Sabal palmettos in Colorado Springs

[Palmphile]

Hello everyone, so I haven’t seen a lot of coverage of this nature defying experiment but some of the In n Out burger chain restaurants that are new to Colorado have installed the iconic crossed palm trees at some of their locations such as this one of Constitution Ave. in Colorado Springs (Zone 5b\6a). These Sabal palmettos appear to have large gauge pipe heating cables rapped around the trunk and close to the crown. I’m also told they have coiled heat cables in the ground around the roots. They are left completely out in the open, and appear to have been planted in October 2021 (which I think is a terrible time). I don’t know the specific minimum temperature they endured this past winter but I know it was in the single digits on multiple occasions. Our past winter here was extremely dry. We didn’t have any moisture whatsoever from September 2021 to almost January 1st, 2022.  
Winters are cold here in Colorado! I hope that they were able to make the winter and maybe we could see some growth soon. I would guess the heat cables are kept on 24/7. When I put my hand on the cable it was very warm. The days in Colorado are very warm I don’t think that’s the problem it’s the constantly below freezing nightly winter temps that worry me, they look pretty bad after this past winter. I also know that the In n Out in Thornton (Northern suburb of Denver) also has Sabals planted. I’m curious if anyone has more information, and also what you guys have to say about this incredible sight in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains Ha! Have a look, there’s also yuccas planted in the foreground nearby, my guess is Yucca faxoniana. Thanks guys

Edited April 24, 2022 by Palmphile

[Collectorpalms]

It will be a failed or already failed try. Colorado Springs had lows of 1F back to back in January and in February one day a high of 7 and low of -6F. Had it been a mild winter they will take months to regrow a few leaves. They would eventually decline.
I would think the cold wind would negate the effects of the haphazard looking heating cables. The whole palms need insulation.

Just buy the fake ones. 

Edited April 24, 2022 by Collectorpalms

[Jimhardy]

Yeah...I think for the heating cables to have any effect the palms would need

insulation around them so the heat stayed in to keep the palm warm.

It looks like the crowns of both have collapsed.

[Chester B]

That's crazy.  The In n Outs here in Oregon don't do the palm tree thing and we can actually grow them.  

[Allen]

Marketing gimmick.  They should have at least planted in spring.  The heating cables are great if the whole palm is wrapped on top of them during cold.