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Theres even chamaedorea adscendens and metallica seeds popping up!

while I realize the topic of hardiness between Archontophoenix Cunninghameana and Alexandrae has been discussed for years, our recent extreme cold gave me the ability to take pictures of the two growing side by side in my yard. Official Belle Isle FL (Orlando) low was 25 I live near n a large lake which creates a microclimate that has allowed Cocos Nucifera to live here without dying in the last brutal cold of 2010. I believe we are the only spot in Orlando where Cocos Nucofera survived 2010. My recorded low was 28 degrees but its likely parts of the yard were a little lower. The warmer part of the yard is the back yard near the water. As the pictures show, even side by side, Archontophoenix Cunninghameana are undamaged while Alexandrae are completely defoliated.

Iam sure some would love to have this problem archontophoenix as one mega weed problem, so @dimitriskedikogloy your welcome to as many as you like, crazy how one man’s trash is another treasure! They are coming up everywhere!

Here’s a great video out Florida. Very primeval looking, worth the watch.

Bismarckia nobilis I suspect that the wind had a lot to do with this damage.

1 photo a female plant 2 photos a male plant

Here's empirical evidence that shows planting on the south facing side of a large building, blocking the cold winds of an advective freeze event, is a sound strategy. These palms were much less damaged then their nearby counterparts. In the second photo with the Flamboyant (Delonix regia), at the bottom right, is a volunteer royal with no damage at all, and that wall protected it from those freezing winds.

Other palms in the area, varying amounts of damage.

Gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba) 100% defoliation

Mexican plumaria (Plumeria rubra) All of these trees got knocked back at least year, maybe more. Some were in better condition, some worse.

Ficus aurea Not completely dead. Looks like they will make a recovery here at least.

Fortunately I haven’t had to buy any for many , many years. I used to grow it for my own use in the seventies when it was a felony. Now a days , my thing is a cup of coffee and a day of gardening. That ship sailed long ago. Harry One of my “weeds”!

From the Sea Surface Temperatures, plan on having less protection at night and cooler daytime highs for a while:

Given the title, I was waiting for someone, probably from USA, to chime in and say weed was too expensive. Kidding aside, I'm in the group that likes seeing volunteers pop up in the yard in unexpected places.

I breed fish, African cichlids. I could produce 1000s of fish a month. The issue is with the selling, getting that going takes work. I gambled on buying a breeding group of fish, not happy with what I got out of them even through the parents look good. I’ve sold over 100 but have that many left. I’m on the verge of giving them to some stores because I don’t want to spend the money feeding them and I need the tank space for more desirable ones that I’m currently growing up. Marketing, Selling and developing relationships is the hard part and moving to Texas I’m back to square one. Don’t want to ship fish. So that is my advice to you @JohnAndSancho Here’s a small sample. Now back to the Palms!

In regards to archontophoenix alexandrae vs Cunninghamiana, I had the same experience. Cunninghamiana looks like it has almost no damage, while alexandrae are 100% fried and brown.

I plant my seeds at the same depth of the seeds ie a 1cm seed is down to a depth of 1cm, 5mm seed is down 5mm. What you see in my photos is just to show the seeds and spacing, I then cover them. Cycas seeds I only half bury horizontally, you can half bury palm seeds, Mother Nature would do the same half bury to completely buried, even some just on the soil surface. I also press firmly on the medium to ensure a good contact with the medium. Richard

Hi PR00636! I know you wish you were here in PR on such a beautiful day. Yes, my one and only Welfia is doing fine. I can see the top of it from my potting bench. At least 20 feet tall and planted down a steep slope with the idea that it would one day be eye level near my house. It hides surrounded by tree ferns and some Euterpes until it opens a new leaf which should happen soon. If I am not traveling I’ll take a photo then, but it looks stunningly red like all the others posted here.

Well you’re gunna need a bigger boat! That’s a lot of seeds and a lot of time and space involved in such a project, you’re little science project has taken on a new level from a small laboratory to full on Dr Frankenstein set up (insert Mel brooks movie here) Time to hit up the old happypalms vault and do a bit of research on a few back issue posts. Dont get overwhelmed by so many seeds it’s easy, community pots or box’s, baggie method your decision. That many seeds myself styrofoam box’s with lids (etoliation method) if no bottom heating plastic bags will help you out for a bit of extra heat. Good luck keep us all posted!

The regional botanical gardens in my are has certainly been improving of the last few years, with the curator Rick ackland doing a wonderful job. Full credit to Rick and his staff on this project!

Yes, I am very fortunate to be growing this palm! I’m curious to see how it does in full sun since I’ve only seen them in deep shade at Floribunda. But I was thinking that since all of the other Hyophorbe do well in sun, this one should too. Here’s another picture. Some nice dark coloring on the petioles and leaf bases. But like all young plants here, the rose beetles start chewing holes in the leaflets.

WHAT A TROOPER! Thanks for your service keeping everyone updated on this special palm.

This is what people's landscaping looks like in Brevard as of today.

Typical sad royals you'll see a lot of throughout downtown. Not well taken care of and embarrassing. This freeze could be the final nail in the coffin for these sickly royals

Heptapleurum actinophyllum

Mangroves for the most part seem to be undamaged, but there was some damaged that I noticed and took pictures of

Well thankfully most of my current collection fared quite nicely. After the last freeze a couple years ago I decided to move more towards what I knew would survive. Some were still questionable, and the ones I could get in the greenhouse went in there and the others were left to elements with little to no protection. Recorded low was 23F for my location in Jacksonville. Beccariophoenix alfredii inground and potted bronzed Cycas chamaoensis, balansae, petrae and sp. Wiliwiak bronzed Syagrus cearensis (was actually hit when we had 30f a few weeks ago) these were in greenhouse Syagrus schizophylla slightly bronzed. These were covered but no heat. Caryota maxima Himalaya bronzed Butia archerii, both potted and in ground, no damage Syagrus weddellianum no damage, planted under the canopy of a mule Syagrus campylospatha in ground, no damage Mule seedlings no damage Parajubaea torallyii no damage What eas given to me as Arenga Engleri no damage, under canopy of a Queen, mule and some bamboo Syagrus hoehnei no damage

Sea grape (Coccoloba uvifera) vs red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle)

False mastic (Sideroxylon foetidissimum) These were more cold hardy than I thought, apparently more than gumbo limbo, seagrape, or ficus.

Next stop, Indialantic: closest weather station here https://www.wunderground.com/dashboard/pws/KFLINDIA359/graph/2026-02-2/2026-02-2/daily 1/31 34.9 2/1 26.8 2/2 31.8 2/3 40.1 Coconuts

I've never used it, but I'm right there with you on the coffee. Love Howea as well! Caffeine + Gardening = Pure Bliss.

That reminded me of a time I rented a cube truck, took the ferry over to the mainland and loaded it full. I spent $3,500 on plants alone. In all fairness, much of that was re-sold which ultimately paid for all my expenses & plants.

Unfortunately most purchased seeds rot readily despite the provided bottom heat, either because they are very old or because the seed coat is wounded and pathogens have already found an entrance, just waiting for the right moment (moisture and warmth).

I'll check that out soon. I'm going to post a lot more to here. The coconuts look cooked west of US1 and I'm not sure the royals make it either, even the pre-1989 royals. I suppose if they survived 1989 then there's hope, but they look like they will take time to recover.

Forecast tonight is for 36 or 39 depending on the source. After the last completely bungled forecast I can't trust it at all. I could be in the 30s or upper 20s after the last one being so many degrees off, and I can't trust the forecast at all now. I think everyone is in the same boat so don't expect the temps to be what they say again and don't put anything sensitive back out until Sunday or Monday at least.

Give it a go having a nursery, it’s a great hobby and you can have a lot of fun growing palms, it will bring you great joy your nursery. It will happen, start selling online mail order and contact anyone you can in the nursery trade, It helps build business those contacts. But most of all enjoy what your doing palms are a wonderful gift to have in your life!

Per periculum et errorem...

It most certainly would save space, but he’s going to need a lot more space if 4000 seeds germinate, I don’t grow archontophoenix, to fast growing, to much water, constantly repotting them and the maintenance of 1000 archontophoenix I would rather grow more rarer exotic plants. That being said my market is limited and growing Archie’s you would sell more than I would a lot faster. Market demands are for the landscaping plants exotic are more gardeners thing. The once you find your market fill that demand by supply. And iam sure the European market is a lot more in demand of more tougher hardy varieties not some Calyptrocalyx that would die as soon as you open the fridge door!

The lows in the yard ranged from 34F-36F this morning. The local airport (KLAL) recorded a minimum observation of 32.7F. The NWS observations for 02/06/2026 are attached in ZIP format. 20260206_obhistory.zip

Firstly @peachy if you remember has a wanted poster on my front gate and her accompanying posy of said palm pilfering gang are on a strict watch and act alert. But a beautiful little palm indeed at such a young age, I wish I had a couple a hundred of them in the greenhouse. And if I remember correctly it’s not on the palm mafia gangs hit list because it suckers, and we all know the peachy gang has strict no suckering palms rule are to be pilfered, so it’s safe for now! Richard

Another fine 69F at 6:59PM MST after reaching 83 ..or 4 earlier under mainly clear skies. Weekend ahead looks ..Just as fine across the valley / region, though a little cooler w/ some rain sneaking into the forecast by Monday across parts of CA.. Temps both tomorrow, Sunday, and Monday could end up a deg or two warmer than what is currently suggested ..as is what happened today. Here, next week?... We'll see how quickly we'll start cooling down. Regardless, even pulling back to the mid 70s later next week, if that occurs, would still be above avrg. for the 2nd week of Feb. While the idea of some storminess returning to the area is on ..pretty much.. all the models atm as we head for mid month, it may not add up to much, even if it brings some rain / snow chances, and a couple days of cool-ish afternoons / mornings. Increasing sun angle / associated time for insolation are quickly ramping up so , ..pattern change that could have brought a freeze threat a month ago is quickly becoming a non concern ..that's not to say a freak cold morning isn't still possible thru ~roughly~ March 8th but ..sustained cold spell threat is almost wrapped up for the winter here. We'll see. Looking at a few early in the month thoughts for March from the CFSv2, you can see how ...for now... the dry / above avrg ( temps ) trend is holding for the west ..if not building a bit < in today's thoughts > Precip anom and probability: Temp anom and probability: Since forecast thoughts from this model are a constantly shifting target that can flip n' flop multiple times per week, always take what it says ( right now, or, ..at any given time ) w/ a grain of salt. We'll see how this looks around the 16th. By then, other model thoughts, that aren't quite as shifty, should have a decent view into what the first month of Spring '26 could look like. With that said, should the dry / trending drier, and high % of above norm temps suggestions hold, March could offer up a decent taste of early season heat.. ..Part of the back and forth in some of the current the forecasts may be tied to what the P.V. is ..or appears as though it may not.. be doing.. for the moment at least as we move through the rest of the month. Trend going forward may still be headed below normal but, ..compared to how the plot below looked a few days ago, a general drop into neg. avrg. territory doesn't look all that frightening.. Any significant SSW and/or possible collapse / reversal are off the table ...for the moment... Will be interesting to see if the trend manages to stay near normal a bit longer ..say thru the 20th / end of the month before starting that gradual slide toward a final warming ( Final warming = Where the P.V. disappears for the year ) For now, enjoy another perfect " winter " weekend in the desert..

Wouldn't say it survived yet. My 20 yo adonidia merillii and 2 royals slowly declined over weeks after looking like they just got leaf burn and ultimately went to the landfill when we had that bad Christmas weekend freeze a few years ago.

Not the greatest pictures, but I got sent these from Pearland. Pretty much everything looks to have survived. Kings:Beccariophoenix alfredii:Bismarckia , Beaucarnea recurvata, and Medemia argun to the left of the Puya:Livistona nitida unfazed:Copernica alba:Mule palm:Phoenix theophrastii and Parajubaea var. torallyi x Butia:Butia and Sabal uresana:Acrocomia green at base. We thought these seeds were totai but may be aculeata. Wrapped in housing insulation and it still burned:

I might be able to help you with the radicalis. I sprouted some seeds last year. We should talk next week. I will have some time away from work.

This potted bamboo was under a large Syagrus R. The seed dropped and sprouted this . It’s been there quite a while , very slow at first. Harry

Here's the freeze damaged palms that have naturalized in Palm Bay, which includes Areca Palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens), Royal Palm (Roystonea regia), Alexandra Palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae), and Burmese Fishtail-Palm (Caryota mitis). There's a photo of C. lutescens seedlings and Phoenix roebelenii that took no damage. None of the naturalized Phoenix reclinata or Syagrus romanzoffiana took any damage either.

Absolutely, thank you so much for this.

I did a dose of hydrogen peroxide on pretty much all the palms yesterday afternoon. Most didn't react at all, but the Cyphophoenix (all of them) foamed up like mad. Those turned black when they burnt, instead of the typical red/brown. I'm sure they are D-E-D. After that I mixed up a total of 2.5 gallons of Daconil and squirted it into the crown of all the palms and almost all the cycads. As expected, the cold damage just keeps looking worse and worse. The 31.3F and heavy snowlike frost this morning didn't help at all. Here's the data logs, frost and local airport temps.

I am in no rush whatsoever. I planted a baby copernicia fallensis as well and in the same time it has only put out 3 fronds. 😛

They made it to Australia as well those seeds!