Brahea moorei and Sarukhanil

[Paradise Found]

Anyone have any info on growing these two desert Brahea, both are rated as 8a 10F.

Thanks. 

[Swolte]

I have killed three Moorei and have two left (not too large and one hanging in there by a few leaves). I have found them hard to establish and they did not respond well to cold. I think having excellent winter (drainage) is key. I'll have to double check at some point but I think all the unprotected ones in botanical gardens Texas (eg Hempstead) have died last winter (even large mature ones!).  

[Paradise Found]

Gee, thats to bad, I was hoping they were more hardy. Being dry is key for sure. I wonder if a small greenhouse to keep them from getting to much rain would work or maybe that might cause fungus to grow inside, to many questions no answers.  I still like to try one in a pot and put inside my unheated greenhouse see how it does. 

[Paradise Found]

B. sarukhanii hardiness is unknown to me... cal. palm saids down to 27F. 9b.

Palmpedia says zone 8. 

Anyone have cold data on this palm? Right now I am thinking 9a.

[freakypalmguy]

16 hours ago, Paradise Found said:

B. sarukhanii hardiness is unknown to me... cal. palm saids down to 27F. 9b.

Palmpedia says zone 8. 

Anyone have cold data on this palm? Right now I am thinking 9a.

B. sarukhanii at my place, fully exposed, no damage low 28F, many times at and below freezing, and many light frost events.

[Meangreen94z]

Brahea Moorei have come back in the Dallas area from 2*F , they burned but returned. As mentioned they are hard to establish for some people. I’ve lost several in containers but seen others have success in the ground.

[BeyondTheGarden]

I had to look these up, great looking palms both of them, would also love to try them.  It seems like Palmpedia is on the more conservative side with their hardiness ratings so they'd surely be worth a shot even if you had to protect them a few years until they got established.  Protecting them to keep the soil dry during winter sounds like a good idea anyway. 

Sounds like they're both native to "high altitude" dry forests so they may like our summers up here.  

[buffy]

On 10/15/2021 at 9:02 AM, Swolte said:

I have killed three Moorei and have two left (not too large and one hanging in there by a few leaves). I have found them hard to establish and they did not respond well to cold. I think having excellent winter (drainage) is key. I'll have to double check at some point but I think all the unprotected ones in botanical gardens Texas (eg Hempstead) have died last winter (even large mature ones!).  

I covered my B. moorei with a blanket and it survived -5F fine. Defoliated completely, but has totally recovered with a full set of leaves. It's 10 years old. Mine is in a raised planter. 

[Paradise Found]

Thank You to everyone who posted their experience with these two amazing palm trees.  It help us see just how hardy they can be with the right sighting and care.  With more people growing these two species we can really get a good look at how hardy they are in different climates. I for one am very surprised by the low temps. 

So thank y'all.  

[BeyondTheGarden]

Patric has Brahea moorei on that list from earlier this month.  I may have to try one. 

[Paradise Found]

4 minutes ago, Jesse PNW said:

Patric has Brahea moorei on that list from earlier this month.  I may have to try one. 

If you do make sure to give it really good drainage and winter rain protect if you plant one if the ground. 

[buffy]

1 hour ago, Paradise Found said:

If you do make sure to give it really good drainage and winter rain protect if you plant one if the ground. 

Could it be a lack of summer heat that causes your struggles. Brahea moorei has been effortless for everyone down here. 

[Paradise Found]

1 hour ago, buffy said:

Could it be a lack of summer heat that causes your struggles. Brahea moorei has been effortless for everyone down here. 

Buffy,  we don't have your long hot summer, ours is more like 3 months. Airport here did get up to 109F/43C breaking the old record of 104F. Portland, OR got up to 115F. Dang that's hot. 

I don't think anyone in the PNW on this board has tried one yet.  So some experimentation has to be done here. I think the winter rains and cold might be the worst thing for Moorei in the PNW.  I have 52" of rain yearly, some place like Seattle only 30"- 35".

Edited October 18, 2021 by Paradise Found