Verschaffeltia splendida

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

Verschaffeltia splendida , bronzing on all but one leaf, and that single one is off color.......grown under canopy, so no frost although had spotty areas in the open, lowest here abt 34.5 during the 7-10 day event.

I would guess that this is less acute injury and is more chronic damage, largely precursed by the prolonged below 40 temps.

[jaybo]

Verschaffeltia splendida , bronzing on all but one leaf, and that single one is off color.......grown under canopy, so no frost although had spotty areas in the open, lowest here abt 34.5 during the 7-10 day event.

I would guess that this is less acute injury and is more chronic damage, largely precursed by the prolonged below 40 temps.

So how tall is your tree? Has it seeded yet?

My VS (WPB, FL) has about 8 foot of trunk. It seeded two years ago, no other blooms have produced any seed since. It has been in the ground for about 8 years now with no protection. I have never observed any cold damage until this year. I see exactly what you described as bronzing.

[waykoolplantz]

before

after

[BS Man about Palms]

please remove this post.

[bubba]

My small V. splendida that I purchased from Bill/Pious at the 2008 Palm Beach Palm Society Sale.I thought it had escaped any damage in the Jan. 2010 event. It's leaves have also "bronzed" after 2 or 3 weeks but it is putting out a major new geen leaf, thankfully.

[epicure3]

Pushin' the zone will get you eventually, unfortunately.

[bubba]

I had a 6 foot V. spledidia that was 3 or 4 years old when it got knocked down by another tree that fell in Wilma(2005). It's only problem was with wind and cold was not an issue. My little under 2 footer from Bill/Pious suffered bronze leaves but a major green shoot tells me this Palm will definitely survive.

Accordingly, I believe V. spledidia can be grown sucessfully here although it is fragile. It requires protection in this area primarily from the wind. If it can survive the cold that was experienced here from Jan.2-11, I am not sure I would characterize it as out of range.

[KrisKupsch]

I have one VS though 2 have died previously, current one is actively growing. Last winter a light frost occured nearby but it didnt die. A local friend has a 2m tall specimen under cover. This is 28 deg South ie well outside of its preferred climate.

[naraj]

I had 2 juveniles survive 33 degrees F in the ground, in Sarasota last winter. No frost. No damage.