Butia Freeze Damage In Virginia (12°F)

[PalmTreeDude 1,718]

So we got down to 12°F a few days ago and now it has warmed up and we are currently in the low 60s and yesterday was in the low 60s as well. My Butia bought simply as a "Pindo Palm" from Lowes in the Spring shows little damage so far. The only damage I can see is a bit of browning on parts of the oldest leaves and a spot here or there on the "middle aged" leaves. The newest ones look fine so far. I will keep everyone updated, but I expected to see more damage and sooner. One of my other smaller ones got burned pretty badly, about 60% defoliation. As for the one that is showing little signs of damage, I must have gotten a pretty tough one. None of my palms were given any protection. This is just Southwest of Richmond, VA. 

Edited January 24, 2019 by PalmTreeDude

[Allen 559]

Always wanted to try one but didn't think I could get it to live in 7a.  A friend of mine had a mature one die in Atlanta last year.

 

Good luck

[Fusca 1,926]

19 hours ago, PalmTreeDude said:

I must have gotten a pretty tough one.

I'd say you got a tough one indeed.  And no protection?  I bought my first Butia 17 years ago from Ty Ty and it was probably that size or a little bigger.  It complete fried at 15°F (with a sheet covering it) but I don't recall how long it took for the damage to show.  The nursery replaced it.  Perhaps mine was a dud.  I've always planted 10-gal sized Butias or larger since (other than ones I've grown from seed) and have only seen temps that low once since and don't recall any cold damage.

[PalmTreeDude 1,718]

3 hours ago, Fusca said:

I'd say you got a tough one indeed.  And no protection?  I bought my first Butia 17 years ago from Ty Ty and it was probably that size or a little bigger.  It complete fried at 15°F (with a sheet covering it) but I don't recall how long it took for the damage to show.  The nursery replaced it.  Perhaps mine was a dud.  I've always planted 10-gal sized Butias or larger since (other than ones I've grown from seed) and have only seen temps that low once since and don't recall any cold damage.

Yes, there was absolutely no cold protection, as a matter of fact, I was not even paying attention to the weather and one morning it was 12 degrees. In my head a instantly thought, "Well there goes my Butia." But it's still green and I am pretty amazed at how it just kind of went though that without much care (besides the minor burn). 

Edited January 25, 2019 by PalmTreeDude

[PalmTreeDude 1,718]

15 hours ago, Allen said:

Always wanted to try one but didn't think I could get it to live in 7a.  A friend of mine had a mature one die in Atlanta last year.

 

Good luck

You could always give it a shot, although it would probably need protection more often than they do here when/if I protect mine. 

[NC_Palms 598]

21 hours ago, Allen said:

Always wanted to try one but didn't think I could get it to live in 7a.  A friend of mine had a mature one die in Atlanta last year.

 

Good luck

In 7a you will need to provide some heavy protection. Butias are pretty much a zone 8b palm. Even in my zone 8a climate, these palms aren't bulletproof and only thrive when placed in a microclimate.

Good luck and I applaud your attempt to zone push.  

 

[PalmTreeDude 1,718]

This is after 10°F for about an hour a few days ago (it is currently 65°F in my yard). I think I got a super Butia, other than a little more burn, nothing severe. 

[PalmTreeDude 1,718]

[Ninja88 42]

My Butia palm the same size saw around 12f last year and showed damage with spear pull by February but fully recovered by the end of last Summer. Yours should be fine as long as the temperatures don't drop again. 

This picture was taken in February, 2018.

Edited February 3, 2019 by Ninja88
Typo

[Ninja88 42]

Here's the same palms recovery by September 2018. The first frond to emerge after the winter was stunted but after that normal growth resumed.