland. I have been monitoring the weather for the last couple of years and it is consistently cooler in the summer both day and night than just a few miles inland. In fact it seems to be 5-10 degrees cooler almost every day/night. It doesn't often get into the upper 80's F here, whereas inland 90's are not that uncommon. Nights are mostly in the 70's during the summer. On the flipside it often, but not always, is a bit warmer in the winter.

It is always suprising to me what palms people can grow in places like San Francisco where it is always cool to warm. The limiting factor I would think would be the occasional hard freezes we experience. But are there species that would normally endure occasional freezing temps, but cannot handle the oppressive heat in the Southeast away from the coast. I'm thinking of mountain species etc. that have not been tried many times because the consensus is that it is "just too hot" for them.

One of the most obvious trials would be Jubaea. Evidently many in Florida have failed with this species. But it seems North Carolina has had some success. What would be the most cold tolerant palms that are also cool loving, and for that reason, fail in inland and peninsular Florida?

[Ben in Norcal]

Parajubaea? What about some of the Ceroxylon, David?

[Alicehunter2000]

Both good idea's....Parajubaea is having some success in North Florida. More possible are the BxP hybrids .... they look so much like Butia that a strait Parajubaea would be more exciting.

Ceroxylon....hmm...who has tried it in Coastal North Florida....anyone? Wonder which species would be the most tolerant of the conditions here.

[Ben in Norcal]

Amazonicum?

[smithgn]

If you could successfully grow Ceroxylon, then you'd be a palm-super hero in my book. You make good points about your weather. Whichever you choose would have to be able to handle copious amounts of rainfall as well, but that doesn't rule out too many... Besides the hybrids, how about Parajubeaua Torallyi? Sunkha is a good candidate, but from what I've read is more heat-loving and can grow in Florida? Ceroxylon though, can take the cold- I read on a British database that it is a 8B rated palm... I don't recall which species, though. Anyone?

[Tropicdoc]

David, I noticed the same weather pattern while living in Galveston.... almost always 5-10 degrees cooler than Houston in summer, 5-10 degrees warmer than Houston in winter. Man, I had that climate again! I would have about 10 B. alfredii and 10 Bizmarkias.

[NorthFlpalmguy]

x2 on Parajubaea