coldest temp for Mule

[merri]

What has been the coldest your Mule has endured?

[Chester B]

Very small mule with only a few inches of trunk and about 3’ overall height -24F unprotected. 

[Swolte]

Welcome to Palmtalk, I think he means 24F and not -24F (just in case you misread and/or were completely new to palms and cold)

In general, a well-established, healthy, and mature palm can survive temperatures like 17F. However, to be sure it survives, you may want to protect it well. Wrap the palm in multiple layers and add a heat source around it if you can (like incandescent Christmas lights - remove immediately after the extreme event passed). One thing to consider is to cut all the fronds (maybe leave a spear) in situations where a heat source is not possible and the palm is hard to wrap. Now (the meristem and) the palm is much easier to wrap with multiple layers. I got a mule through 3F that way. 

Good luck and let us know how it goes! 

~ S 

Edited January 18, 2022 by Swolte

[ShadyDan]

Mine little seedling went through -8.3C this winter under an overturned wheelbarrow with a few Christmas lights underneath. Looks totally fine after that ordeal. 

[Jtee]

Mine saw 28 degrees last year the day I planted it. It’s a 15 gal mule. I planted it the first week of February. It’s been super healthy and the cold didn’t bother it. This winter it’s seen 28 degrees also. 

[Chester B]

25 minutes ago, Swolte said:

I think he means 24F and not -24F (just in case you misread

Sorry yes 24F. Thanks @Swolte  

[Allen]

Mine got low 20's last year unprotected and had quite a bit of frond spotting.  This year protecting under 25F and we will see what happens.

[RyManUtah]

Mine did fine through 17F ( -8c ) as well as 5cm of snow (separate events). 
 

something of note - we have back to back freezes in the 20s on and off all winter, hit it is very dry. This is winter number two for it. Seems to be a trooper so far. 

 

 

[merri]

Thanks for the replies. Last night was suppose to be close to 18 but only got to 20.  My protection is described under another posted topic-Heat tape on fronds. I did eventually find what I was looking for after more queries. Said information didn't sound good but too late as it was 12am.  I put alarms on my phone to get up periodically to unplug/replug at hour intervals'. Didn't work out so well-I just couldn't get up since I waited to plug it in till 2 am when the temp was 24. I did monitor the internal temps from the remote sensor.  It reached 60 in about an hour and then dropped to 54 and bounced back and forth.  I unpluged about 7am with temp at 22 and internal temp eventually dropped to I think 31.  So that means the heat stayed on for 5 hrs. and the info claimed it was prolonged over night use that seemed to cause damage.  I imagine that size and age will make a difference and don't know anything about the posters 'victims'  I haven't looked to see what happened under my wrapping yet, probably tomorrow. the part that really worries me is the pole down the middle but i'm not going to un bundle till winter is over but will redo the heat tape and set up a remote timer if possible or at least a regular timer with several on/off intervals.

[merri]

More questions about durability- how long was the low temp and how long was the cold snap; did it get above freezing during the day and how much sun the next day? I see most of the healthy palmettos and pindos get good exposure to sun in the winter. My mule only gets about an hour midday right now.

[merri]

RaMan I like the mix of palms and cactus.  Havn't been in the West so I forget some coexist.

[Hutch]

Mine has seen 17..with pretty heavy frost

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

My mule survived Palmageddon with an ultimate low of 15F with freezing rain with over 32hrs below freezing. I semi protected it with a moving blanket and a planket to keep the wet off. It spear pulled but had roared back this last summer. 

T J 

[Hutch]

Awesome...i personally think when mature they can handle that 15 .. No problem..

[MarkbVet]

On 1/18/2022 at 3:44 PM, merri said:

RaMan I like the mix of palms and cactus.  Havn't been in the West so I forget some coexist.

Yeah he's dry there, which makes the cactus thing a bit easier despite the cold.  My area is zone 8 also, but 40 inches of rain yearly, most in the colder months. 

Doing cacti here is a bit more challenging, and I can't grow some of the things that RyMan has visible in his yard.   Still, over 200 varieties and counting lol.  And--welcome to palmtalk! 

Edited January 24, 2022 by MarkbVet

[MarkbVet]

On 1/18/2022 at 12:25 PM, RyManUtah said:

Mine did fine through 17F ( -8c ) as well as 5cm of snow (separate events). 
 

something of note - we have back to back freezes in the 20s on and off all winter, hit it is very dry. This is winter number two for it. Seems to be a trooper so far. 

 

 

No protection?  :-)

[MarkbVet]

On 1/17/2022 at 8:02 PM, Swolte said:

Welcome to Palmtalk, I think he means 24F and not -24F (just in case you misread and/or were completely new to palms and cold)

In general, a well-established, healthy, and mature palm can survive temperatures like 17F. However, to be sure it survives, you may want to protect it well. Wrap the palm in multiple layers and add a heat source around it if you can (like incandescent Christmas lights - remove immediately after the extreme event passed). One thing to consider is to cut all the fronds (maybe leave a spear) in situations where a heat source is not possible and the palm is hard to wrap. Now (the meristem and) the palm is much easier to wrap with multiple layers. I got a mule through 3F that way. 

Good luck and let us know how it goes! 

~ S 

I've heard 14F survival in mature large mules too...but can't recall where I dug that up from.  Just have it in my notes...  I'd suspect damage when that low of course. 

[atlamtapalms]

Mine handled unprotected upper teens fine with moderate burning. They roar back in summer like Washingtonia which is great. I’d probably protect with lights and wrap under 15f.

[Collectorpalms]

In 2018, I lost all my 5 gallon size Mules that were in pots. The forecast was for a low of 17F, which isn't too bad with the daytimes at or above freezing. I wasn't paying too close to the weather because I had a lot going on, so I didn't cover or protect them. I ended up hitting 14.5F. They all died. All the ones in the ground that were much larger lived, but later a few developed trunk rot at the base that I didn't discover until about 2 years later.

In 2021, I protected  the ones in my yard except my largest, but they all died. They " experienced" 4F. in Zone 8b. They had been in the ground 10-15 years.

For large ones, Typically anything below 20F they will begin to fry. Below 14F I imagine they could die. A couple Mules Survived on the San Antonio River Walk, but it was above 12F on the Riverwalk, and where in a good Microclimate with a wall of concrete and earth on the north side.

Two large ones at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens were killed/Removed in 2010 and 2011. It is hard to know if they would have come back or if they just removed them prematurely.  One was taken out in 2010 and the other 2011, they were right next to each other, in a good Microclimate. It was around 19F. Each had about 10 feet of trunk.

It is possible that these older original mules that were produced were less hardy than the newer ones. Either way, they should still be rated for long term in Texas as zone 9a, not 8.

Edited January 24, 2022 by Collectorpalms

[NWpalms@206]

1 hour ago, Collectorpalms said:

It is possible that these older original mules that were produced were less hardy than the newer ones. Either way, they should still be rated for long term in Texas as zone 9a, not 8.

The harsh truth. Left alone, few if if any mules would survive 8b long term. But here I am trying! I have two 3 gallon standard mules (BxQ) that froze in December for a week. Ultimate low of 18-19 and 6 days in the 20s. Their pots froze about solid. One spear pulled and the other didn’t. The one that pulled was treated and recovering nicely after less than a month. For being strap leaf and going through that I do have hope. But protection will be in their future. They’re both pushing strong now and hopefully is a good sign as they can only get hardier on with age and in the ground. Hoping these jubaea/butia x Q may be the recipe for us. But I think the JxB is the best overall hybrid palm choice for 8b.