Phoenix roebelenii

[boondog]

It looks like it will grow just fine in the Houston area but I just wanted to make sure. Has anyone around here had any trouble with the occasional freeze damaging the tree? I have two Med. Fan Palms in the ground and hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll have two Trachys and two of these Pygmys. I'm surrounding my patio with palms. Nothing like a cold beer under a palm tree. Not that I ever have time to relax but maybe someday.

Thanks,

Roger

Down by Houston

[KatyTX]

Hi Roger,

I have about 6 of them planted in various places around my yard.  Being on the far west side of Houston, my temps can be 3-4F colder than the inner city.  This winter, we got down to 26F.  2 of my roebeleniis had some leaf burn, but should come back fine.  A little bit of overhead canopy did the trick with the others.

I think if the temps got down < 22 or so, you'd be in trouble.  But these palms are so cheap (and useful in small spaces), why not plant them.  I see huge ones planted all over the place around here.

If you really want to get adventurous, try a few Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (bangalow/king palms).  Depending on what part of town you're in and what kind of protection you have, you could get many years out of them.  They are very tropical looking (by Houston standards).

Matt

[Kathy]

In our freeze this year where various microclimates saw between 26F down to 22F or lower (my yard 24F) many were defoliated, but will come back.  Driving around the county, the ones I see that are dead now were very very small babies recently planted.   Those near stone pillars (the kind marking beginning of a path)  are still green even though there was nothing overhead, so I think you could protect small ones by simply placing large boulders or stacking stone next to them.

They are so small that they are easy to make a shelter & protect when needed.