Pseudophoenix ekmanii cold hardiness

[Coasta]

Hello all!! Recently learned about pseudophoenix ekmanii! I am just curious if these are as sensitive to cold as a bottle palm. Does anyone have any idea how much cold they can handle? 

 

P.s if you have one, I would love to see it!

Edited November 16, 2021 by Coasta

[aztropic]

I would say they are similar in cold sensitivity to a bottle palm;although they may not show any physical damage. In habitat,they experience low 100's F for the highs and never out of the 50'sF for the lows. I have some planted in the ground here in Arizona that have experienced 120F/28F without any protection and are still alive although extremely slow growing. I actually made a trip to habitat in the Dominican Republic last year to see them growing in their native solid limestone rock. Very impressive as mature trees!

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Coasta]

@aztropic thanks Scott for your insight and for sharing such awesome photos!! thats awesome they survived for you in the ground. I'm curious if they can handle low 30s without dying in a container because from what I understand the bottle palm will start to die at high 30s. 

Also is sargentii more cold hardy? 

[jreich85]

I have a potted bottle palm that took low 30s multiple times last year with no problem.

[aztropic]

Bottle palms are survivors till 32F in our area,then leaves will start spotting up. Plants actually will survive high 20'sF when more mature.

If you are considering growing the Pseudophoenix species,I have grown them all and would recommend you start with a sargentii. It seems to be the most well adapted  of the species to our area. Still slow until a trunk is formed,but they actually grow reasonably after that;producing 2 or 3 new fronds per year. Here's one of my sargentii's to show you what's possible. 10 years ago,this guy literally had less than 6" of trunk...

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[aztropic]

Here's an ekmanii,in the ground. Probably planted in more shade than it prefers.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[aztropic]

Seedlings are available locally if you are intent on trialing this species.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Palmarum]

15 hours ago, aztropic said:

.... I actually made a trip to habitat in the Dominican Republic last year to see them growing in their native solid limestone rock. Very impressive as mature trees! ...

 

Photos of a Palm fanatic while hunting in his native habitat...

Great photos, they bring back a lot of memories. The helicopter fly over from the '06 Biennial is burned into my memory. Did the population numbers of adult P. ekmanii seem the same? Notice any large specimens that had been damaged for their 'cacheo'? I figured the isolated habitat protects them somewhat, but I wonder about the outer extent of the population.

Ryan

[Johnny Palmseed]

4 hours ago, aztropic said:

Here's an ekmanii,in the ground. Probably planted in more shade than it prefers.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

Maybe so but the color looks great! Nice and healthy.

[aztropic]

52 minutes ago, Palmarum said:

Did the population numbers of adult P. ekmanii seem the same? Notice any large specimens that had been damaged for their 'cacheo'? I figured the isolated habitat protects them somewhat, but I wonder about the outer extent of the population.

Ryan

No worries about the population of P ekmanii. Thousands of mature trees once you reach them. 

About 9 miles away from the closest paved road in the middle of nowhere,DR. (Pedernales) All the plants are growing in solid dog tooth limestone. Actual soil is almost non existent. You can drive about 4 miles in, if you don't mind destroying your 4WD vehicle through unused spiny forest path. After that,it's helicopter time,or hoof it 5 miles till the first Pseudophoenix and Coccothrinax (ekmanii) trees are visible.Sadly,dozens of the pseudophoenix trees along the path from the Haiti border have been hacked open by machete to collect their sap. Very dangerous area to hike in, as this trail is a known drug smuggling and illegal immigration corridor from Haiti.

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona

[aztropic]

Here's a drone video made by GMann on the trip,showing more of the Pedernales,DR area,and what we were up against.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D2Kx4_SlGWOI&ved=2ahUKEwj-ivzqj570AhU5FjQIHcRwCnYQ3e4CegQIPxAm&usg=AOvVaw0P7T8NlCab0YJgIJhURXin

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona