Crown-shaft palms for Houston?

[Little Tex 223]

anything other than Chamaedorea radicalis or a royal or foxtail?

maybe kings or rhopies?

[Collectorpalms 2,017]

Kings and Majesties can live for awhile in a strong microclimate. Rhopies and Dypsis Decepiens don't like Houston heat/humidity. Large Royals are probably hardiest, next maybe Triangles, Foxtails, Kings all about the same. Within SW/S/SE side of 610 south on 10, Galveston, and along Galveston Bay east of 45 are the only zone 9bs* short term. 

Edited May 9 by Collectorpalms

[Xenon 2,419]

No crownshaft palm is "long term" in Houston unprotected. Though I knew of some foxtail and triangle palms that lasted 10-15 years close to town. The biggest royals in Galveston were around 20 years old. There were even some kings and foxtails that lasted 6-7 years near Katy during a warm string of winters in the mid-late 2000s. Even Dypsis lutescens can last for many years in the heat island and is viable as a dieback perennial in the warmer areas. 

King (Archontophoenix cunninghamia) is probably the best overall when considering cost, rate of growth (it's a rocket and continues growing in the "cool" season), and "cold hardiness". Foxtail is not that bad either and can stay at a height that is easier to protect for longer (king and royal will become too large if we get 8-10 mild winters). 

That being said, lots of things can be grown with just a tiny bit (most years) of protection. These are all growing well for me and were only protected on 5 nights with sheets and plastic (no heat): 

Chambeyronia hookeri

Chambeyronia (Kentiopsis) oliviformis

Chambeyronia (Kentiopsis) pyriformis

Cyphophoenix elegans

Euterpe edulis

Geonoma schottiana

I'd suspect other lowland Australian spp. (I'd love to get a Normanbya) and Madagascan spp. (probably most lowland Dypsis i.e anything that grows well in both California and Florida; I'd suspect the savannah stuff like D. madagascariensis, D. mananjarensis, etc may be slightly hardier) would be good candidates as well. Clinostigma savoryanum and Satakentia are also in the realm of possibility. Carpentaria and Veitchia would be more difficult and also outgrow protection quickly (but there was a flowering Carpentaria in Galveston back in the day). 

Happy Zone Pushing  (and hope you're prepared for the reality check)

 

 

Edited May 9 by Xenon

[Fusca 2,932]

14 hours ago, Xenon said:

I'd love to get a Normanbya

Like this one?  Just planted this seedling over the weekend in filtered morning sun.  I have an extra seedling if you are interested.

[Meangreen94z 1,720]

12 hours ago, Fusca said:

Like this one?  Just planted this seedling over the weekend in filtered morning sun.  I have an extra seedling if you are interested.

If he doesn’t want it, I’ll probably take it.

[Little Tex 223]

1 hour ago, Meangreen94z said:

If he doesn’t want it, I’ll probably take it.

beat me to it