Here is proof windmill palms can survive the winter on Long Island

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Hi my name is Kevin and I am the owner of Island Wide Palm Trees, we are located on Long Island in New York. We sell palm trees as far south as Virginia and as far north as Massachusetts. 

Here is pictures of one of my customer's Windmill Palms that have survived the past 4 winters. This spring will be 5 winters.  You can not ask for better then this.

The best way to keep the trees alive is to have a good wrapping system. We have an amazing wrapping system that you can see on our website.

https://www.islandwidepalmtrees.com 

and here is a link to our Facebook video we posted last year about these trees. (wrapping and planting is extra right now)

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/islandwidepalmtrees/videos/913475538799411/     

If you have any questions about how to keep these windmills alive feel free to contact me. I will be more than happy to try and help you.

[lower slower]

That is awesome they have done so well that far north.

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Thanks  I was going to start to unwrap trees this week but with this new snow I will be putting off starting my unwrap-pings till next..

[jimmyt]

Kevin,

     What USDA zone are you in?  Those trachys have survived some extreme weather all right!

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Long Island is Zone 7 a/b.  Those trees have survived the two winter vortexes we had a few years back.  I have trees as far south as Virginia and as far north as Massachusetts.  The Windmills are very hardy...It is the only tree I sell that we will guarantee them to survive for our customers if we wrap them.  I know needles and and sabal minor might be hardier but to me they look more like a shrub instead of a tree. I like the trunk on the windmills.

[mdsonofthesouth]

I have 2 little guys that havent spear pulled that have seen 12f and fully exposed saw 15f for extended periods here in Maryland. Heres hoping they make it through the night as we are back in the 50s very soon and we got a freak snow storm...might see march weather in march before its over if we are lucky!

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

 The winter has been crazy.. It feels to me like weather is pushed up a month... Aprils feel like March... Mays feels like April... Decembers feel like Novembers.

Edited March 21, 2018 by islandwidepalmtrees.com

[PalmTreeDude]

I have one that seen 7 and is completely defoliated except for the spear. No protection. 

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

I am a big fan of wrapping.. I read that after a few years the trees will be fine to leave unprotected once they acclimate... But I think its always better to air on the side of caution.  Its true that your tree might survive if it is unprotected but if you had two identical trees side by side and you wrapped one and not the other other... I feel the tree that you wrapped would look a lot nicer than the one that was not... 

[PalmTreeDude]

  On 3/21/2018 at 10:30 PM, islandwidepalmtrees.com said:

I am a big fan of wrapping.. I read that after a few years the trees will be fine to leave unprotected once they acclimate... But I think its always better to air on the side of caution.  Its true that your tree might survive if it is unprotected but if you had two identical trees side by side and you wrapped one and not the other other... I feel the tree that you wrapped would look a lot nicer than the one that was not... 

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I only wrapped mine the first winter, but here it rarely goes below 10 for the most part. If I did wrap it, it probably would look a lot better than it does now, but I was not here when it happened. 

Edited March 21, 2018 by PalmTreeDude
Typo

[mdsonofthesouth]

Also most of us here like to zone push. If I had trachycarpus the size you posted in the first picture theyd be fully hardy here, and worst case Id put lights on it. If my little seedlings can survive a brutal winter and see 12f for loooong periods of time a larger specimen should breeze through. But true zone 7 temps would stress it a little depending on the duration. Wrapping is great insurance, but is also a pain in the butt as I would have to unwrap several times a winter to make sure they don't fry. We got to nearly 75f before we woke up one morning and l fried a few fronds as it got HOT inside. On a side note l didnt lose any fronds this winter outside of the frying incident.

 

But all that aside yall have some nice palms! Wish I could afford one of those big guys...maybe one day...

Edited March 21, 2018 by mdsonofthesouth

[cm05]

I enjoy seeing your palms when I’m on Route 112, especially the tropical palms, I hope to get a nice sized Trachy from you one day.

It’s nice seeing this post featuring healthy Trachys during this snowstorm, which just keeps on going. My Needle and small Trachy have had enough lol.

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Thank I will be happy to help you out.

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Here are some trees  I just unwrapped these past 2 days... The tree covered with canvas had no burnt or moldy fronds. Even both systems work I like the way the trees come out with the canvas. The canvas cover is gets much air circulation then the plastic cover due it more breathable fabric.  The pictures files are big so ill post a bunch in row

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Here are some trees  I just unwrapped these past 2 days... The tree covered with canvas had no burnt or moldy fronds. Even both systems work I like the way the trees come out with the canvas. The canvas cover is gets much air circulation then the plastic cover due it more breathable fabric.  The pictures files are big so ill post a bunch in row

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Here are some trees  I just unwrapped these past 2 days... The tree covered with canvas had no burnt or moldy fronds. Even both systems work I like the way the trees come out with the canvas. The canvas cover is gets much air circulation then the plastic cover due it more breathable fabric.  The pictures files are big so ill post a bunch in row

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Here are some trees  I just unwrapped these past 2 days... The tree covered with canvas had no burnt or moldy fronds. Even both systems work I like the way the trees come out with the canvas. The canvas cover is gets much air circulation then the plastic cover due it more breathable fabric.  The pictures files are big so ill post a bunch in row

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Here are some trees  I just unwrapped these past 2 days... The tree covered with canvas had no burnt or moldy fronds. Even both systems work I like the way the trees come out with the canvas. The canvas cover is gets much air circulation then the plastic cover due it more breathable fabric.  The pictures files are big so ill post a bunch in row

[islandwidepalmtrees.com]

Here are some trees  I just unwrapped these past 2 days... The tree covered with canvas had no burnt or moldy fronds. Even both systems work I like the way the trees come out with the canvas. The canvas cover is gets much air circulation then the plastic cover due it more breathable fabric.  The pictures files are big so ill post a bunch in row

[Chatta]

this is a cool idea, seems like the perfect way to protect my cold sensitives theoretically.

[RichAZ]

Who knew?   Great job!  They look terrific!

[PalmTreeDude]

These Windmill Palms look crazy healthy. Nice method! 

[Jon7]

I just purchased a set of these kind of palm trees but I live in zone 6 in Indiana. I don’t know if they will survive. Do you think it will? 

[EastCanadaTropicals]

  On 2/3/2021 at 3:19 PM, Jon7 said:

I just purchased a set of these kind of palm trees but I live in zone 6 in Indiana. I don’t know if they will survive. Do you think it will? 

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Yes but you'll need more protection.

[Jimhardy]

I thought when I read the title you were saying these palms survived unprotected -

them living through the winter with a cover is standard operating procedure in z7 and down.     .    

[Mominmi]

I have a Trachycarpus fortunei that has survived two winters so far here in MI zone 6.  It’s going through the third winter now.  I have it wrapped in burlap with Christmas tree lights.  Can’t wait to see how it looks this Spring.  It is slow growing....maybe 6” a year.

[Aceraceae]

  On 2/7/2021 at 2:03 PM, Jimhardy said:

I thought when I read the title you were saying these palms survived unprotected -

them living through the winter with a cover is standard operating procedure in z7 and down.     .    

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These look great tho. Better than freeze dried dessicated Texas brown lawn subtropicals. 

[NBTX11]

There was a guy on one of the cold hardy palm forums that had a couple large windmills in Milwaukee Wisconsin, I think.  He kept them alive during winters using something similar to this method.  

[Brandon James]

  On 3/21/2018 at 8:51 PM, islandwidepalmtrees.com said:

Long Island is Zone 7 a/b.  Those trees have survived the two winter vortexes we had a few years back.  I have trees as far south as Virginia and as far north as Massachusetts.  The Windmills are very hardy...It is the only tree I sell that we will guarantee them to survive for our customers if we wrap them.  I know needles and and sabal minor might be hardier but to me they look more like a shrub instead of a tree. I like the trunk on the windmills.

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When I moved back to Maine from Florida I took 3 windmills with me and have been slowly making them hardier, the biggest windmill has been in the ground here (zone 6a) since March 2019

1st photo was in august last summer and 2nd I just took now, I construct a greenhouse around it and during storms I have a sheet of plywood I screw over the opening, also take the green wrapping off after cold snaps in single digits.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Brandon James

[Allen]

  On 2/27/2021 at 12:38 PM, Brandon James said:

When I moved back to Maine from Florida I took 3 windmills with me and have been slowly making them hardier, the biggest windmill has been in the ground here (zone 6a) since March 2019

1st photo was in august last summer and 2nd I just took now, I construct a greenhouse around it and during storms I have a sheet of plywood I screw over the opening, also take the green wrapping off after cold snaps in single digits.

 

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Looks great, as the palm grows you'll need to tie up the fronds and construct a slimmer enclosure.  Trachy have no ill effects from 3 months in total darkness.  

[Brandon James]

  On 3/21/2018 at 8:51 PM, islandwidepalmtrees.com said:

 

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Thank you, I’ve tried to keep it as untouched as I can when winterizing so I wouldn’t suffocate it, but that’s cool if they can be wrapped for that long without issues, how do you secure the pvc structures you do? From winds, or do you use the trunk as the support? 

[Derek S]

I just wrapped 3 windmills at my home in east hampton ny. A 5 foot one in the ground (pictured below) and 2 in pots (pictured below). I’m a little concerned about the fact that they won’t receive any sunlight until March and did too much tape.. does anyone have any advice. Does my wrapping look okay? This is my first time overwintering the palms

Edited November 20, 2021 by Derek S

[Manalto]

  On 2/7/2021 at 2:03 PM, Jimhardy said:

I thought when I read the title you were saying these palms survived unprotected -

them living through the winter with a cover is standard operating procedure in z7 and down.     .    

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My philodendron survives Zone 3. I make sure to keep it in the house.

[Las Palmas Norte]

  On 3/21/2018 at 4:01 PM, lower slower said:

That is awesome they have done so well that far north.

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"North" isn't really the issue, it's the growing zone and suitability.  I'm considerably further north at 49.5 degrees north latitude, zone 8b. Zones here in the PNW generally decrease from west to east based on the moderating influence of the Pacific Ocean.  

[DAVEinMB]

  On 11/20/2021 at 10:44 PM, Manalto said:

My philodendron survives Zone 3. I make sure to keep it in the house.

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[kbob11]

My windmills are in total darkness nov-March and look great each spring.  It is too cold for any growth or photosynthesis.  I will occasionally water towards spring if there is a warm spell.  Otherwise snow melting around the enclosure is enough. 
 

 

[Allen]

  On 11/20/2021 at 10:21 PM, Derek S said:

I just wrapped 3 windmills at my home in east hampton ny. A 5 foot one in the ground (pictured below) and 2 in pots (pictured below). I’m a little concerned about the fact that they won’t receive any sunlight until March and did too much tape.. does anyone have any advice. Does my wrapping look okay? This is my first time overwintering the palms

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The potted one will freeze outside in 7A and should be protected my moving inside or mulching in completely by house foundation or something creative , the other one in the ground will need to be kept drier with a shelter of some sort.  The wrapping alone won't protect them if there is no heat source in there if temps go below 10F.  

[Jimhardy]

Yeah...the one in the pot reminds me of going out all covered up and not wearing any shoes in winter.

Would it be possible to bring the potted one in?

I just want to add that one of the great things (in time) about this hobby is that you learn so much every winter etc.

This spring we saw a lot of trunk cut palms and learned some new things there too about

how rot travels through the damaged tissue...I wish I still had pictures of the first time I did this.

Heres an old thread...I don't know if you will be able to see the pics though,

http://palmsnorth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2763