What is the most cold hardy Pritchardia?

[ruskinPalms]

Hey all. Just curious, as winter approaches, what is the most cold hardy Pritchardia out there? I had P. thurstonii in ground for a couple years and it made it through a couple winters fine but eventually developed bud rot (as did an A. cunninghamiana which was planted next to it). I think it was getting too much direct sprinkler water during the cold months. Just curious what others’ experiences have been regarding cold hardiness with this genus. 

Thanks!

 

[Zeeth]

Which part of Parrish are you in? I'm in Palmetto, 2 miles from both the Manatee River and the Gulf, and I have some experience with this genus. I've had good luck with P. beccariana, P. hillebrandii, P. munroi, P. maideniana, and P. remota (this one seems to be a slow poke though). Rule of thumb here is to go with the low-elevation Hawaiian species. Species that used to be found at sea-level but were extirpated from the lower elevation climes (like P. beccariana) still seem to do fine, but species found exclusively at high elevation do poorly in summer. I'd stay away from P. schattaueri, P. minor, and P. arecina. The allure of increased cold tolerance doesn't pan out when summer rolls around and they start declining.

Likewise, you're too cold for the non-Hawaiian species. P. thurstonii is the hardiest of these, but it'll eventually die in another 2010 style winter. The species that I mentioned above will still damage in winters like the one we just had, but they'll survive. I didn't really notice much of a hardiness difference among mine this past winter at 27˚. 

If I had to pick a single species to grow, I'd go with P. beccariana. 

[ruskinPalms]

Hi Zeeth, probably about 6.5 miles to the shores of the bay due west of me and about 7.5 miles to the shore of the bay to the northwest of me. The mantee river is about 3 miles to the south of me but I doubt it influences my climate in any other way than that the closer to it you get the lower the elevation (not by much though) so cold air may tend to drain that way on radiational cooled nights. By the way, thanks for the suggestions. I will have to look those up. When I visited Hawaii years ago I fell in love with P. thurstonii and actually smuggled some seeds back that I picked from a tree there and had real good luck germinating several. I only had kept one for myself in a pot for years and finally put it in the ground at my house in Parrish and it was a fairy vigorous grower until it decided to rot...

[Phoenikakias]

I would add to the list also lowreyana aka macrocarpa.

[ruskinPalms]

I’d love a pritchardia in my yard, just not sure where to find the right one.  

[Darold Petty]

On 11/26/2018 at 4:41 PM, Zeeth said:

 

If I had to pick a single species to grow, I'd go with P. beccariana. 

P. beccariana v. giffardiana is a sub-species that occurs at 4000 feet ASL near Volcano on Big Island, and P. minor occurs at 4000 feet ASL at Kokee State Park on Kauai.

[WaianaeCrider]

On 11/26/2018 at 3:18 PM, ruskinPalms said:

Hi Zeeth, probably about 6.5 miles to the shores of the bay due west of me and about 7.5 miles to the shore of the bay to the northwest of me. The mantee river is about 3 miles to the south of me but I doubt it influences my climate in any other way than that the closer to it you get the lower the elevation (not by much though) so cold air may tend to drain that way on radiational cooled nights. By the way, thanks for the suggestions. I will have to look those up. When I visited Hawaii years ago I fell in love with P. thurstonii and actually smuggled some seeds back that I picked from a tree there and had real good luck germinating several. I only had kept one for myself in a pot for years and finally put it in the ground at my house in Parrish and it was a fairy vigorous grower until it decided to rot...

No need to smuggle I believe.  Just clean the fruit from them.