Do you grow Keriodoxa elegans? What temperatures they saw?

I was amazed to read at the site of a palm nursery in ´´Central Florida ´´that Kerriodoxa elegans survived unscathed several nights of freezing weather (with canopy)and also one at 22-24F. It look like they are honest because the other minimum temperatures for other palms are correct,and they aren´t over optimistc about other palms,like Bismarckia etc

Edited November 18, 200916 yr by Alberto

Alberto,

I'm not surprised that Kerriodoxa might be more cold hardy than one would think. I've always felt they were closely related to Tracheycarpus, considering where they come from. I bet it's possible they might even hybridize but the two palms are not found in the same climate zones and they are not found growing together.

Dick

Alberto,

Here in San Diego, in a rather cool sliver of microclimate, I have 2 that grow (slowly) without any issues. I get regular night time temps in the lower 30s (F) for up to 3 months during the winter, particularly when humidity is low. They're pretty sturdy.

Bret

Alberto,

Here in San Diego, in a rather cool sliver of microclimate, I have 2 that grow (slowly) without any issues. I get regular night time temps in the lower 30s (F) for up to 3 months during the winter, particularly when humidity is low. They're pretty sturdy.

Bret

That is a brutal microclimate you must live in for sure.

I've been growing one in my cold frame for about 4 years now. It's seen upper 30's and has had no problems with that. But even with the added heat and filtered light the cold frame provides it's only put out about 4 leaves in as many years. Overall it looks good but has not increased in size at all. Super slow plant in my experience.

The patience will pay off with these beauts! I've got two, and I think I want one more...

They definitely survive mid-20s without issue if under canopy. Lower 20s killed a recently planted small seedling I had placed against a northwest-facing wall (not smart!!). I now have a large 7-gal plant with 4' leaves in a protected spot that will receive some winter sunlight. I received it bare-root a few months ago and planted it instantly, but it has pushed very slowly so far, I think due to the bare-root stress. Fingers are crossed that this one will survive. Another big plus for this species in freeze-prone climates is that it is generally acaulescent. Therefore even if the leaves burn off the bud should survive no problem, and with mulching even a long hard freeze probably wouldn't do it in, providing its lower threshold of average winter and soil temps is met. Does anyone know how slow/fast these guys are in heat and humidity (i.e., Gulf south, Florida)? I'm assuming they can be treated similarly to Attalea in terms of growth, leaf-production and below-ground survival. I seem to recall that they are heeled palms...usually a very good sign for cold-tolerance, even at a foliar level.

I have two Keriodoxa elegans and hope they will live here long term. I had one before but it died from being dug up to many times not the cold.

Ours was about 2ft tall and had vry minor damage after one night at 27F in Jan. 2003

Eric,

Thats good to know I think our temps are not to different.