Empirical data from the North Texas Freeze of 2011

[TonyDFW]

Here is some weather data for the temps and duration of freezing weather and the resulting palm damage to Central city Dallas palms, as of Feb 18th 2010. During the freeze we got 2 inches of ice, followed by 6 inches of snow a couple of days later.

Feb 1 the front came in:
High 41 21 24 28 51F
Low 15 15 16 19 18F

On Feb 13:
High 72 73 77 73 76 83F
Low 37 48 57 61 62 63F

The temps through the rest of Feb should have daily highs in the 70Fs.

During the event

on Feb 17th

After my trimming on Feb 18th.

ButiaXJubea during event

[TonyDFW]

ButiaXJubea on Feb 18th

Brahea armata during event

Brahea armata on Feb 18th.

Last winter's damage shown in Spring after a brief dip to 15F.

[TonyDFW]

Last winter after I trimmed off the dead fronds (it was about Feb 0f 2010.)

This much foliage had returned by the end of the year of 2010. One growing season's growth in Dallas. Will it do it again this year? or will they die?

Both winters reached the same absolute low, but this years prolonged freeze caused much more damage, yet to be fully determined.

Next time you want to complain about YOUR weather just think of how good you have it compared to us.

My conservative tastes dictated that I only plant the most hardy for my area so I know things will probably look great in a few months.

[mjff]

Your place looks better than mine. My Brahea armatas still look good, but everything else that I didn't protect that I see in your photo is completely or partially defoliated. Did it rain before the front came through in Dallas, or did everything fall in frozen form? I'm beginning to think the rain we got right before the front that soaked in deep and froze caused more damage than the cold or wind. I have plants right next to the house that were sheltered from the wind that are just as damaged as plants of the same species that are in exposed locations, so I'm beginning to think the culprit was the rain freezing inside. Rain is a lot rarer here than cold or wind, especially in Dec to Feb, so I guess if that is the culprit it would be a little encouraging. Also noticing that the plants that aren't damaged seem to share one common trait, their growing points are below ground where the rain couldn't freeze because the ground was too warm.

[TonyDFW]

We did have rain before, and a quick turn over to ice. Very strong winds also.

The cold was intense. 48 hours with temps at or below 20F°, for a high and 15F° for a low.

Not a quick dip to 15F° and back up.

This current couple of weeks in the 70°F may also affect the results. I don't know of anyplace in the world that has the extreme weather of North Central Texas.

Martin, post some pictures if you get a chance. Thanks

[mjff]

We did have rain before, and a quick turn over to ice. Very strong winds also.

The cold was intense. 48 hours with temps at or below 20F°, for a high and 15F° for a low.

Not a quick dip to 15F° and back up.

This current couple of weeks in the 70°F may also affect the results. I don't know of anyplace in the world that has the extreme weather of North Central Texas.

Martin, post some pictures if you get a chance. Thanks

I'll try to post some this weekend. It sounds like you had identical conditions to us, but the damage here looks much worse. Of course, we have been having highs in the upper 80's and it wasn't until we got that hot that a lot of the damage became apparent. Now even the Ceriferas are showing damage, they looked fine up until a few days ago when it got hot, and the large Jubaeas are mostly defoliated now too. The only place with more extreme weather than North Central Texas, is West Texas. 2/2 and 2/9 we had a high below freezing, 2/16 the high was over 80F.

[velutina]

Wow! Your yard looks great! Hope they all survive. Love the bamboo!

[buffy]

I just got absolutely obliterated. The only things that really did well are the following:

Big Jub ---- Absolutely untouched, spears are pushing along

Jub X Queen --- Small strap leaf plant that was covered ---- Some minor leaf spotting has shown up after all the warm weather

Jubutygrus (Hopper) --- Strap leaf plant that was covered --- Nothing (My Pinnate Schafer Jubutygrus had a lot of burned fronds, but the spear is tight)

Silver Serenoa --- No damage, no protection, spears are tight and pushing

T. fortunei and Sabals --- tough cookies, some of the Sabals have burned leaves, but you'd pull the plant out of the dirt to get the spear.

Everything else has coughed up spears. --- Treated with Copper, Banrot and prayer.

I experienced pretty much what Tony experienced plus maybe a degree or two. I don't think my palms appreciated having snow on their fronds for 4-5 days.

Tony: Also, why are you so quick to cut all the fronds off of everything. Some of those fronds had a little green on them. Wouldn't you want the minimal sugars they provide.

[Erik]

Tony,

thanks for the detailed report.

As for "complaining about the weather, "let me point out that we set an al-time record (by a lot) of -22 F (-30 C) here in Bixby.

I had never in my life experienced even -20 C, even when I lived up north.

We're busy setting record high lows currently. Nice warm up! --Erik

[NBTX11]

Tony,

thanks for the detailed report.

As for "complaining about the weather, "let me point out that we set an al-time record (by a lot) of -22 F (-30 C) here in Bixby.

I had never in my life experienced even -20 C, even when I lived up north.

We're busy setting record high lows currently. Nice warm up! --Erik

-22F! I thought it got cold when it got to 19F here!

[jimbiz]

Tony I was wondering why you cut off the dead leaves from the Washingtonia - and was it a hybrid? Mine doesn't have any green on it at all.

[ghar41]

Awesome cold hardy garden. Wishing you a speedy recovery and an early spring.

[Erik]

Jim,

I'm right there with you. I'd love to move down to your neck of the woods.

For what it is worth, I protected the heck out of my palms and may be able to save them. Even if some have to re-grow from the base.

[mjff]

Computer problems last weekend, so just getting around to posting the pics. Not pretty. Still getting worse as temperatures get warmer. 90F right now with 30-45 mph winds from the SW. Humidity 11%. Anybody think I need to worry about fungus? Hasn't rained since the freeze.

Sabal mexicana - partially defoliated

Sabal domingensis - defoliated, spear tight

Sabal rosei - newest fronds fried, spear tight

Sabal uresana - partially defoliated, spear tight

Sabal palmetto - mostly fine

Sabal causiarum - defoliated, spear tight

Sabal guatamalensis - defoliated, spear tight

[mjff]

Sabal riverside - defoliated, spear tight

Sabal bermudana - defoliated, spear tight

Sabal x texensis - undamaged

Sabal etonia - defoliated, already growing new fronds

Sabal minor - you're joking right? These are in a protected spot, but even the ones in exposed locations are undamaged.

Livistona boninensis - defoliated, haven't checked the spear

[mjff]

Livistona decora - Defoliated, spear pulled

Butia x Parajubaea - defoliated, spear pulled

Butia paraguayensis - spear pulled

Butia paraguayensis x Syagrus - defoliated, spear pulled

[mjff]

Butia x Jubaea - newest fronds fried

Silver Butia (Butia yatay?) - looks fine, newest fronds possibly damaged, but hard to see from the ground

Clumping Butia - newest fronds fried, spears pulled

Butia capitata - astonishingly bad damage on all, most completely defoliated and spears pulled even on trunking specimens

Butia capitata x Syagrus - defoliated, spear tight

[Xenon]

All of my torched Beccariophoenix alfrediis have had spear pulls(21F, below freezing for several days, Queens completely defoliated) except one...not really expecting recovery though. Of course it doesn't compare to all the damage above, but hopefully most of your palms will recover.

Jonathan

[mjff]

Butia yatay - defoliated, spear pulled

Butia yatay x Syagrus - defoliated, spear pulled

Butia eriospatha - spear pulled

Butia archeri - defoliated, spear pulled

Serenoa repens (silver) - defoliated, spear pulled

[calyptrocalyx&licuala freck]

Did you not know there is a place for weather threads...

This is just one of many threads in the wrong place...

Edited February 27, 2011 by calyptrocalyx&licuala freck

[mjff]

Washingtonia filibusta - defoliated, some already pushing new growth

Washingtonia filifera - defoliated

Nannorhops ritchiana - one bronzed, other defoliated and spears pulled

Trithrinax campestris - tough as nails, and as pleasant to accidentally step on

[mjff]

Trithrinax acanthicoma - defoliated, spear tight

Chamaerops humilis - can't believe all of these were mostly defoliated

Cerifera - even these are losing their fronds as it gets warmer

Chamaedorea microspadix - some defoliated, some only lightly damaged

Chamaedorea radicalis - petioles collapsed

Allagoptera arenaria - mostly defoliated even with protection, didn't protect it until after the snow which it doesn't like

[mjff]

Jubaea chilensis - damage variable, some mostly defoliated, while others lightly damaged

Brahea armata - the most cold hardy actual tree, most undamaged or slightly damaged

Brahea aculeata - defoliated

Brahea moorei - spear pulled and petioles collapsed

Brahea edulis - defoliated

Brahea clara - defoliated

[samirbouag]

OMG!! you've lose a lot of palms! sorry! the cold were hard!

[mjff]

OMG!! you've lose a lot of palms! sorry! the cold were hard!

A lot of my palms have been defoliated before and recovered, so only time will tell how many are actually dead. Around September I will post all the info in the freeze damage threads showing how everything recovered or didn't as the case may be. It isn't going to look pretty around here for awhile though. Still have the Trachys and Phoenix photos to post, but will have to finish up tomorrow. My wife's birthday is today and we are going out.

[TonyDFW]

Martin, what an incredible collection.

I'm seeing additional damage. My brahea mooreii had it's first spear pull ever and most of the foliage is gone. C. Humilis mostly defoliated. Yet cerifera specimen 10 feet away undamaged. 2 Butia capitata large trunks had their first ever defoliation. More silver butia undamaged. Brahma armata looking fantastic. One of my sabal uresana very blue is mostly defoliated. All the filigree and filibusta are defoliated, but are growing rapidly already. I haven't seen this much damage since 1996 when we got down to 11F. All trachys looking great with older fronds showing damage. Sable mexican a showing leaf damage. S. Minor, R. Hystrix, brazoria county, s. Louisiana undamaged

[mjff]

Martin, what an incredible collection.

I'm seeing additional damage. My brahea mooreii had it's first spear pull ever and most of the foliage is gone. C. Humilis mostly defoliated. Yet cerifera specimen 10 feet away undamaged. 2 Butia capitata large trunks had their first ever defoliation. More silver butia undamaged. Brahma armata looking fantastic. One of my sabal uresana very blue is mostly defoliated. All the filigree and filibusta are defoliated, but are growing rapidly already. I haven't seen this much damage since 1996 when we got down to 11F. All trachys looking great with older fronds showing damage. Sable mexican a showing leaf damage. S. Minor, R. Hystrix, brazoria county, s. Louisiana undamaged

My Ceriferas looked great until we started getting into the high 80's, then their fronds started showing damage.

[mjff]

Brahea dulcis (blue and green forms) - defoliated, spears tight, didn't even get these in the ground yet

Phoenix acaulis - defoliated long before the big freeze by temps in the low 20's and heavy frost, spear tight

Phoenix sylvestris - defoliated, spear pulled

Phoenix dactylifera - defoliated, spear pulled

Phoenix humilis - defoliated long before the big freeze by temps in the low 20's and heavy frost, spear pulled

[mjff]

Phoenix theophrasti - defoliated, spear pulled

Phoenix canariensis - forgot to take a photo, but you can imagine, defoliated, spears still tight

Rhapidophyllum hystrix - minor damage, some spears pulled

Trachycarpus wagnerianus - newest fronds damaged, spear tight

Trachycarpus fortunei - newest fronds damaged, spear tight

Trachycarpus takil - no damage, the very best Trachy IMHO for cold hardiness

Didn't take photos of the cycads, but they are all defoliated.

[awkonradi]

Hi TonyDFW. Looks like your W. filiferas were hardest hit. Is that right? I am a newbie. May I trouble you to list all the other hardy palm species in your yard? Thanks! Andrei

[Collectorpalms]

Any updates on all those palms Martin? It has been about 3 months and I have had a couple just now show new spears on them, but our low was only 17, with three days just below 32.

Ryan

[mjff]

Any updates on all those palms Martin? It has been about 3 months and I have had a couple just now show new spears on them, but our low was only 17, with three days just below 32.

Ryan

It has been a mixed bag out here.

Butias - larger ones recovering nicely, smaller ones (15 gallon or smaller) dead;

Mule Palms - I think all are dead except possibly the big one I got from Mark, but I'm not that optimistic on it either;

Sabals - ones established in the ground are fine, most in containers in the nursery are dead or at least haven't started pushing yet;

Trachys - the cold wasn't too bad on them, but the hot and dry weather we have been having has been brutal and I am losing some to the heat;

Jubaeas - larger ones appear to have all survived, but anything under 24" box size is either dead or at least not pushing yet;

Washingtonias - filiferas fine and fully recovered, filibustas and robustas aren't growing yet but most aren't rotten either;

Allagopteras - all fine and recovering;

Macrozamias - fully recovered;

Ceratozamias - fully recovered;

Dioons - one recovered, other hasn't flushed yet but doesn't look dead either;

Cycas - revoluta both look dead, panzihuaensis flushing for the 2nd time this year;

Phoenix - 4 out of 5 CIDP's recovering, acaulis recovering, everything else looks dead;

Livistonas - pretty sure all are dead;

Rhapidophyllum hystrix - fine;

Braheas - some recovering, some not, species doesn't seem to matter, but size sure does;

Chamaerops - most fine, but some trunks not recovering yet or dead;

Chamaedorea - all but one radicalis dead, microspadix survived but they are in a more sheltered location;

Nannorhops - recovering;

Trithrinax - campestris undamaged, acanthicoma spears dead but still tight and not growing;

Serenoa repens - recovering.

Considering the severity of the freeze, surprisingly good result. Will be replacing some things with more cold hardy species, or larger specimens that can handle the cold better.

[TonyDFW]

Here is a June update from Dallas

During the 4 consecutive days below freezing

Late February after the cold even and trimming.

March...starting to regrow. Butias continue defoliation.

[TonyDFW]

June 12-2011

As of June 2011:

The washingtonia have put out 15 fronds.

Brahea armata 8 fronds

Butia capitata 8 fronds

C. humilis 13 fronds

ButiaXJubea 3 fronds

Brahea moorei 4 fronds

Sabal uresana 1 frond

T. princeps 3 fronds

Jubea chilensis 4 fronds.

We had a very wet May and the plants are on an irrigation system.

[_Keith]

This may very well be the best thread on cold hardiness in all of of Palmtalk. Congrats guys...

K