Queen palms indoors

[Chester B]

Does anyone have experience with Queen palms indoors?  I'm thinking of adding a couple to the landscape, but bringing inside for 3-4 months of the year.  My living room is south facing and double height.

Or can they go in dim light in the garage?

[Rickybobby]

No matter what you choose. I support you I’m interested to see the outcome. I Will someday be. A northern. Queen keeper.  

[SEVA]

I grew my queen palm for 2 (maybe 3?) years in a pot/ trash can and brought it indoors over the winter before planting it in the ground.  During the first winter it went inside the house (east facing room).  The second winter it was placed inside an unheated garage with high ceilings because it was too large to bring inside the house; there was no direct light.  I kept it on the dry side while indoors.  It was indoors from about late November/ early December to mid-March.

[HtownPalms]

Go for it! 

[Chester B]

Ok, you all are confirming that it is worth a shot.  Now do I buy two 4' queens for $55 or a single 10' for $110??

[HtownPalms]

I always go for more versus bigger, but that's my preference. At least with the 4' Queens you don't have to worry about them outgrowing your indoor space as quickly. 

[Rickybobby]

I always buy smaller so we can enjoy them since we know eventually we can’t keep them 

[enigma99]

On 7/24/2019 at 9:42 AM, Chester B said:

Ok, you all are confirming that it is worth a shot.  Now do I buy two 4' queens for $55 or a single 10' for $110??

Curious where are you getting your palms? 

[Chester B]

Saw an EBAY add out of California.  The 10' palms are at a local nursery.

[zoli]

The Portland Nursery on Division had a couple of 4'-ish queens in stock for about a $100 a few weeks ago. Now, I know that's like twice the price, but after shipping costs, it may be a wash.

Edited August 4, 2019 by zoli

[sashaeffer]

I have a few potted Queens. Used to bring them indoors for the winter but spider mites like them....a lot, so now just keep them in my garage over the winter and they do just fine but without the spider mites.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

@Chester B have you tried finding coconut queens instead for an experiment. I had 2 of them that breezed thru 24° with freezing rain. The 20° with freezing rain the next year was too much tho =/ 

[Chester B]

10 hours ago, zoli said:

The Portland Nursery on Division had a couple of 4'-ish queens in stock for about a $100 a few weeks ago. Now, I know that's like twice the price, but after shipping costs, it may be a wash

The one on Division has big ones inside I think probably 8'+ for $110

5 hours ago, sashaeffer said:

I have a few potted Queens. Used to bring them indoors for the winter but spider mites like them....a lot, so now just keep them in my garage over the winter and they do just fine but without the spider mites.

I would almost prefer to do this.  My garage has high ceilings.

4 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

@Chester B have you tried finding coconut queens instead for an experiment. I had 2 of them that breezed thru 24° with freezing rain. The 20° with freezing rain the next year was too much tho =/ 

I didn't know they exist until now.  Thanks for the info.  My feeling is that they are probably more pricey but may be an outdoor experimental for me if I can find some reasonably priced ones.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

2 hours ago, Chester B said:

I didn't know they exist until now.  Thanks for the info.  My feeling is that they are probably more pricey but may be an outdoor experimental for me if I can find some reasonably priced 

Someone was selling a whole bunch of them on here not that long ago i believe band size 

 

[RJ]

I have two small queens and two larger ones (maybe 4ft overall just going pinate) The larger ones are in 5g lowes buckets. I moved them into my garage when anything got much below 30 last winter. No ill effects. I imagine they have to grow a lot slower in the PNW then down here. Although that's just a guess. 

[Chester B]

36 minutes ago, RJ said:

I have two small queens and two larger ones (maybe 4ft overall just going pinate) The larger ones are in 5g lowes buckets. I moved them into my garage when anything got much below 30 last winter. No ill effects. I imagine they have to grow a lot slower in the PNW then down here. Although that's just a guess. 

Good to know.  I would think aside from Trachycarpus which grow quickly here, pretty much every other palm probably grows slower.  

[RJ]

29 minutes ago, Chester B said:

Good to know.  I would think aside from Trachycarpus which grow quickly here, pretty much every other palm probably grows slower.  

To be honest mine aren't rocket ships. They're silver queens that seem to be a bit slower, plus I don't have mine in full blazing sun either as I'm not in any hurry to have them grow up. They're more of a for fun palm for me. I'll stick them in the ground at some point but realistically they're not long term palms for me, even in an excellent micro climate. My property is an 8b due to water proximity but these still aren't an 8b palm IMO. Mules should do pretty well for me though. Eventually I will probably get a cold snap that takes them out as well  As mules are pretty inexpensive now so if I can get 10 years out of them in between cold snaps I'll be a happy camper. That's about the most tropical palm I can realistically grow, and that's pretty good considering how far up the east coast I am.