Freeze Damage Mediterranean(?) Palm

[PalmCat]

Hi everyone!

Another Texan with palm questions here! We had what was a wonderful tree in our yard - the favorite of one of our cats - but the tree is now struggling. It started turning brown once all the snow melted. It does look like some leaves are still a little green, and not all are sagging, but it has lost a lot of color. Is there any hope? Any advice on what we should do? I removed the most dried leaves but afraid to cut too much off.

Any advice is welcome!

Best,

A Worried Texan

 

[Reyes Vargas]

49 minutes ago, PalmCat said:

Hi everyone!

Another Texan with palm questions here! We had what was a wonderful tree in our yard - the favorite of one of our cats - but the tree is now struggling. It started turning brown once all the snow melted. It does look like some leaves are still a little green, and not all are sagging, but it has lost a lot of color. Is there any hope? Any advice on what we should do? I removed the most dried leaves but afraid to cut too much off.

Any advice is welcome!

Best,

A Worried Texan

 

You might want to post this on the cold hardy palms section.  It will be more visible there and get more responses.

[bubba]

This appears to be a well grown juvenile Elaeis guineensis or African Oil Palm. The fruits, rugged spines on the fronds and general leaf structure all match. This is a highly tropical palm and will not take much, if any, under 32F.

It is grown through tropical Asia and Africa in large plantations for “palm oil”. I started with one and am now virtually overrun as they are popping up everywhere, including neighbors yards! If this sucker passes, you may have missed a bullet!

[Teegurr]

2 hours ago, bubba said:

This appears to be a well grown juvenile Elaeis guineensis or African Oil Palm. The fruits, rugged spines on the fronds and general leaf structure all match. This is a highly tropical palm and will not take much, if any, under 32F.

It is grown through tropical Asia and Africa in large plantations for “palm oil”. I started with one and am now virtually overrun as they are popping up everywhere, including neighbors yards! If this sucker passes, you may have missed a bullet!

It is most certainly not an African Oil Palm. Those are pinnate, and this palm ia palmate. That being said, I don't know the species, but it could be Livistona chinensis. Or a Washingtonia. Hard to tell. 

[Xenon]

The owner is correct. It is a Mediterranean fan palm, Chamaerops humillis. 

Edited March 3, 2021 by Xenon

[Tyrone]

Definitely a Chamaerops and these have a heap of cold tolerance but the effect proves how cold it actually got for you guys in Texas. It may surprise you and pull through but I would leave the old leaves on until all threats of cold weather have passed.

[bubba]

I am not as familiar as I should be with Chamaerops humilis. The black and clustered fruit or seeds appear similar to the African Oil. The sharp jagged spines on the stems are similar to the African Oil. You are correct that this palm is palmate and not pinnate. My bad...

[Jimbean]

Once it warms up, I would also suggest cutting the fruit and future flowers off for the next year or so to help it recover.  Whenever a plant is under that kind of stress, it wants to reproduce quickly, however that impedes the plants recovery.