Wondering if anyone can share some experience on variations in cold hardiness for the same palm species in wet vs. dry soil.

I am aware of a local guy here in AZ who has told me that his Bismarckia nobilis has never defoliated in dry soil in cold snaps in the winter, but that he killed one by continuing to water before he figured that out.

Anybody have any similar experiences?

I'm not sure if it's the soil as much as wet weather and the cold combined affecting palms ie. freezing water damage/fungus growth.  

Washingtonia. 

People can grow them in 7B in places like New Mexico with their dry winters.  Here in Oregon with wet winters they're toast in 8B and 9A, it isn't until you get to Zone 9B in Southern Oregon that long term Washingtonia start to make an appearance.

I think the same can be said for various Brahea species.

Edited December 17, 20205 yr by Chester B

1 hour ago, Chester B said:

I think the same can be said for various Brahea species.

What do you think of Brahea armata here in the Willamette Valley?  Got a bunch of those germinating....

@Fallen Munk They will do ok but they don't like our winter rains and grow quite slow in my area (maybe 2-3 fronds per year). 

12 minutes ago, Fallen Munk said:

What do you think of Brahea armata here in the Willamette Valley?  Got a bunch of those germinating....

Trialing the first one I was able to get ahold of, it's about 2' tall.  Planted it in spring and its doing ok, 4 fronds so far but when one opens another dies.  Apparently the owner of Raintree Tropical has a big one at his house that's doing well., I think south facing on a slope if I remember correctly.  I have also seen another one on a farm around Newberg that looked good, the date palms planted with it were toast after last winter (obviously).

I'm tempted to cover mine to try and keep it dry.  From what I've read Brahea edulis does better in the PNW, but those are a little more difficult to get.

Hey, I'm glad someone asked this! Because I've been wondering the same thing.

I've assumed drier is better if it drops below freezing and will help add to tolerance? Specifically for something like a trachycarpus fortunei?

Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part that the one I have planted will have any sort of long term viability. My climate is fairly similar to Albuquerque. Near identical rainfall, high desert, and 7b growing zone(not official just doing the math from present day back 30 years because again, wishful thinking). We do get slightly colder at night by about 3 degrees but besides that its a pretty good match.

Edited December 18, 20205 yr by ColdBonsai

19 minutes ago, ColdBonsai said:

Hey, I'm glad someone asked this! Because I've been wondering the same thing.

I've assumed drier is better if it drops below freezing and will help add to tolerance? Specifically for something like a trachycarpus fortunei?

Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part that the one I have planted will have any sort of long term viability in my climate which is fairly similar to Albuquerque. Near identical rainfall,  7b growing zone(not official just doing the math from present day back 30 years because again, wishful thinking). We do get slightly colder at night by i think 3 degrees but besides that its a pretty good match.

It will certainly help a trachy a lot to keep it drier in cold but absolute cold temps below 10F may still damage/kill.  The wet really contributes to fungus growth which will kill the spear once the tissue suffers from the cold damage.  So drier will limit spear pull/rot/

Edited December 18, 20205 yr by Allen