Palmageddon Aftermath Photo Thread

[philinsydney]

23 hours ago, Xenon said:

Nearly all of the queens at Moody Gardens look like they will make it. I'll spare you pics of the royals...they are dead dead. Either the crownshaft collapsed to the ground or they've been axed. The zone 10 stuff which makes up >50% of the landscape is ANNIHILATED. 

I t must have been colder in Galveston than RGV. from what I understand, the royals are making a partial recovery down there.

[Xenon]

7 minutes ago, philinsydney said:

I t must have been colder in Galveston than RGV. from what I understand, the royals are making a partial recovery down there.

Yes, much colder and for a much longer duration. The RGV is ~400 miles or 600 km+ closer to the equator.  

[PricklyPearSATC]

1 hour ago, Xenon said:

Yes, much colder and for a much longer duration. The RGV is ~400 miles or 600 km+ closer to the equator.  

Naa!!  It's only like 250 miles closer. 
It's probably 400 miles to drive from Galveston to Brownsville, but it is only 276 driving miles from San Antonio. 

Also Galveston is protected by water a bit more..if you head west in the RGV it can start to get cold fairly quickly.

Edited May 9, 2021 by PricklyPearSATC

[Xenon]

3 minutes ago, PricklyPearSATC said:

Naa!!  It's only like 250 miles closer. 
It's probably 400 miles to drive from Galveston to Brownsville, but it is only 276 driving miles from San Antonio. 

Also Galveston is protected by water a bit more..if you head west in the RGV it can start to get cold fairly quickly.

You're right, it's 287 miles straight line distance

Even the west RGV is a far better environment for tropicals than Galveston. Higher average temperatures and lower duration of cold make a huge impact. Even when looking at absolute lows, Galveston has recorded lower readings. McAllen completely blows Galveston out of the water, no contest. 

[Collectorpalms]

2 hours ago, Xenon said:

You're right, it's 287 miles straight line distance

Even the west RGV is a far better environment for tropicals than Galveston. Higher average temperatures and lower duration of cold make a huge impact. Even when looking at absolute lows, Galveston has recorded lower readings. McAllen completely blows Galveston out of the water, no contest. 

I still loved Galveston. It was just a short trip to zone 10 plant paradise. Not a long haul trip to the RGV. 
I’d do a cheap plant sale, and give away zone 10 plants again to residents. 
 

How were Moodys Mules?

Edited May 9, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Xenon]

11 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

I still loved Galveston. It was just a short trip to zone 10 plant paradise. Not a long haul trip to the RGV. 
I’d do a cheap plant sale, and give away zone 10 plants again to residents. 
 

How were Moodys Mules?

No shortage of zone 10 stuff already being replanted. I'm excited to see how long the next Adonidia run is. 

The mules were trimmed to 2-3 leaves but are otherwise fine. 

[Collectorpalms]

Man I am soar From hauling fronds and Dead trees last couple days. 
I have two dump truck full. And it’s looks like I haven’t even started....

Getting ready to head to Dallas. Any palms I should be on the look out for to take pictures?

Edited May 9, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Keys6505]

1 hour ago, Collectorpalms said:

Man I am soar From hauling fronds and Dead trees last couple days. 
I have two dump truck full. And it’s looks like I haven’t even started....

Getting ready to head to Dallas. Any palms I should be on the look out for to take pictures?

Has anyone gotten a photo of the aquarium Jubea yet?

[UK_Palms]

9 minutes ago, Keys6505 said:

Has anyone gotten a photo of the aquarium Jubea yet?

I asked about that Jubaea about a month ago and Ryan explained it's back story and how it's never been healthy since being transplanted. I'm still yet to see a post freeze photo of it though. 

[JohnAndSancho]

I'm blown away by this guy's recovery. 

[Teegurr]

1 hour ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I'm blown away by this guy's recovery. 

Check these out!

 

[SLTX21]

Queen palms in Sugar Land are dead dead. So sad.

[NBTX11]

I planted a Robusta today.  Hey this type of freeze might not happen for another 50 years and I might be dead before it's killed so I decided to go for it.  So I have 4 Filifera and 1 Robusta.  I feel like that is a good mix for my location.  4 super hardies and 1 medium hardy.  Well plus one tall Robusta that I am not sure is dead or alive yet, and I am patiently waiting to see some recovery, but am starting to give up hope.  It never completely had a collapsed crown, so I don't know why this thing isn't throwing out fronds yet.

Edited May 10, 2021 by NBTX11

[PricklyPearSATC]

2 hours ago, NBTX11 said:

I planted a Robusta today.  Hey this type of freeze might not happen for another 50 years and I might be dead before it's killed so I decided to go for it.  So I have 4 Filifera and 1 Robusta.  I feel like that is a good mix for my location.  4 super hardies and 1 medium hardy.  Well plus one tall Robusta that I am not sure is dead or alive yet, and I am patiently waiting to see some recovery, but am starting to give up hope.  It never completely had a collapsed crown, so I don't know why this thing isn't throwing out fronds yet.

As an aside, we are driving home today and I spotted what looked like a full crown on a Washingtonia.  I was kinda in shock.  Hubby was driving and I didn't have time to snap a pic.  (He wouldn't have cooperated anyway because we had been out of town etc) 

This palm is located at Bandera and Hillcrest behind the fire station.   I cannot tell whether it is a robusta or filifera.  However, even the filifera do not have full crowns. 


Here is image of the palm from google streetview  on Bandera Rd heading north.  

https://goo.gl/maps/aPHRC3bqe9moYsHw9

 

Edited May 10, 2021 by PricklyPearSATC

[Collectorpalms]

2 hours ago, PricklyPearSATC said:

As an aside, we are driving home today and I spotted what looked like a full crown on a Washingtonia.  I was kinda in shock.  Hubby was driving and I didn't have time to snap a pic.  (He wouldn't have cooperated anyway because we had been out of town etc) 

This palm is located at Bandera and Hillcrest behind the fire station.   I cannot tell whether it is a robusta or filifera.  However, even the filifera do not have full crowns. 


Here is image of the palm from google streetview  on Bandera Rd heading north.  

https://goo.gl/maps/aPHRC3bqe9moYsHw9

 

It has the look of a San Antonio home grown Filifera.  

[NBTX11]

I’ve seen a few Filifera that have close to full crowns. I snapped this photo a week or two ago in New Braunfels. 

[strongbad635]

Meyerland Plaza is a major shopping center in SW Houston that opened in 1995, replacing an old enclosed mall.  The legacy robustas here are original to the 1995 opening, and they virtually ALL survived the freeze and show strong recovery.  Ironically, it's the shorter robustas planted 4-5 years ago that are struggling.  I love this shopping center because with the tall palms it is very reminiscent of Southern California.

Edited May 10, 2021 by strongbad635

[necturus]

The short versus tall robusta thing could be due to thermal stratification. The tallest crowns may not have seen the same lows as the shorter ones.

What's curious is, I live under two miles from there, but in my neighborhood there's a house with robusta every bit as tall but no signs of growth.

[JJPalmer]

The University of Texas medjool’s are looking quite crispy.  

[DreaminAboutPalms]

I live in North Austin and pass about 50 mature palms everyday on way to work.  Sabals are all fine, pure filiferas are all fine, I've even seen some couple year old filiferas coming back. Phoenix canariensis are coming back too in North Austin. There are a lot of tall robusta/robusta dominant hybrids around, some look like they want to come back. Chateau Avalon apartments off North Lamar blvd by 183 has some 60ft tall robustas that have not come back 

[Xenon]

Baybrook mall has mostly alive robusta as well. I don't think survival of robusta along the Gulf Freeway corridor is quite as high as central Houston, probably like 70% vs 85-90%. There are some dead looking ones along the iconic 45S/BW8 interchange. However there is marked difference once you get closer to the bay along the League City/Clear Lake border where survival shoots up to >90%. 

But the most exciting news is some of the Livistona decora along I-45 are alive!!! 

 

[NBTX11]

2 hours ago, DreaminAboutPalms said:

I live in North Austin and pass about 50 mature palms everyday on way to work.  Sabals are all fine, pure filiferas are all fine, I've even seen some couple year old filiferas coming back. Phoenix canariensis are coming back too in North Austin. There are a lot of tall robusta/robusta dominant hybrids around, some look like they want to come back. Chateau Avalon apartments off North Lamar blvd by 183 has some 60ft tall robustas that have not come back 

There is a big difference in Austin and downtown San Antonio. That 80 miles made a big difference in Robusta.  There are Robusta coming back all over downtown SA, probably 70 percent. 

[DreaminAboutPalms]

1 hour ago, NBTX11 said:

There is a big difference in Austin and downtown San Antonio. That 80 miles made a big difference in Robusta.  There are Robusta coming back all over downtown SA, probably 70 percent. 

And there is a good amount coming back in New Braunfels too, maybe only 20-30% but way more than expected. If that's the case I feel like at least a few in Austin might have a chance. These specimens north of 183 probably have a little Filifera in them but they've been around for 25+ years and are 60+ feet tall. Too early in summer to know where northernmost survivor robusta is though. I believe they didn't come back until mid summer in El Paso in 2011

Edited May 11, 2021 by DreaminAboutPalms

[DreaminAboutPalms]

I also work out in Manor, at a golf club. It got down to 4 degrees out there and the neighborhood on the front 9 lost power for 5 days so no heat island effect whatsoever and there's a yard with a few young Filifera, one of which has put out 3 new fronds in last month and looks terrific, and two others that haven't put out anything yet. There a trachy and a Sabal Mexicana in another yard that look untouched, as well as a mediterranean fan palm that look absolutely scorched but appear to be pushing green. 4 big mule's in another yard that were planted the summer before and got scorched. Hopefully owner replants. Will get pics at some point 

[NBTX11]

24 minutes ago, DreaminAboutPalms said:

And there is a good amount coming back in New Braunfels too, maybe only 20-30% but way more than expected. If that's the case I feel like at least a few in Austin might have a chance. These specimens north of 183 probably have a little Filifera in them but they've been around for 25+ years and are 60+ feet tall. Too early in summer to know where northernmost survivor robusta is though. I believe they didn't come back until mid summer in El Paso in 2011

I'd put New Braunfels at about 30 percent if you include all the Robusta like hybrids.  If it's just straight pure Robusta, it's like 10-20 percent (so far but more are still recovering).  I am finding new ones every day.  Any 50/50 hybrids have a real good shot at recovering in New Braunfels.  If you get off the main roads and look in neighborhoods, there are lots of Washingtonia recovering.  All the Filifera recovered (or above 95 percent at least).  These are much higher rates than I thought there would be about a month ago.  Literally some just perked up in the last week and pushed fronds.

Edited May 11, 2021 by NBTX11

[Xenon]

I noticed all the green at Meyerland passing by on 610 S too. It appears that most (not all) of those palms have substantial filifera admixture and are decidedly more on the filibusta spectrum vs "pure/nearly pure robusta". The Washigntonia at the Downtown Aquarium are similar. It would explain why they are recovering faster than classical "robusta" like the palms at Baybrook (imo)

Edited May 11, 2021 by Xenon

[Collectorpalms]

8 hours ago, DreaminAboutPalms said:

And there is a good amount coming back in New Braunfels too, maybe only 20-30% but way more than expected. If that's the case I feel like at least a few in Austin might have a chance. These specimens north of 183 probably have a little Filifera in them but they've been around for 25+ years and are 60+ feet tall. Too early in summer to know where northernmost survivor robusta is though. I believe they didn't come back until mid summer in El Paso in 2011

Sorry I checked- Google streetview from April 2011 in El Paso surviving “Robusta” had crowns by April.

There was a follow up after The April 2011 streetview, and I did not see any new ones emerge, in fact some looked like they were alive, in fact died.

 

Edited May 11, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[NBTX11]

6 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

Sorry I checked- Google streetview from April 2011 in El Paso surviving “Robusta” had crowns by April.

There was a follow up after The April 2011 streetview, and I did not see any new ones emerge, in fact some looked like they were alive, in fact died.

 

All I know is I’ve seen many emerge and put out fronds the first week of May, after appearing dead in March and April. 

[Collectorpalms]

45 minutes ago, NBTX11 said:

All I know is I’ve seen many emerge and put out fronds the first week of May, after appearing dead in March and April. 

Yes, I agree they are behind El Paso in 2011. 
I have said from day I, that I wasn’t giving up till at least Memorial Day anyhow. And likely won’t get around to having them removed for awhile because I have so many and the $$. 

[Ivanos1982]

22 hours ago, strongbad635 said:

Meyerland Plaza is a major shopping center in SW Houston that opened in 1995, replacing an old enclosed mall.  The legacy robustas here are original to the 1995 opening, and they virtually ALL survived the freeze and show strong recovery.  Ironically, it's the shorter robustas planted 4-5 years ago that are struggling.  I love this shopping center because with the tall palms it is very reminiscent of Southern California.

This is interesting Matt, I live in westchase/alief and there are some homes with skinny curved and tall robustas already coming back, and gas stations or old commercial buildings with filibustas that are fried and no sign of growth in my area. You would think that one would make it and the next ones wouldnt but all of them are all dead in some areas and all alive in other areas.

[Ivanos1982]

So I live in West Houston between Westchase and Alief and I had five small queen palms. I protected them with towels and were green for a few days after the record cold days. Then they browned up and I have been cutting lower and lower until I saw green. Two of them look like they will make it. The other three dont look too good. The pic is an example of one of the ones making it and another of the ones not making it. The funny thing is the ones with green were the unhealthiest, frail and smaller. They also moved a lot with the wind as they didnt have good roots and yet they are coming back. The others were taller and healthier. I dont know what to think about this. All were protected the same way. Honestly I dont think the protection helped much. When I uncovered there was ice below the towel... and it was all wet and they were bleeding and were stinky. 

[Ivanos1982]

1 minute ago, Ivanos1982 said:

So I live in West Houston between Westchase and Alief and I had five small queen palms. I protected them with towels and were green for a few days after the record cold days. Then they browned up and I have been cutting lower and lower until I saw green. Two of them look like they will make it. The other three dont look too good. The pic is an example of one of the ones making it and another of the ones not making it. The funny thing is the ones with green were the unhealthiest, frail and smaller. They also moved a lot with the wind as they didnt have good roots and yet they are coming back. The others were taller and healthier. I dont know what to think about this. All were protected the same way. Honestly I dont think the protection helped much. When I uncovered there was ice below the towel... and it was all wet and they were bleeding and were stinky. 

also that one in the pic with green was coming back since last month but a squirrel bit it and ate the new small leaves... so now the poor thing is coming back again lol

[MesquiteRetreat]

53 minutes ago, Ivanos1982 said:

also that one in the pic with green was coming back since last month but a squirrel bit it and ate the new small leaves... so now the poor thing is coming back again lol

Anyone ever tried cutting back the trunk on a Foxtail?

[Fusca]

1 hour ago, MesquiteRetreat said:

Anyone ever tried cutting back the trunk on a Foxtail?

Unfortunately cutting below the crownshaft is not going to work.  Syagrus don't have a crownshaft so it's possible to cut farther down the trunk without killing the palm.

[MesquiteRetreat]

1 hour ago, Fusca said:

Unfortunately cutting below the crownshaft is not going to work.  Syagrus don't have a crownshaft so it's possible to cut farther down the trunk without killing the palm.

Ahhhh...gotcha...great to know!!!

[joetx]

Date palms coming back at the Domain in north Austin. Apologies for the dark pics!

[Collectorpalms]

1 minute ago, joetx said:

Date palms coming back at the Domain in north Austin. Apologies for the dark pics!

All or some percentage? The ones from the highway most exposed had no green about A week or so ago. They were not pruned back yet.

[joetx]

1 minute ago, Collectorpalms said:

All or some percentage? The ones from the highway most exposed had no green about A week or so ago. They were not pruned back yet.

The ones around Neiman Marcus and the Westin pool are coming back. There are a couple along Rock Rose that are not trimmed back that didn’t look like they had any new growth.

[DreaminAboutPalms]

This is by 35/183 in Austin. Looks to be a Filifera dominant hybrid. Two others next two it slightly shorter not showing any signs of life yet. Driving east on 290 I saw two very old and very tall PURE looking filiferas that had close to a full crown each. 

[DreaminAboutPalms]

Tree on left is same tree. This was back in 2019.