20 foot Washingtonia in….Zone 4 Iowa???

[DreaminAboutPalms 435]

https://www.nwestiowa.com/news/sibley-man-cuts-down-unlikely-palm-tree/article_6fc173c0-ecb8-11e9-81e5-efee02cc76e9.html
 

this man in Sibley Iowa (Zone 4) grew a Washingtonia to 20 feet tall by building a greenhouse over it in the winter time. Unfortunately he cut it down but still has a smaller second one

[PalmatierMeg 7,422]

There was a guy in Montreal who created a Youtube video of how he built protective heated structures around his Washies. At least one was two stories tall. I don't know if he still does this.

[DreaminAboutPalms 435]

1 hour ago, PalmatierMeg said:

There was a guy in Montreal who created a Youtube video of how he built protective heated structures around his Washies. At least one was two stories tall. I don't know if he still does this.

Yes I have seen those. Apparently there was a guy who grew a Windmill palm in Zone 3B in northern MN up to about 30 feet tall then had to let it go because he got too old. But have never been able to find a pic.

I've been seeing more and more people with in-ground palms in the north. This region of Iowa is the highest elevation and there are basically no trees and in Zone 4B; if you can get a Washingtonia 20 feet tall in those conditions, I think this is a viable option for pretty much anywhere in continental US 

Edited May 8 by DreaminAboutPalms

[Allen 1,349]

Basically my problem with doing a washingtonia up north vs a Trachy is similar to my mule.  It is so much less cold hardy than a Trachycarpus it will have to be covered much longer and in so much more robust of a structure to keep it alive.  Here for example a Trachy would need to be covered roughly 2 months vs a Washy for 4 which is quite a difference.  

[Chester B 3,125]

17 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

There was a guy in Montreal who created a Youtube video of how he built protective heated structures around his Washies. At least one was two stories tall. I don't know if he still does this.

That was Mike. He passed away a couple years or so ago. 

[DreaminAboutPalms 435]

18 hours ago, Allen said:

Basically my problem with doing a washingtonia up north vs a Trachy is similar to my mule.  It is so much less cold hardy than a Trachycarpus it will have to be covered much longer and in so much more robust of a structure to keep it alive.  Here for example a Trachy would need to be covered roughly 2 months vs a Washy for 4 which is quite a difference.  

Agreed, however Washingtonias grow so fast that even if growing season is shorter it will still put on noticeable size each year. This one in Iowa was still putting on over a foot of trunk every year even with a short growing season. A slower growing palm would probably decline in these conditions being wrapped half the year 

Down south like where you are on other hand it's not a good palm to have to protect in winter because within 5-10 years it will be too big and burdensome 

[spike 134]

1 hour ago, DreaminAboutPalms said:

Agreed, however Washingtonias grow so fast that even if growing season is shorter it will still put on noticeable size each year. This one in Iowa was still putting on over a foot of trunk every year even with a short growing season. A slower growing palm would probably decline in these conditions being wrapped half the year 

Down south like where you are on other hand it's not a good palm to have to protect in winter because within 5-10 years it will be too big and burdensome 

In some cold places people would wrap and push their fig trees over, and cover them in the ground for insulation. I wonder when a palm tree gets too tall, they could tip it over and have the palm tree continue growing at a right angle?

[DreaminAboutPalms 435]

16 minutes ago, spike said:

In some cold places people would wrap and push their fig trees over, and cover them in the ground for insulation. I wonder when a palm tree gets too tall, they could tip it over and have the palm tree continue growing at a right angle?

I still think best way to do it is plant it up against house on southern side near a corner. That way when it gets taller you can get on roof to install protection if you need to and have protection from wind and added heat of house. 

[Alex Zone 5 56]

That's not the point..the guy in Iowa was in zone4 

Montreal Island as a micro climate(surrounded by water) which make it.... a zone6 similar to Toronto.

 

[Will Simpson 907]

I'm going to have to do something about my Washy one of these years . My protection method is easier than that method used in Iowa  ,  but if I keep protecting it on winters below 15F , and keep it alive , it's going to get like those sky dusters in California , and there is no way I can protect anything near the height that it has the potential to grow to . 

Getting a nice start to the season below . 

Will

 

[DreaminAboutPalms 435]

1 hour ago, Will Simpson said:

I'm going to have to do something about my Washy one of these years . My protection method is easier than that method used in Iowa  ,  but if I keep protecting it on winters below 15F , and keep it alive , it's going to get like those sky dusters in California , and there is no way I can protect anything near the height that it has the potential to grow to . 

Getting a nice start to the season below . 

Will

 

Here is what I would do. Get a large black tarp and a long metal rod. Drape tarp over one end of metal rod, then tie metal rod to the trunk in a few places with zip ties or metal. Basically making a teepee/umbrella and protecting crown from ice and snow and the black tarp absorbs heat. Would be relatively easy to set up and take down