FREEZE DAMAGE DATA
Share Your Experiences of Palm Hardiness
402 topics in this forum
-
2026 2026_01 - January 2026 - East Mississippi
by JohnAndSancho- 5 replies
- 233 views
Welp, I ended up covering most of the outdoor plants. Got some surprises and some no surprises. We hit lows of around 12-14 and all of my palms are tiny soooooooo Trachycarpus Fortunei - covered with a heavy plastic pot. 2 spears pulled. 1 gallon size. Trachy Princeps x Waggy - even smaller. Covered in a small Styrofoam box. Absolutely fine. It's even pushing a new spear. Big Washy Filibusta - covered with a big Styrofoam box - already frost damaged from before. Spear pull. Small Filibusta - unprotected. Ummm it's very, very brown. Sabal Birmingham - strap leaf. Unprotected. Laughed it off. Saba…
-
-
- 1 follower
- 68 replies
- 1.7k views
Generally the area hit 25F on day 2 and 29F on day 3. The coconuts are completely roasted. About half of the palms cultivated in the area are defoliated. The first batch of pictures is from roaming around Turkey Creek in Palm Bay, of damaged plants that grow wild. Here are freeze damaged giant leather fern (Acrostichum danaeifolium), Florida Butterfly Orchid (Encyclia tampensis), and Golden Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
-
2026 2026_02 - February 2026 cold snap in Cape Coral, Florida
by Cape Garrett- 1 follower
- 1 reply
- 289 views
So we all went through a cold snap throughout the entire state. I just thought I would share my observations of palm damage here in SWFL. Cape Coral zone 10b. I will only include my own palms and only the ones that are considered zone 10 palms. Two different temperature readings for the 3 days. One was found on line for Cape Coral recorded: Feb. 1st- low 36 high 52 Feb. 2nd- low 36 high 59 Feb. 3rd- low 36 high 70 This is Fort Myers recorded at Page Field, about 4 miles inland from me: Feb. 1st- low 34 high 51 Feb. 2nd- low 35 high 60 Feb. 3rd- low 35 high 70 First time I've seen frost since 2010. Feb. 1st frost spo…
-
2026 2026_02 - Florida Palmageddon Observations and Damage Photo Thread 1 2 3 4 8
by idontknowhatnametuse- 10 followers
- 286 replies
- 11.5k views
So as pretty much everyone knows already, this weekend is going to be rough for palm (And other tropical/subtropical plant) growers and collectors in the Florida Peninsula. This upcoming freeze could break the temperture records of their most recent bad freeze in 2010 and reset the growing zones to lower numbers (Like Orlando Zone 10 ➤ Zone 9). I created this thread so that floridian forumers could post before/after photos of their collection and other palms growing in this region. When the 2021 freeze happened, the Palmageddon Aftermath Photo Thread was created by @ahosey01 and I personally learned a lot from it, and from my own experience with that freeze killing my coc…
-
2026 2026_02 - Preliminary cold damage to my palms after 23F, Central Florida
by Eric in Orlando- 1 follower
- 10 replies
- 436 views
Here is a preliminary cold damage to my personal palm collection. I live in Altamonte Springs, about 14 miles north of Orlando. Its a little colder than the metro Orlando area. My yard does have some good tree canopy in the back but this didn't make much difference with the winds. The first night of the freeze was 23F with 20-30mph winds all night and it was below 32F for over 10 hours. The 2nd night dropped to 28F but it was still with frost. This was the coldest freeze since the record Christmas 1989 freeze. It was also the first hard freeze with high winds the entire night. PALMS Acoelorrhaphe wrightii (4’)- no damage Aiphanes horrida x mi…
-
Alphabetical Sorting
by PALM MOD- 1 follower
- 13 replies
- 23.4k views
Matt and Everyone, FYI --- I have switched the default sorting in this forum to sort topics alphabetically per Matty's suggestion. Please be aware that the options for sorting are always available on all the forums at the bottom of the page. You can sort topics in any number of ways. Alphabetically by topic, topic starter, last poster, etc. Or chronologically by last post, topic start date, etc. Check it out. So if you prefer checking for the most recent additions, just sort that way, by last post, from the botton menu.
-
Data Reporting
by STEVE IN SO CAL- 20 replies
- 15.3k views
In order for this project to be successful, we need the following info... Temp, duration below freezing(a good guess anyway), microclimate(under eave, down in a windless hole,etc) and VERY important: Plant size !!! A 24' box sized plant will take considerably more cold than a 1 gal size. If you look at Mattys and Geoff Steins posts, they are providing whats needed(others are too, just using these as examples) Comments like"my stuff looks great" will certainly end up on the editing room floor. Bossy Bob...out
-
- 9 replies
- 1.7k views
I check this forum often looking for species data but sometimes I feel that the information people share here is of little practical value because we only share the minimum temperature a species has seen but how about next day's maximum? Knowing only the minimum doesn't help much to know the real hardiness of a palm. Some of you live in climates where it may get, say, 26F at night but then will reach a balmy 60 next afternoon. Whereas others will see 26F at night and then just 35F or even 32F next day. We all know that these two hypothetical situations would affect the same tree in totally different ways. So how about everyone shares not just the minimum their palms have …
-
Something Positive 1 2
by PALM MOD- 77 replies
- 30.9k views
Let's salvage something positive out of this disastrous California weather. While the effects of the recent cold snap are still fresh in everyone's mind, let's try to document some info about the cold tolerence of various palms. Especially some of the newer introductions that may not have much of a track record. This will be far from scientific. However, it may be useful. Let's try and keep it data oriented, as there are many threads already describing the grief and horror of this devastating weather. Feel free to post pics to help document, or mention if you are referring to a small or mature specimen, or other relevant info. Add other palm species, or post your expe…
-
What to do with this info? 1 2
by PALM MOD- 47 replies
- 22.6k views
Now that we are getting all this great info, what do we do with it? Should we allow it to stay open, and let those in Texas or Florida contribute, if/when they get zapped? Should we try to condense it, and try to create our own Hardiness Guide to Palms? What do you all think?
-
chmd 0000 - Cold Hardiness Observation Master Data 1 2 3
by kinzyjr- 5 followers
- 82 replies
- 17.1k views
Overview The PalmTalk forums contain thousands of observations on the cold tolerance from a variety of locations and climates. One of the primary difficulties in determining cold hardiness of a particular species or variety of palm is that observations vary greatly, even at the same temperature in the same location. Therefore, hardiness can be more accurately expressed as a probability rather than in absolutes. The goal of the attached list is to more accurately calculate the probability and degree of damage one could expect from a freeze on a particular species or variety of palm by consolidating the available data into one document. This list is provided …
-
recovery 0001 - Cold damaged palm care
by TexasPalmPeople- 19 replies
- 5.7k views
Help, please: what is the recommended application mix-ratio for Captan 50WP for bud-drench, trunk and trunk-base-root treatment for post-frost-damage/cool-wet-spring fungus avoidance? I have been told to alternate two treatments of copper and Captan. The Copper (SouthernAg liquid concentrate) has the mix rate, but the Captan 50WP (AgriStar) does not. Many forums recommend the Captan for prophylactic fungus treatment for the Mexican Fan Palm, but none of the manufacturers* have a mix rate on the label for palms - only for fruit and ornamentals. Two local palm sellers recommended the minimum mix ratio on the label. Also: Any position on the efficacy of hydrogen peroxi…
-
- 4 replies
- 1.1k views
A while back I came across this web page that gave zone ratings for palms and select cycads. I have done a search on palmtalk and have not found any reference to this page, so I thought I'd share. https://realpalmtrees.com/knowledge-base/world-plant-cold-hardiness-zones/comparison-charts-usda-zones-and-palm-trees/
-
2007 2007_01 - 2007 California Freeze (AAAAA More data) 1 2
by epicure3- 66 replies
- 24k views
After 29F. No frost. schefflera. No damage to large specimens. Each 10 feet tall by 8 feet wide. anthuriums, diffenbachia, song of india, birds nest anthuriums, agalonema, neoreglia (bromeliad), crotons. All under schefflera. All undamaged. spathodea. Undamaged in full exposure. 7 feet tall fully leafed out. Plumeria. 1 defoliated but appears undamaged. Fully exposed. 1 under hibiscus canopy undamaged and fully leafed out. dracaena marginata. Fully exposed. Undamaged. Clusia Rosea. Covered in frost cloth. No freeze damage (under banana and majesty canopy), but accelerated yellowing of large leaves. Ti plants. Some freeze burn on one plant, fully expo…
-
2007 2007_01 - Del Mar Coconut
by STEVE IN SO CAL- 7 replies
- 3.9k views
Hoping Steve in San Diego will give us an update...
-
2008 2008_01 - An Early Jan 2008 FL freeze
by fastfeat- 38 replies
- 11.5k views
OK folks, I've been in Texas for a few weeks, chilling my bones for a while, but I've been watching the pending gloom and doom for the first week of '08 in FL. Not saying I want to see the damage, but let's start seeing the results. Here's to a warmer rest of 2008... Ken.
-
2009 2009_01 - Nor cal frost report
by NorCalWill- 4 replies
- 2.4k views
Santa Rosa, California... A few nights throughout the months of December, January, and February as low as 26 degrees with a few heavy frosts and ice in standing water... Butia capitata - fine Chamaerops humilis - fine Brahea armata - fine Sabal minor - fine Phoenix canariensis - fine Phoenix dactylifera - fine Livistonia mariae - fine Washingtonia filifera - fine Sabal bermudana - burnt beyond recognition (except the new spear)
-
2009 2009_02 - Frost Damage in Febuary of 09
by Paul The Palm Doctor!- 9 replies
- 5.8k views
Hi all! I've been curious to see how the various landscape palms are looking north (and west) of Lake Okeechobee a few days after this latest freeze/near freeze February 20-22 cold wave in Florida. Any post event photos would be of interest to fellow members of this Forum. Thanks to all! Paul
-
2010 2010_01 - Cold Winter In Oregon
by Ryland- 6 replies
- 3.7k views
Now that there has been some time for damage to manifest in my palm garden in Oregon, I'm going to share what made it and what didn't. Almost all of my palms were very young, many of them still with strap leaves, since I had only built the garden a year and a half ago on a very small budget. This being said, my palms were probably not quite as hardy as would be expected of the same plants at a more mature stage. However, all of the palms were protected with a layer of leaves around their bases. The winter was the coldest in S. Oregon since 1990, with a low in the valley reaching 8F. I recorded 12F for the low at the garden. What survived: Trachycarpus fortunei - …
-
- 1 follower
- 122 replies
- 42.6k views
Here in Maitland (northern suberb of Orlando) we had 8 nights below 32 F during the recent extended freeze event. Of these, 6 nights were in the 20s (28,28,27,26,25,29). Here are some photos of the damage my palms have received, taken today (sorry about the less than optimal lighting). Roystonea borinqueana, almost 100% defoliated. I expect it to come back just fine.
-
- 10 replies
- 5k views
Hello, new to this forum and palm trees. Thanks for all the insightful posts! I'm located in Hattiesburg, MS (zone 8) and received severe burn on 2 Phoenix sylvestris(3 foot of trunk)and 1 Phoenix canariensis (2 foot of trunk) despite some limited protection. We had at least 3 nights of 15-16F weather during the recent snap. The only positive news is some green is still present on the emerging center buds. I was told to leave on all the dead foliage for added protection as there may be a chance of recovery when spring/summer arrives. Really hope so as they have done really well during the prior 2 winters. I tied up the dead foliage on the trees to help shield the cente…
-
2010 2010_12 - Frost/cold damage from record December 2010
by PalmatierMeg- 6 replies
- 7.1k views
Yesterday (1/2/11) I photographed some of the damage my gardens sustained from my record-breaking cold December. I tried to protect the most sensitive small palms but when the last arctic front rolled in on 12/26/10 I was out of town, so everything except the Cyrtostachys (which I stashed indoors) was on its own. When I got home on noon Dec. 27 I ran about covering stuff till dark. Even so, some palms are pretty beat up. In lieu of inklings that my colder winters may be here to stay (no political commentary intended or desired) I am evaluating future gardening endeavors. Adonidias on east side of lanai. Too tall to be protected. They survived last winter and should thi…
-
2013 2013_11 - Thanksgiving Freeze in Louisiana
by Tropicdoc- 10 replies
- 1.6k views
weatherbug waetherstation about a mile away read 31 as low. I placed a digital acurite suction cup type on the ground in the middle of the lawn. It read 27 as the low. Frost all over the lawns and roofs. So far, my insulation for the palms looks like it worked. Jubaeopsis no damage, Dypsis lutescens no damage. Unprotected Alocasia looks like wilted lettuce. Suprisingly, Hass avocado looks fine.
-
2014 2014_01 - Florida Panhandle Ice Storm - Zone 8b Woes 1 2
by Matthew92- 1 follower
- 41 replies
- 15k views
Hey! new to the site and not really sure where to begin: finally decided to just make a general post about cold hardiness with palms in NW FL zone 8b. My botanical interests started when I fell in love with the lush northern canopy trees living in Illinois. Moving back to Northern Florida (where I had lived as a child) though, my interest in growing palm trees just took off. After moving back in 2007, I have had a long list of palm and tropical plant endeavor's with many of which never pulled through brutal zone 8b winters. Here's some detailed experience I've had with some "hot" species that are attempted to be grown here frequently. Chinese Fan Palm: F…
-
- 2 replies
- 1.7k views
I don't know that this will prove of value to anyone, but here's the info: Winter 2013--Veitchia Merrillii, anyway Christmas Palm---potted that year from seed. in plastic 16 oz cups, 2 leaves. Put in an enclosure, 3 X 6', with a single layer plastic tarp, and a clamp-on 75W bulb, this arrangement under a 22' high overhang. Temp dropped to 19 deg for about two hours---no damage. This was the coldest of quite a few below freezing nights. July 2014, these are in larger pots now, and have 6 leaves. On the other front---Pigmy date, in 3 gal pot, no cover, four trees in pot, pretty large leaf array. This sitting under a 20' overhang, in a shallow entryway--two trees …
