Using palm species to accurately assess USDA zone

[John of Ponce 6]

I purchased property just south of Daytona Beach on a barrier I am located about 1/2 mi from the Atlantic ocean on the east and about the same distance from the intracoastal waterway to the West. According to the most updated USDA zone maps this area is listed as 9b. I have a theory that where I am may actually be 10a due to some of the true tropical plants growing in the area. ie. Coconut palms with 12 ft of trunk showing. 

I have planted 107 different species of palms across my property. It has been very fun collecting, planting, and growing the palms. I hope that the performance of the palms will be an accurate indicator of the true USDA zone that i am in . Volusia county Florida.

Edited January 17 by John of Ponce

[Jimbean 490]

well let's see what happens

[NickJames 1,167]

12 hours ago, John of Ponce said:

I purchased property just south of Daytona Beach on a barrier I am located about 1/2 mi from the Atlantic ocean on the east and about the same distance from the intracoastal waterway to the West. According to the most updated USDA zone maps this area is listed as 9b. I have a theory that where I am may actually be 10a due to some of the true tropical plants growing in the area. ie. Coconut palms with 12 ft of trunk showing. 

I have planted 107 different species of palms across my property. It has been very fun collecting, planting, and growing the palms. I hope that the performance of the palms will be an accurate indicator of the true USDA zone that i am in . Volusia county Florida.

I wish I lived in Ponce Inlet lol

[RedRabbit 1,622]

Ponce Inlet isn’t bad. They’ve got a history of being able to grow zone 10 palms for awhile, but then a bad freeze eventually comes along. NSB is the same story more or less. That area is probably low end 10a and on the cusp of being able to have a great garden. Historically tropicals have done much better south of Cape Canaveral though...

Edited January 18 by RedRabbit

[John of Ponce 6]

17 hours ago, RedRabbit said:

Ponce Inlet isn’t bad. They’ve got a history of being able to grow zone 10 palms for awhile, but then a bad freeze eventually comes along. NSB is the same story more or less. That area is probably low end 10a and on the cusp of being able to have a great garden. Historically tropicals have done much better south of Cape Canaveral though...

Thanks for the info.

John

 

[Xerarch 608]

107 species? That's awesome! how much land do you have? I don't want you to get a bad freeze but with that many species you should get great data for what to expect in that climate and how people can expect things to perform in a similar location.  Good luck.

[PalmTreeDude 1,705]

This is awesome, I’m hoping they all do fine! 

[palmsOrl 1,578]

I was sharing with a friend the other day, that while the USDA zones (I am speaking of the Eastern US here) are not perfect, they are a fairly accurate way to generally assess what will grow in a given zone.

For example, Orlando is a zone 10a, and 10a palms will survive long-term in 10a areas of town, not forever, but long-term.  All of my 10a palms were severely damaged but survived 2010 and sail though most winter's with little damage.  All my in ground 10b palms, in contrast, died in 2010.

[Reeverse 631]

On 1/17/2021 at 7:32 AM, John of Ponce said:

I purchased property just south of Daytona Beach on a barrier I am located about 1/2 mi from the Atlantic ocean on the east and about the same distance from the intracoastal waterway to the West. According to the most updated USDA zone maps this area is listed as 9b. I have a theory that where I am may actually be 10a due to some of the true tropical plants growing in the area. ie. Coconut palms with 12 ft of trunk showing. 

I have planted 107 different species of palms across my property. It has been very fun collecting, planting, and growing the palms. I hope that the performance of the palms will be an accurate indicator of the true USDA zone that i am in . Volusia county Florida.

[Reeverse 631]

John’s property is truly amazing!! Some of the largest Carpoxylon I have ever seen and they are thriving amongst everything else he has planted.