Bismark Palm

[Cfhsoccerplayer]

Hey everyone, I have a question about this palm. I live in zone 8a. The recommended zone for this palm says 8b to 11. We have other palms in our area that say 8b as well and when it gets cold the leaves die but not the whole palm. I was just wondering what your thoughts on wether I would be able to grow a Bismarck palm in zone 8a? 

 

Thanks.

[Ben in Norcal]

I've been told they are borderline here in high 9b/low 10a.  I am not sure what to believe regarding the cold/frost hardiness of this palm, so I'm going to find out.

[Chris Chance]

I would say it would be a bit marginal there. Could give it a shot. They love heat so summer wouldn't be an issue.  If you have brief frost followed by warmer tempo it should be fine but I'm  not familiar with the climate there.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I'm in zone 8b and Bismarks will absolutely not grow here. Nor will queen palms. 

[southpacific73]

Your summers are more warmer and longer than ours here in the northwest. I would give it a shot if I were you and see what happens.

[akaranus]

i am trying with few here in 9a zone, lost 3 of them still alive 4, oldest in the garden is 5years old...you must do everything perfect to try otherwise you will lose it very quickly....you must find little bigger one and healty, you must not damage roots when planting, soil must be with good drainage, it must be on full day sun at summer plenty of water and fertileizer, and  for few winters you must protect it and heat it if it drops below 28, and maybe with some luck if you have hot long summers and dry winters it would stay some time in the garden...this is one of mine...

img

 

Edited September 25, 2015 by akaranus

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I'm in zone 8b and Bismarks will absolutely not grow here. Nor will queen palms. 

I should clarify.  Both grow extremely well during the summer, they will not survive the winters unprotected.

[Josh-O]

I'm in zone 8b and Bismarks will absolutely not grow here. Nor will queen palms. 

I should clarify.  Both grow extremely well during the summer, they will not survive the winters unprotected.

Joseph, do you get snow where you are?

[Cfhsoccerplayer]

Thanks for the reply everyone. I think I will skip the bis mark palm. Love the look of it but seems like it may be a bit too difficult. Maybe I'll go with a canary island date palm instead!

[Scot from SC]

I would go with a Sabal uresana instead. I have a small one, but it has a nice color to it much like a silver Bismark. I am going to try a CIDP and a Phoenix Theophrastii too.

[sonoranfans]

My experience is that they can do well in a dry 9a as a minimum, bit not a wet/humid 9a.  they take a dry cold with radiative events much better than a wet/humid cold with advective events.  I grew them in 9a gilbert AZ, the took 21F with very heavy loss of leaves, but came back.  My understanding is they are a very tough grow in 9a florida, but can take 25F in florida as adults without too much trouble.  Juveniles are not as cold resistant so they should be protected till they are well rooted and starting to trunk.   If you want a grey fan palm, I'd look at sabal uresana, or if you want a huge fan palm like bismarckia, try sabal causiarum.  Both are good to 8B for sure, possibly a moderate 8a.

Edited September 28, 2015 by sonoranfans
juvenile cold caveat

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I'm in zone 8b and Bismarks will absolutely not grow here. Nor will queen palms. 

I should clarify.  Both grow extremely well during the summer, they will not survive the winters unprotected.

Joseph, do you get snow where you are?

 

Joseph, do you get snow where you are?

It snows (usually .5"-1") at my house every couple of years,but that doesn't bother the palms. The ice storms we get every other year are what really stresses all of the palms. There are only a few palms that can have 1/4" of ice on the fronds for 12-24 hrs and not burn. 

Edited September 29, 2015 by TexasColdHardyPalms

[Josh-O]

yikes!!

that pretty extreme weather for palms no doubt..

[Sandy Loam]

Wow. Your 8b is a lot different from my 8b. We don't get any snow or ice here. I hear that a few flakes fell here in 1989, but certainly nothing since. Bismarckias do grow here in zone 8b, although we only dip to 8b about  once every 7 years. The bismarckias around town are big enough to have survived the drastic 2009-2010 freeze events here, and I doubt that they were all protected.

 

[Brad Mondel]

I failed at growing a Bismarkia twice in zone 8b. They were fairly large and were planted in a well drained, full sun position on a south wall. They still fried in the winter. The queen Palm survived two winters but eventually froze to death during a cold snap. Phoenix canarienensis will survive if given a well drained position and winter protection the first few winters as a juvenile. 

Edited October 1, 2015 by Brad Mondel

[tank]

I've had luck with one planted under a high canopy.  It has seen temps in the low 20s, upper teens.  It sees NO frost under the canopy and this seems to be critical.  These guys keep good color in shade,  although the trade off is that it grows much slower than it would in full sun.  This plant will not survive fully exposed with regular temps near or under 20f, IMHO.  Temps dropping to 25f every year would probably eventually kill it and will certainly ensure that it will always look like crap.

[Ben in Norcal]

I've had luck with one planted under a high canopy.  It has seen temps in the low 20s, upper teens.  It sees NO frost under the canopy and this seems to be critical.  These guys keep good color in shade,  although the trade off is that it grows much slower than it would in full sun.  This plant will not survive fully exposed with regular temps near or under 20f, IMHO.  Temps dropping to 25f every year would probably eventually kill it and will certainly ensure that it will always look like crap.

My average annual low is right on 30 degrees, and we're relatively dry so probably get less frost than in Florida.  I am hopeful...

[Josh-O]

I've had luck with one planted under a high canopy.  It has seen temps in the low 20s, upper teens.  It sees NO frost under the canopy and this seems to be critical.  These guys keep good color in shade,  although the trade off is that it grows much slower than it would in full sun.  This plant will not survive fully exposed with regular temps near or under 20f, IMHO.  Temps dropping to 25f every year would probably eventually kill it and will certainly ensure that it will always look like crap.

My average annual low is right on 30 degrees, and we're relatively dry so probably get less frost than in Florida.  I am hopeful...

Ben, this should be an easy grow for you.

[Ben in Norcal]

I've had luck with one planted under a high canopy.  It has seen temps in the low 20s, upper teens.  It sees NO frost under the canopy and this seems to be critical.  These guys keep good color in shade,  although the trade off is that it grows much slower than it would in full sun.  This plant will not survive fully exposed with regular temps near or under 20f, IMHO.  Temps dropping to 25f every year would probably eventually kill it and will certainly ensure that it will always look like crap.

My average annual low is right on 30 degrees, and we're relatively dry so probably get less frost than in Florida.  I am hopeful...

Ben, this should be an easy grow for you.

I'm hoping.  There are very few Bismarks up here, though, and I worry that is for a reason.  Axel always reckoned they were a no-go for a lot of places up here, not sure why.

[Josh-O]

Maybe it has to do with lots of WET cold days. They can take cold because they grow in Arizona, palm springs, etc....I'm guessing they like dry cold weather?

[Ben in Norcal]

We'll see. Mine are going into year 3 in the ground anyway...

[Sutter Bob]

After killing many one gallon Bismarcks and a couple of 5 gallons I finally got a 15 gallon to take off. It went into the ground on a small mound in Jan 2014 and looks great now. So far so good with this one. I'll try to get some photos tomorrow. Sure hope this one hangs in there.

I do think our drier than normal winters might have helped. I was very careful with the roots.

Queens seem to do quite well here.

 

 

 

[tinman10101]

i live in 9b zone.  some can even attest to it snowing here on rare occasions when the conditions are right. more importantly, we get average below freezing for at least 6 hours for a couple of days every winter.  the coldest i ever recorded was 28f for 5 hours one winter.  my bismark has never shown signs of damage.  here it is today grown from 15 gallon 6 years ago.  i wished i had planted more now since its one of the most beautiful in my garden.

cheers 

tin

[tinman10101]

here is an overall picture of the garden which my neighbors are amazed that this is high desert region:

[Ben in Norcal]

Great looking palm, Tin!

[tinman10101]

thanks ben.  there are alot of plams that do really well in my garden that comes to my surprise:  ravenae xerophylla, dypsis decipiens, some pritchardias ... i will try to take pics later. 

 

tin

[Ben in Norcal]

thanks ben.  there are alot of plams that do really well in my garden that comes to my surprise:  ravenae xerophylla, dypsis decipiens, some pritchardias ... i will try to take pics later. 

 

tin

Be interested to know which Pritchardias you are having success with.  I am trying a few here.

[tinman10101]

ben the pritchardias i have are protected under canopy.  the one that does the best for me is what i think is remota.  i bought it from a grower and that is what he thinks it is.  it does get slight leaf discoloration from winter but comes back nicely.  i will try to take pics tomorrow when there is light.   i am not definitely sure it is remota but maybe one of the pritchardia experts on here can give their opinion.  i also have a beccariana that is growing under triple kings that gets huge leaves but do get leaf burn from the cold but has come back nicely every year.  hildebrantii does the worst for me but then again it is out exposed under no protection.  it struggles and i need to dig it out when i have time and replace it with something else.  hope this helps.

btw my ravenaea xerophylla and dypsis decipiens is grown out, exposed, and under no canopy and amazingly, they grow nicely.  my other palms that laugh at the cold exposed are ones you probably have:  jubaea chilensis, butiagrus, jubutiagrus, jubaea x butia, braheas, parajubaea tvt, sabals, arenga engleri, phoenix species, serenoa repens, allagoptera arenaria, and acoelorrhaphe wrightii.

tin

[Ben in Norcal]

That helps, Tin, thanks.  You are testing all the same ones that I am.  All are under high coniferous canopy here...we'll see!

[Josh-O]

That helps, Tin, thanks.  You are testing all the same ones that I am.  All are under high coniferous canopy here...we'll see!

Ben, are you growing pritchardia hildebrandtii??

[Ben in Norcal]

That helps, Tin, thanks.  You are testing all the same ones that I am.  All are under high coniferous canopy here...we'll see!

Ben, are you growing pritchardia hildebrandtii??

Yep, have a couple...

[Josh-O]

That helps, Tin, thanks.  You are testing all the same ones that I am.  All are under high coniferous canopy here...we'll see!

Ben, are you growing pritchardia hildebrandtii??

Yep, have a couple...

I figured you were. Just had to check.   are you growing any other Prit's?

[Laaz]

It absolutely will not survive in the Myrtle Beach area. I have tried a couple here in the Charleston area & they always die with a hard frost.

[Sutter Bob]

Haven't posted a pic in a while. Hoping this works.

[Sutter Bob]

Another view.

[Pip]

Looks great. I wish mine looked that nice.