What is a "cold hardy" palm?

[Palmə häl′ik 361]

....just curious to know the definition of such a term when all my palms seem to be "cold hardy", but not 'frost hardy"... I zone push alot of z10 palms under oak canopy, so frost doesn't have contact with the palm foliage...

Should I start pushin' the envelope with 10b palms? ...carpoxylon. Ken, you wanna donate one fer science? ....or is that just plain ol stuuuupid?

- Ray.

[sonoranfans 2,848]

....just curious to know the definition of such a term when all my palms seem to be "cold hardy", but not 'frost hardy"... I zone push alot of z10 palms under oak canopy, so frost doesn't have contact with the palm foliage...

Should I start pushin' the envelope with 10b palms? ...carpoxylon. Ken, you wanna donate one fer science? ....or is that just plain ol stuuuupid?

- Ray.

Ray, $10 a foot for a carpoxylon IS a dontation... I think your place is a very good example of the value of live oak canopy for cold hardy enthusiasts. You are able to cheat 1/2 a zone for sure. As far as what is a cold hardy palm, I think that depends, but surely it must at least tolerate a freeze, probably 28F would be a good starting point for marginal cold hardiness, IMO. And if it tolerates zone 8b, its one of the few palms(2%?) that can, so its surely cold hardy... Cold hardy enough depends on the gardener and his/her location... About that carpoxylon... take the donation at $10 a foot and report back to us... I intend to do the same as soon as I can get back for a west coast trip...

[stevethegator 18]

I was going to ask the same question! When I lived in South Florida, 'cold hardy' meant anything that could tolerate a very rare, light freeze, i.e. anything but the ultra tropicals and maybe Cocos (although we had plenty of Cocos as well).

Here in Atlanta, to be 'cold hardy,' a palm not only has to tolerate light freezes, and hard freezes, but potential days below freezing and potential lows down to around 10 F ; maybe even the single digits in a 1980s-style cold event.

For growers in 6b, (yes there are plenty) 'cold hardy' means palms that can potentially tolerate subzero temps, i.e. rhapidophyllum and sabal minor, maybe trachycarpus, or palms that can be easily protected.

It's all relative I suppose, speaks to the tremendous diversity and adaptability of Arecaceae!

[Ken Johnson 199]

My Carpoxylon will handle minus ten. LOL

I have a few science projects up that way now. Problem is it will be 20 years before we have another hard freeze....

[sonoranfans 2,848]

My Carpoxylon will handle minus ten. LOL

I have a few science projects up that way now. Problem is it will be 20 years before we have another hard freeze....

Minus 10, Ken, you have a sabalminor x carpoxylon with extra vigor? ROFL! I like that there will be another 20 years.... If you say so...

[Palmə häl′ik 361]

....start prunin' a little one like that last one I seen Ken... or was that not a 'little one'

If somebodies gonna try it, you know it'll be me!

"PalmTalksColdToleranceLabRat"

-Ray.

[Jimhardy 651]

To me,a cold hardy palm is any palm that can survive at least 20F without damage.

[JakeK 12]

For me this means palms that can be grown in zones 7b-8b without much man-made help. This includes palms like needle palm, sabal minor, sabal palmetto, Sabal 'birmingham', chamaerops humilis, trachycarpus fortunei, washingtona filifera x robusta (zone 8), Phoenix canariensis (zone 8). Basically the palms people in places like Atlanta can grow without much or any man-made protection.

[Palmə häl′ik 361]

I don't think I like cold hardy palms then.

Forever a zonepusher I reckon.

- Ray.

[Kailua_Krish 576]

I sort of see it as any palm that can grow well lower than 9b without protection because that seems to be a big demarcation where the number of species that do well falls off. Otoh most of the cold hardy enthusiasts that I've met are zone pushers too!

-Krishna

[Palmə häl′ik 361]

Frost is da palm killer.

I just can't stand prickly palms. Ouch.

- Ray.

[sonoranfans 2,848]

Frost is da palm killer.

I just can't stand prickly palms. Ouch.

- Ray.

I said the same thing, but I do have a phoenix sylvestris which seems to take the frost fine... and the color is very nice, though it is VERY prickly... a pole lopper helps, then drag it to the curb... but OUCH every once in a while...