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Central Texas Damage report


iamjv

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Tony and Mallett, thanks for the updated shots from the Dallas area.... all the palms look ok albeit strange with the snow around them! This might turn out to be a dozy of a winter. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Fredrico,

Did your Cycas petrea come through other cold winters ok? What seemed to be the temperature it couldn't handle?

-Krishna

hi Krishna

my c. petrea lost its leaves after some night at -3 C, but the caudex was alive yet

bye

Federico

Federico

Ravenna , Italy

USDA 8a\b

16146.gif

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The caudex on my queen sago seems to be fine as well with only the actual leaflets of the fronds having browned thus far. The stem of the petiole remain green.

On a side note, noticed over the weekend that my hybrids (BxP & BxS) are continuing to grow despite this hard freeze and the number of freezing nights we've had since then.... promising signs for these palms! Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Thanks for posting these reports, especially the hybrids. Still ok up here on the northwest florida gulf coast....no freeze to report although we got close a couple of nights. Holding my breath, praying we don't see temps like you all to the west and north.

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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After viewing these bone-chilling photos, I resolve never to complain about the cold again. :unsure: Cheers to all you brave palm growers in inhospitable climes, and I wish you a less-frosty winter season going forward.

Kim Cyr

Between the beach and the bays, Point Loma, San Diego, California USA
and on a 300 year-old lava flow, Pahoa, Hawaii, 1/4 mile from the 2018 flow
All characters  in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

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Upon closer in inspection, I had some light damage to the queen palm 10-15 % or so, and some spotting to the W. Robustas. No damage to the Filiferas or Canary Island date palm.

Damage is rearing it's ugly head on my queen palm. Up to 30-40% damage. Starting to look ugly. It will recover fine though, if there are no more damaging freezes.

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Jim, sorry to hear that but I fear that will be the case around town.... I hope to get down to Oblate school this weekend and see how the more sub-tropical palms fared within that micro climate that the buildings provide. I'll take the camera if I go and take some shots. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Jim, sorry to hear that but I fear that will be the case around town.... I hope to get down to Oblate school this weekend and see how the more sub-tropical palms fared within that micro climate that the buildings provide. I'll take the camera if I go and take some shots. Jv

I am up to at least 50% frond damage on my queen, maybe more. Funny, it took a full 3 weeks to show the max damage to it, and showed basically no damage for the first week or 2. It looks all yellow and crispy now, except the inner fronds are still somewhat green. It will survive easily, but will look like garbage for the next 3 months. This freeze also proves that CIDP are more leaf hardy than Robusta. Zero damage whatsoever to CIDP, but I had some spotting/browning on my Robustas, although not very bad. They'll outgrow that fast though. Also zero damage to my Filiferas and Butia. No damage to my filifera and hybrid Washingtonia seedlings left outside in pots. Hate to see how those tropical palms fared. This has been the coldest month I can remember since I got here 6 yrs ago.

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What are y'all seeing on the Livistonas? Generally I've noticed that most begin to show injury as temps fall below 25 but L. decora (formerly decipiens), and L. nitida seem OK to about 20.

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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How did all the tropicals fair by the riverwalk? i noticed they had several tropical plants close to some of the hotels in downtown san antonio. We have been lucky so far on the mississippi gulfcoast. weve had a couple nights close to freezing and one night at 30 so far, but it appears our luck will change this monday when temps are projected to be 26 f. This could be bad for a lot of my tender palms that still look reasonably well. I bought some freeze pruf, but after reading all the negatives I think I,ll just send it back. Good luck with your palms for the remainder of winter, hopefully no more cold blast for yall.

stephen lee

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Keith, livistona's did well for the most part. Chinensis show interesting ringed damaged on the fronds but only minor in nature. Saribus still only shows 10% browning. Nitida, Decora, Australius and a couple of hybrids show no damage at all.

Stephen Lee, I hope to get down to the riverwalk this weekend to ck on any damage.

Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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If we are seeing queen palm damage from this freeze, I bet there are some toasted tropicals out there. Also, about the L. chinensis. They all look great from what I have seen. Little to no damage.

Edited by syersj
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I'm in N. Calif. but I grow about the same kinds of palms that you grow in Texas. I had 2 night to night hard freezes on Dec 8th and 9th. I have two outside probes and one read a low of 27 both nights. I don't trust the probes as I think it got much colder, maybe down to 24F. The only palm damage that I can detect is on my largest Parajubaea TVT, but it took 3 weeks to show up. The tips on some of the horizontal fronds show some damage. The palm is growing in the open with no overhead protection. Also looks like my Parajubaea cocoides got pretty badly burned and it has several feet of trunk.

Something I've never seen before is that the green fruit on Cham. microspadix has turned black, but only in scattered places. Some growing not far from the others still has green fruit. All of my tender stuff, such as cannas, alocasias turned to mush the first night. It looks like all the tall Queens came through ok, but maybe a little yellowing on the lower fronds. All of the Cocoid hybrids came through fine, even the small ones.

This was one of the earliest freezes I've had in years. I think it was the same front that gave you snow in Houston.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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I'm in N. Calif. but I grow about the same kinds of palms that you grow in Texas. I had 2 night to night hard freezes on Dec 8th and 9th. I have two outside probes and one read a low of 27 both nights. I don't trust the probes as I think it got much colder, maybe down to 24F. The only palm damage that I can detect is on my largest Parajubaea TVT, but it took 3 weeks to show up. The tips on some of the horizontal fronds show some damage. The palm is growing in the open with no overhead protection. Also looks like my Parajubaea cocoides got pretty badly burned and it has several feet of trunk.

Something I've never seen before is that the green fruit on Cham. microspadix has turned black, but only in scattered places. Some growing not far from the others still has green fruit. All of my tender stuff, such as cannas, alocasias turned to mush the first night. It looks like all the tall Queens came through ok, but maybe a little yellowing on the lower fronds. All of the Cocoid hybrids came through fine, even the small ones.

This was one of the earliest freezes I've had in years. I think it was the same front that gave you snow in Houston.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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Dick, thanks for the update. It seems crossing the parajub's with some butia blood will in fact make them much hardier! Great news for all of us in the more temperate regions that want to grow more tropical looking palms.

Yes this winter has started out with a bang.... I have logged 9 nights below freezing all ready and we've just started January! In the past 8 or 10 years we've probably only had that many freezing nights for the entire winter.

Hoping to get some palm damage shots taken today as we'll be out and about the city. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Here are some images taken today after many nights in the 20°F in Dallas.

Friends2009013.jpg

Livingstona decipiens

Friends2009014.jpg

Livingstona saribus "green form"

We have had 10 nights in the 20f°s so far this year with an absolute low of 24°F. On average we get 34 days where it reaches 32°F or lower per year.

One snow event also.

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Dick, thanks for the update. It seems crossing the parajub's with some butia blood will in fact make them much hardier! Great news for all of us in the more temperate regions that want to grow more tropical looking palms.

Yes this winter has started out with a bang.... I have logged 9 nights below freezing all ready and we've just started January! In the past 8 or 10 years we've probably only had that many freezing nights for the entire winter.

Hoping to get some palm damage shots taken today as we'll be out and about the city. Jv

We've had more freezes this year than we had all of last year, I believe. Last year we almost had a zone 10 winter.

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I'm in N. Calif. but I grow about the same kinds of palms that you grow in Texas.

Depends on which area of TX you're talking about. I saw lots of tall Royal palms last time I went to the RGV. Houston and S.A. probably so. Side note, I took a trip to Austin yesterday and driving around various neighborhoods there were huge number of big freeze survivor palms predating the freezes.

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Jim, which palms are you talking about and are you referring to this past freeze or the historic ones of the 80s? BTW drove up to San Marcos today (reference-north of San Antonio for the non-locals) and the queens up there were less fried then they are here in SA. Go figure...

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Jim, which palms are you talking about and are you referring to this past freeze or the historic ones of the 80s? BTW drove up to San Marcos today (reference-north of San Antonio for the non-locals) and the queens up there were less fried then they are here in SA. Go figure...

I was saying I was surprised at the sheer numbers of palms around Austin that obviously pre-date 1983.

There were also a few queen palms up there that seemed to be healthy (no 80s freeze survivors obviously). I saw some big Phoenix palms around. And or course lots of ancient Washingtonia and Sabals planted in the 50s, 60s and 70s from the look of the neighborhoods, if not older.

My queen looks poor, but when I was driving around, other local ones look like they were hardly touched. Are they that variable?

Edited by syersj
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Jim,

I was refering to the 8/9 zones in Texas. I know tropical palms grow further south in TX. Seems we are getting an early dose of cold this year. Looks like Fla. will get hit this coming week. We haven't heard from Tad for awhile. Anyone know what's going on with him?

Dick

Richard Douglas

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It is supposed to go down to 17°F this Thursday in Dallas. It hasn't been this cold in a few years so this will be a test for the tender stuff.

Most stuff grown in Dallas can easily handle that temperature.

Here are some images of Phoenix theophrasti in Dallas and its reaction to the cold so far this winter.

Last winter it came through with all its foliage intact. A landscaper cut it to the trunk in late spring for a clean up haircut.

The head you see on it was completely regrown this season. This was planted as a tiny seedling and is about 4 years old.

That is a clump of musa ornata burned to a crisp. It returns and blooms every year.

post-356-1262412031_thumb.jpg

post-356-1262412019_thumb.jpg

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It is supposed to go down to 17°F this Thursday in Dallas. It hasn't been this cold in a few years so this will be a test for the tender stuff.

Most stuff grown in Dallas can easily handle that temperature.

Here are some images of Phoenix theophrasti in Dallas and its reaction to the cold so far this winter.

Last winter it came through with all its foliage intact. A landscaper cut it to the trunk in late spring for a clean up haircut.

The head you see on it was completely regrown this season. This was planted as a tiny seedling and is about 4 years old.

That is a clump of musa ornata burned to a crisp. It returns and blooms every year.

post-356-1262412031_thumb.jpg

post-356-1262412019_thumb.jpg

If it's supposed to dip down to 17 F in Dallas, then I expect other parts of Texas and the Gulf coast, N. Fla. etc. will get very cold too. This has started out as a very bad winter, and this may only be a prelude of what is to come. I had one of the earliest hard freezes in N. Calif. in years. I'm begining to believe a lack of sun spot activity may have a lot to do with this, and I wouldn't trust El nino to save us as it's not acting as it normally would.

For those of you with small palms, even the cocoid hybrids, I would cover them, even add some heat from lights to protect them. Small palms are much more vulnerable to cold than larger palms with some woody trunk. Anything in containers, I'd drag them inside.

Good luck everyone.

Dick

Richard Douglas

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Here are a couple of damage shots from the yard... always trying to look at things in a positive way, so let me present to you my 'ringed' livistona chinensis, my variegated sago and bronzed rhapis. Cheers, Jv

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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They're predicting 17F for Dallas, Texas and sunny Longview, Texas, where I live, next Thursday night. Time to see what these plants are made of. Parts just North of me are gonna get hammered worse. All I have out in the ground are as follows:

Med Fan Palm

Jubaea

Butia capitata

Sabal minor

Sabal 'Tamaulipas'

Rhapidiophylum

Livistona australis

Chamaedorea microspadix

I'll cover the Livistona, Chamaedorea and the Big Jub (I planted this in August, not taking a risk). Hope you survive intact Tony. I blame Anthropogenic Global Warming for this cold weather.

Longview, Texas :: Record Low: -5F, Feb. 16, 2021 :: Borderline 8A/8B :: '06-'07: 18F / '07-'08: 21F / '08-'09: 21F / '09-'10: 14F / '10-'11: 15F / '11-'12: 24F / '12-'13: 23F / '13-'14: 15F / '14-'15: 20F / '15-'16: 27F / '16-'17: 15F / '17-'18: 8F / '18-'19: 23F / '19-'20: 19F / '20-'21: -5F / '21-'22: 20F / '22-'23: 6F

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We have had a low of 21f two weeks ago and numerous nights below freezing with heavy frosts. The W. robustas, Queens, P. humilis, P. sylvestris, P.dacts, Sabal domengensis and L. chinensis have varying freeze damage. My 6 Jubs, med fans, L. decora, canarys, Mules, Sabal uresana,brazoria,mexicana, and rosei are unscathed. I protected my Trachy latisectus, martianus Nepal, and takil, JxB,BxJ,JBxQ, QxJB, and JBxBs during the coldest night but they have been uncovered for the milder freezes and seem to be doing well.

David Glover

Growing cold hardy palms and tropicals in Coldspring, Tx

http://www.tejastropicals.com

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David so good to hear a report from you... I was hoping you'd see this thread and provide an input. BTW T. Takil's that I got from you went through the 21.9 I had and show no damage at all. My T. martianus is just now showing a little tip burn. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Tony, I was shocked to see the low for Thursday also. But I took a look today and now all the local weather and Weather.com are showing 22 degrees I hope they have made some correct calculations this time around.

Okay I looked again and now it's back down again. Very strange, just this morning it was alot warmer.

Edited by mallett_sj
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Well they've dropped our predicted lows as well for Thurs and Friday... from 26 to 24 in the city which puts me a degree or two lower. Like Buffy stated it's going to be an interesting winter....

I'll be stopping by this afternoon to shoot pics of the less hardy palm varieties growing at Oblate Theological School, to report on any damage seen. Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Well finally got down to Oblate Theological School to see Father Leo's sub-tropical garden.... sadly the news isn't all that good as most plants took a hard hit despite being in this wonderful micro climate. I suspect the temperature only got down to 25 or 26F within this micro-climate area. The airport a few miles away registered 24F that morning compared to our 21.9 outside the city.

Check out the pics below as you can see the fishtail, majesty, king and royal palms took hard hits but they may come back if the winter doesn't get worse. A pleasant surprise, the bismarkia palm not having any damage at all. The acrocomia mexicana & queen sago next to it only had minor tip burn. Additionally, a large copernicia alba faired well within the micro climate as did a ring of 10 BxS outside of the micro climate. Jv

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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Here are the shots of the Copernicia and that ring of BxS. Jv

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Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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We are expecting 22 f for the next three nights with a low of 15 on friday here on the mississippi gulfcoast. this could be the end to my palm collection. I have approx 40 mature queens, and 25 mature roebillinis. I'm going to wrap the roebs today, but to costly to wrap it all. The fishtails and coconuts are in protective structures, but usually on keeps temp about 10 degrees warmer. so they might meet their demise. Global warming sure is cold. This is the coldest weve seen since 1989. I guess we all forget how cold it can really get in our climates till situations like this. This storm could be a costly one. I guess it is time to replace with sables and fan palms.

stephen lee

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Stephen the forecasts keep moving and not in a favorable direction... coldest prediction thus far is now 18F vice the original 24F. Wrap what you can and hope it's enough to get them through the onslaught !

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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and here is a shot of the fishtail palm.... this one may not come back from the freeze. Then again many of these palms might be done for if we go down to 18F as predicted for both Fri and Sat mornings. Jv

post-362-1262692118_thumb.jpg

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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For this next freeze event, I plan on doing a small control test... I'll be leaving hybrids out once again but this time, I'll be placing a couple into the open where there won't be any overhead protection from trees or house eves.

BxJ - in ground out in the open; in container under tree canopy

BxS - in ground with partial tree canopy; in container in the open.

Phx RupXCan - both in containers, one in the open; one under partial tree canopy

More to come.... Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

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I still can't believe how you Texans have been hit with cold and snow. For some odd reason, we have missed out on the real frigid stuff and the snow. However, we may get a dusting of snow tomorrow night. Even with that, our temps are not so much out of normal range for here. We've been above freezing everyday, too, so that helps the palms. All of my marginal palms are under cover with assorted lights that go on/off with timers. I don't take any chances with those. I do hope the weather predictions miss their mark for all the palm growers.

C from NC

:)

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

Siler City, NC

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I still can't believe how you Texans have been hit with cold and snow. For some odd reason, we have missed out on the real frigid stuff and the snow. However, we may get a dusting of snow tomorrow night. Even with that, our temps are not so much out of normal range for here. We've been above freezing everyday, too, so that helps the palms. All of my marginal palms are under cover with assorted lights that go on/off with timers. I don't take any chances with those. I do hope the weather predictions miss their mark for all the palm growers.

I haven't seen any snow. The snow was limited to N. TX. Central and S. TX didn't get any.

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