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I met some fabulous folks at the recent HIPS 40th Anniversary BBQ and Hula gathering. What a great time and thanks to all of you I met for welcoming me into the community. I was asked a few times why I've not posted things here for a while. I thought I'd share my reply as there are folks I've met here who were not at the HIPS gathering. The short answer is that, until there's a change to the Terms of Service, I'm not comfortable posting either photos or links to photos as this would mean me giving up perpetual ownership of those images and any images on the linked site. I'm sorry if this is a disappointment, but I flatter myself with any perceived interest in my odd photos. But I would like to let you know that I am documenting the progress here regarding restoration and new building, it's just that I will do this on Google Plus Communities and Facebook. Both these services, which are mirrors of each other, are called Project Ho'oponopono. So, if you use FB just search for the Project Ho'oponopono page and 'like' it and you will get our updates on your timeline. Likewise, for Google+ users, just search for the Project Ho'oponopono Community (not to be confused with the Project Ho'oponopono PAGE which owns the community) and there you will see the same thing, only with a prettier interface. All the photos are there and blog updates (including photos from the 2004 IPS Biennial visit). If you elect to follow the Project Ho'oponopono community within Google+ you will also get all our updates on your Google+ timeline. Whichever way you go, you can of course comment on anything you see and in the G+ Community version you can even create your own threads if you decide to join the community. I'm sorry for the inconvenience but this is the most comfortable way for me to share our journey. Of course, if the PT terms of service change, I'll reconsider posting links/images. a dopo, M

My recommendation is that you stick with what growers outside of the palm belt focus on, and that's windmill + needle + palmetto + butia. Focus on that group, there is plenty of growing experience with those in a wide range of non-palm climate types, from desert to wet Winters. Butia stay much shorter and therefore can be around a solid 20 years before they outgrow a seasonal Winter shelter structure height wise. I've read the cold hardy palm boards for quite some time because I host the Pacific Northwest Palm board, and I hear more about washingtonia failures than anything else. As many have suggested on this thread, only w. filifera is really hardy below 9a, but it has to be a dry Winter climate for it to make it. Filifera is dead on arrival in Kansas, and even if you can protect it with a structure, it's going to outgrow your structure in less than 5 years starting from a 15 gallon plant. Try to find the silver butia, it's gonna be much hardier than the green version. That's because the silver indicates adaptation to drought. It's the ability of a palm to withstand drought that dictates how hardy it is. Freezing foliage means water gets pulled out of the cells as ice forms outside of the cell walls, not inside. So cells essentially get dessicated. Those palms that can tolerate that cell desiccation the most are the ones that have the most drought tolerance.

Totally understand and am in agreement with you and others over the photo TOS. I'm by no means a big contributor here but find glombing onto rights of others' photos deporable. I've considered sharing more of my garden as it grows but won't do so under these terms. Shame too because I feel the new TOS only hurts the forum and has me questioning renewal of membership when it comes up as I don't support these policies. That BBQ looked like a funtime and you guys had a really nice turnout. Best of luck with the project.

L. ramsayi get to about 15 metres tall. The ones in this photo are 10 to 12 metres tall. Some of my other photos of tall ones are difficult to see clearly because of being up in the canopy and amongst other dense vegetation.

Here's the rotated view.

I think they can handle lower temps than most people assume. A neighbor had one go through the 2010 winter without any problems and it's actually producing seeds now. Mine hasn't shown any damage whatsoever from a couple of nights around 42 last month, which isn't really saying that much. Not sure if it could make it long term in your area, but I would say it at least has some chance. Mine actually happens to be sneaking it's way into the background of my profile picture.

Gonzer needs his SoCal card revoked.

Who? LOL May the palm tree team win....