coconuts in mississippi

[Walt]

Well, Stephen, you certainly have an array of palms. As such, your place looks like zone 9a, approaching 9b.

And, you have the proper mindset. You understand you are growing many species of palms that are not long-term hardy, and accept the fact that one day you will lose them to a major cold/freeze event.

I have accepted that fact myself. I'm growing many palms that are either marginal or not long-term cold hardy for my zone. My biggest problem is with radiational freezes as I'm not near a large body of water nor at higher elevation. In my part of central Florida, water and elevation make all the difference during radiational cooling events (like I had this past January three nights in a row), which probably comprise 95% of freezes we get here. In my area, proximity to water and higher elevation translates into 10 degrees warmer at night during radiational cooling events. Unless we were to get an abnormal December of 1989 advective freeze event, most advective freezes here are warmer than the radiational freezes. And during advective freezes, proximity to water and elevation make very little difference, as the air is all stirred up and more homogeneous throughout all areas.

Over the years I've lost innumerous palms to freezes. My philosophy is to plant mostly cold hardy species suitable for my zone (9b) and then plant some zone 10+ palms here and there, with the expectation that one day they will be killed by a freeze. Also, I try to keep potted back ups (which I can protect during the winter months, while they grow larger for planting) to replace those palms killed by freezes.

Lastly, my rule of thumb is not to plant a palm that is more than 1/2 a USDA zone more cold tender than my own zone, if I want long-term survival. That is, if I plant a zone 10a rated palm, it may get some cosmetic cold/frost damage some winters, but it recovers nicely. However, this past winter threw me a curve, and I had a zone 9a winter, hence my zone 10a palms incurred far more than just ordinary cosmetic damage.

[floridagrower]

The casual "oh here's my coconut farm is MS" made me laugh. Why haven't you posted this before? Your other palms are nice with lots of variety. Keep posting.

[palmsOrl]

This January's/February's cold wasn't a 20 year cold event for Orlando, but was more like normal for us before the 2003-late 2008 streak of mild winters. That said, we didn't get below the upper 20s in my yard in Maitland, so my Cocos weren't badly damaged this past winter. I admire the success the op has had in growing coconuts in Mississippi, wow!

-Michael

[bubba]

Stephen, This is great ! Coconuts and all sorts incredible things growing in Miss. You will have some people jumping from bridges!

[zootropical]

That's a great topic. May we have some informations about your coconut palm?

If possible could you post pictures of your protections used for cocos nucifera.

Sincerely.

Jean-Michel

[DoomsDave]

Yes, give us more!

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

4 years later, is that thing even alive? If it is, time to do some tissue culture.

[_Keith]

Since then, we had the winter of 2010. If I was a betting man, I'd say that Coco along with the 20+ marginal palms I was growing at the time as well, is providing great compost for a Phoenix or Washingtonia in someone's garden.

[tank]

Since then, we had the winter of 2010. If I was a betting man, I'd say that Coco along with the 20+ marginal palms I was growing at the time as well, is providing great compost for a Phoenix or Washingtonia in someone's garden.

Definitely would have been put to the test. Hopefully it wasn't too traumatic.