Will global warming make Cyrtostachys renda viable in Miami?

[Prinpalms 16]

Cyrtostachys renda, the Red Sealing Wax Palm (also known as the Lipstick Palm) , has the well-deserved reputation of not being able to grow 'en la tierra' in Southern Florida. Notoriously cold-sensitive,

It can 'brown off' at 40 degrees F. Attached photograph shows a 10-year old plant doing quite well on Miami Beach. It has a western and southern exposure and is shielded from the north. There are two 'tall' trunks , reaching 10 feet (highest point). The palm has managed 46 degrees F with no damage. On the same evening, temperatures 1-2 miles inland (Coral Gables) were 42 degrees.  South Florida has had a long streak (?15+ years) of mild winters. I can testify to knowing of fruiting breadfruit trees 25 feet high a mile from Biscayne Bay (something unthinkable 30 years ago), anecdotal evidence of climate change. Are other enthusiasts having success with the stunning Red Sealing Wax palm in Miami and environs?  Just curious. 

[Jimhardy 264]

If there was  GW remember that you would be under water...so no.

[Palmarum 2,392]

There are collections in the Miami area that have had success with Red Sealing Wax Palms for years. Most are located in environs with varying levels of protection. It comes down to how much attention a collector is willing to provide. Damage is not always caused by a specific level of temperature exposure, there are other factors involved. I have seen specimens damaged by the low 50's°F (11°C) while others exposed to 32°F (0°C) did not have a scratch on them.

One Miami example resides in Dr. Jeff Block's collection:

Link: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/22854-sfps-spring-garden-tour-miami-florida/&do=findComment&comment=382025

It was photographed in 2010 after one bout of severe cold earlier in the year and was flawless during the tour. It was measured at around 14 ft. (4m) in height. The palm, along with everything else in the collection, was perfectly maintained. It took at least mid 30's°F (1.6°C) without a blemish. It was one of the key surprises during the tour.

Amazing, the tour was almost eleven years ago.

A couple other successes I can think of involve specimens planted near water features, such as a canal or pond. We have had a string of decent winters, but that makes me think we may be due for a bad one at any time (crosses fingers). Every yard and 'square jungle' works differently. One collection grows everything tropical while a few blocks away, they struggle with sub-tropicals.

Ryan

[smatofu 39]

[Will global warming make Cyrtostachys renda viable in Miami?]

Yes, for a stretch of a few warm years, but then reality will hit like 2021 freeze in Texas, and everything will be back to normal.

 

[PalmatierMeg 6,099]

10 hours ago, Jimhardy said:

If there was  GW remember that you would be under water...so no.

I like your reasoning!

No Cyrtostachys will be low risk in mainland FL in any of our lifetimes. No guarantee for the Keys either.

[Xerarch 647]

1 hour ago, smatofu said:

[Will global warming make Cyrtostachys renda viable in Miami?]

Yes, for a stretch of a few warm years, but then reality will hit like 2021 freeze in Texas, and everything will be back to normal.

 

I was going to say something similar, I'm always seeing comments on this forum like well with global warming then we probably won't see such and such temp again, or we'll probably be able to grow XYZ in the future...............I think Texas just proved that if it happened ever, it can happen again...or worse.  You're never safe from your record books.  But feel free to party on in between records.

[Stevetoad 1,902]

21 minutes ago, Xerarch said:

I was going to say something similar, I'm always seeing comments on this forum like well with global warming then we probably won't see such and such temp again, or we'll probably be able to grow XYZ in the future...............I think Texas just proved that if it happened ever, it can happen again...or worse.  You're never safe from your record books.  But feel free to party on in between records.

pretty much sums it up for me. 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr 699]

1 hour ago, Xerarch said:

I was going to say something similar, I'm always seeing comments on this forum like well with global warming then we probably won't see such and such temp again, or we'll probably be able to grow XYZ in the future...............I think Texas just proved that if it happened ever, it can happen again...or worse.  You're never safe from your record books.  But feel free to party on in between records.

Well said !!! Enjoy your warm winters and watch your zone pushes grow for the mean time haha 

T J 

[AnTonY 179]

^^That is, unless events like in Texas represent the more temporary trend. Rather than what will be maintained with the process long-term.

Edited March 26 by AnTonY

[OC2Texaspalmlvr 699]

1 hour ago, AnTonY said:

^^That is, unless events like in Texas represent the more temporary trend. Rather than what will be maintained with the process long-term.

I have lived in 9a Texas for 7 years now. Losing palms to uncharacteristic freezes 3 out of 7 The other 4 were 10a so I'm thinking that's the trend haha 

[Teegurr 287]

6 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

I like your reasoning!

No Cyrtostachys will be low risk in mainland FL in any of our lifetimes. No guarantee for the Keys either.

Guarantee for Key West; record low there is a balmy 41 degrees.

[AnTonY 179]

2 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

I have lived in 9a Texas for 7 years now. Losing palms to uncharacteristic freezes 3 out of 7 The other 4 were 10a so I'm thinking that's the trend haha 

"Long-term" as you go father and farther out into the future. There will come a time where the Arctic just isn't cold enough anymore - the same pattern set-ups that'd bring such cold freezes will end up bringing nothing more than a chilly rain at most (if even that).

[waykoolplantz 1,027]

i have C Renda in the ground..by a pond as Ryan has noted.

We lost the tallest trunk during the 2010 freeze..but doin well

[Prinpalms 16]

I suspect that the comments regarding Texas are true. 'Our turn is coming' here in South Florida, not to mention the summer hurricanes. Storm surges are historically common while GW is a slow-rise phenomenon . I am NOT trying to downplay the latter

[chinandega81 203]

Not to belay your point, but as furthur anecdotal evidence there are 40 foot breadfruit trees in inland areas of Miami, well away from the beaches and bay. I created a post not too long ago documenting some of them and I also posted pics in someone else's Florida Breadfruit thread.

Anecdotally, people have planted them here for several years...I think the larger ones died back to the ground in 2010 and reprouted and grew back, those are the 40 footers today. In most years they shed cold damaged leaves in the Spring. They produce fruit annually in South Florida mainland areas. I don't know what was going on, say two decades ago...I do remember more winters with more consistent cold spells...it seems like since 2010, winters have been milder overall and that has helped ultra tropical plants in general.

There really is no way to tell or know if this is a blip on the radar, some random warming or due to global warming. When I look at temp records for Miami, there is a clear sign of warming as South Florida urbanized over time. It used to be quite common (almost annually) that we had lows in the 30s throughout our recorded history. Now it's been over a decade at MIA. That is probably because of urban development, a warming world and an overall warm pattern. I have a feeling we are still prone to what we have histoircally experienced: Zone 10 winters well into the 30s. We have just been fortunate enough to enjoy a Zone 11 climate for quite some time and we should enjoy it while it lasts. If it is the new normal, we won't know for quite some time, but we can always hope.

[smatofu 39]

[...but as furthur anecdotal evidence there are 40 foot breadfruit trees in inland areas of Miami, well away from the beaches and bay. I...]

1. Global Warming / CO2: CO2 level in air (0.04%!!!) is a limiting factor in plants growth. 

Anybody owning a planted aquarium knows that CO2 injection creates amazing plants. I wonder if greenhouse owners inject C02?

Anyway, any increase of C02 level in the atmosphere would make oceans green, trees taller, and plants larger/greener.

2. DFW, TX area: I had small palm seedlings under my palms, maybe a hundred of them.  0% of those seedlings survived the last freeze.  Local native plants seedlings: 90% survived. 

3. [40 foot breadfruit trees in inland areas of Miami,] Planted trees. I bet they are not able to propagate naturally in this area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chinandega81 203]

1 hour ago, smatofu said:

[...but as furthur anecdotal evidence there are 40 foot breadfruit trees in inland areas of Miami, well away from the beaches and bay. I...]

1. Global Warming / CO2: CO2 level in air (0.04%!!!) is a limiting factor in plants growth. 

Anybody owning a planted aquarium knows that CO2 injection creates amazing plants. I wonder if greenhouse owners inject C02?

Anyway, any increase of C02 level in the atmosphere would make oceans green, trees taller, and plants larger/greener.

2. DFW, TX area: I had small palm seedlings under my palms, maybe a hundred of them.  0% of those seedlings survived the last freeze.  Local native plants seedlings: 90% survived. 

3. [40 foot breadfruit trees in inland areas of Miami,] Planted trees. I bet they are not able to propagate naturally in this area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not an expert on their natural propagation, there are seedless varieties and I believe they grow from root suckers. That is how people locally propagate them. They sprout up on lateral roots and they are broken off with a shovel...much like how you have to separate a banana corm. Which generally don't sprout spontaneously anywhere either unless human intervention ocurrs.

Edited April 2 by chinandega81

[chinandega81 203]

1 hour ago, smatofu said:

[...but as furthur anecdotal evidence there are 40 foot breadfruit trees in inland areas of Miami, well away from the beaches and bay. I...]

1. Global Warming / CO2: CO2 level in air (0.04%!!!) is a limiting factor in plants growth. 

Anybody owning a planted aquarium knows that CO2 injection creates amazing plants. I wonder if greenhouse owners inject C02?

Anyway, any increase of C02 level in the atmosphere would make oceans green, trees taller, and plants larger/greener.

2. DFW, TX area: I had small palm seedlings under my palms, maybe a hundred of them.  0% of those seedlings survived the last freeze.  Local native plants seedlings: 90% survived. 

3. [40 foot breadfruit trees in inland areas of Miami,] Planted trees. I bet they are not able to propagate naturally in this area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main point of this thread though is that things that recently didn't survive, much less thrive, are now doing so here without any special care or protection. People used to only be able to baby breadfruits, nonis and soursop in the warmest, most protected areas near the beaches or in the Keys. Now, they do well, and fruit, anywhere in the Miami metro area. That is certainly a noticeable change, whatever the cause may be...to have fruiting ultra tropicals on mainland South Florida totally exposed and thriving. Maybe it's a fluke, maybe it's global warming, maybe it's just a warm pattern we are in the middle of the course of a few decades. It's hard to know for certain, but it certainly is a great time to attempt ultra tropicals now more than ever.

Edited April 2 by chinandega81

[smatofu 39]

23 minutes ago, chinandega81 said:

... Maybe it's a fluke, maybe it's global warming, maybe it's just a warm pattern we are in the middle of the course of a few decades. It's hard to know for certain, but it certainly is a great time to attempt ultra tropicals now more than ever.

I think those are signs of human actions more than climate changes. When we see tropical palms growing wild in Siberia, it will be a clear indication of global warming 

[chinandega81 203]

4 minutes ago, smatofu said:

I think those are signs of human actions more than climate changes. When we see tropical palms growing wild in Siberia, it will be a clear indication of global warming 

Human has obviously always spread plants. But the fact that these species were attempted recently and struggled and now they are thriving is defninantly a sign of change. Global warming doesn't mean growing citrus in Saskatchewan. Some places warm, others cool off, some will see wild extremes. It's hard to pinpoint and generalize.

[smatofu 39]

41 minutes ago, chinandega81 said:

I'm not an expert on their natural propagation, there are seedless varieties and I believe they grow from root suckers. That is how people locally propagate them. They sprout up on lateral roots and they are broken off with a shovel...much like how you have to separate a banana corm. Which generally don't sprout spontaneously anywhere either unless human intervention ocurrs.

 

Shovels were invented maybe 200 years ago and this tree species must be older than 200 million years, so I guess the tree must have a good and very efficient way to propagate w/o people.   

[chinandega81 203]

Just now, smatofu said:

Shovels were invented maybe 200 years ago and this tree species must be older than 200 million years, so I guess the tree must have a good and very efficient way to propagate w/o people.   

I'm pretty sure shovels were around more than 200 years ago... But obviosuly man spread plants that were desireable around the world. That's how we have coconuts in the Atlantic and Pacific basins. Bananas in the Americas and Africa and Asia and Australia. Mangos and avocados are pan-tropical for the same reason. 

Just because something isn't native to an area doesn't mean climate change isn't taking place. 

[smatofu 39]

8 minutes ago, chinandega81 said:

... they are thriving...

Crabgrass is thriving in my lawn: I spray it, pull it out, and next year my lawn is covered with crabgrass again. 

Palms are not thriving in the US. 

 

[chinandega81 203]

4 minutes ago, smatofu said:

Crabgrass is thriving in my lawn: I spray it, pull it out, and next year my lawn is covered with crabgrass again. 

Palms are not thriving in the US. 

 

They are in many places in the USA . Just not in Texas.

Was your yard too cold for crabgrass before? That would show a change in climate.

If you always had it,  maybe you are just a lazy gardener

Edited April 3 by chinandega81

[smatofu 39]

18 minutes ago, chinandega81 said:

... maybe you are just a lazy gardener

Impossible! I am posting on PalmTalk.org 

[chinandega81 203]

9 minutes ago, smatofu said:

Impossible! I am posting on PalmTalk.org 

Hahaha! I know, just joking!!

[palmsOrl 1,620]

Well, Leu Gardens is having success with the Cyrtostachys Hybrid in Orlando and if we were getting well into the 20s F on the regular like before around 2004, that would not be a reality, because while they can clearly sail through low 30s, 25-28F would almost certainly be annihilation for the Cyrtostachys Hybrid.  Just an educated guess.

-Michael

[meridannight 33]

2 hours ago, chinandega81 said:

Human has obviously always spread plants. But the fact that these species were attempted recently and struggled and now they are thriving is defninantly a sign of change. Global warming doesn't mean growing citrus in Saskatchewan. Some places warm, others cool off, some will see wild extremes. It's hard to pinpoint and generalize.

Or it just shows that the hardiest specimens were the ones to survive and thrive in the area.

[chinandega81 203]

10 hours ago, meridannight said:

Or it just shows that the hardiest specimens were the ones to survive and thrive in the area.

Ultra tropicals don't have hardy specimens that can take cold, unfortunately...or else they would have been used since...well, forever in subtropical regions.

The same ones thriving in Miami now are the same varieties that have always been tried here. If it was a matter of finding "hardy" specimens, i'm sure these plants would have been found and tried and planted here decades and decades ago by Fairchild or the Tropical Research Institute.

The only difference is the climate. We no longer have seen frosts or annual dips into the 30s. We were borderline surviveable for ultra tropicals, in microclimates, a few decades ago. Now, the entire metro area can support what previously barely could survive in a local microclimate. That is obviously because of a warming climate. 

Edited April 3 by chinandega81