Dallas, Texas Aquarium Jubaea May 2021

[Collectorpalms]

It’s over. A century old palm, dead.

[Collectorpalms]

Meanwhile. They have already planted a Coconut and some other expensive “annuals.”

[climate change virginia]

1 century old that is one old palm just wiped out by a cold storm that is sad

[PalmatierMeg]

How awful.

[JohnAndSancho]

[SLTX21]

So sad. That palm had a history:

https://goldcountrymedia.com/news/20300/money-does-grow-on-trees-for-auburn-owner-of-rare-palm/

 

Probably a hundred years old before it moved to Dallas.

[Collectorpalms]

[UK_Palms]

There is a slim chance that Jubea isn't dead and has just been totally defoliated and taking a while to push out new growth. I guess you'll know in the next month or so. It's probably not going to come back, but Jubaea are the hardiest feather palm if I am not mistaken. They have survived 5F in France, although that was only 72 hours below freezing, not 200+ hours.

[WSimpson]

I would think that the city or aquarium would plan for something like what happened  . It would've been easy to protect the trunk with the resources  that they  have . Just get a firetruck or a tree service  , and wrap the trunk with incandescent lights and wrap the trunk with blankets .  Probably a tree company would've done it for $5,000  or maybe a little more , but they should've had a plan in place . 

I thinks that would've been worth it . 

[necturus]

It's been in bad shape for a long time. Thus, this isn't really a great test of Jubaea's cold hardiness.

[PricklyPearSATC]

  On 5/10/2021 at 2:21 AM, Will Simpson said:

I would think that the city or aquarium would plan for something like what happened  . It would've been easy to protect the trunk with the resources  that they  have . Just get a firetruck or a tree service  , and wrap the trunk with incandescent lights and wrap the trunk with blankets .  Probably a tree company would've done it for $5,000  or maybe a little more , but they should've had a plan in place . 

I thinks that would've been worth it . 

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Problem:  There was no electricity!  There were lights on the trunk. 

Edited May 10, 2021 by PricklyPearSATC

[PricklyPearSATC]

  On 5/10/2021 at 2:22 AM, necturus said:

It's been in bad shape for a long time. Thus, this isn't really a great test of Jubaea's cold hardiness.

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I read that it was hauled in from California in 2010. 

Then I saw previous damage to its trunk. 

[Fukuoka Scott]

What a terrible waste. Dallas has very harsh winters. I can see trying one in Houston or Corpus. Supposedly Jubs don't like the heat but there is one still alive after something like 20 years in my hometown El Paso, it survived 2011, but I still think El Paso winters are a bit less harsh than Dallas ones - sunnier, less ice and wet in general, quicker warm ups after the freeze...

[PricklyPearSATC]

  On 5/10/2021 at 3:07 AM, Fukuoka Scott said:

What a terrible waste. Dallas has very harsh winters. I can see trying one in Houston or Corpus. Supposedly Jubs don't like the heat but there is one still alive after something like 20 years in my hometown El Paso, it survived 2011, but I still think El Paso winters are a bit less harsh than Dallas ones - sunnier, less ice and wet in general, quicker warm ups after the freeze...

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Jubaea probably like Mediterranean Climate best.  (So, El Paso is probably kinda close...maybe Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Laredo or Kerrville would be an OK fit?)
Apparently there is a jubaea mule on the San Antonio River Walk that did OK. 

[Teegurr]

  On 5/10/2021 at 3:07 AM, Fukuoka Scott said:

What a terrible waste. Dallas has very harsh winters. I can see trying one in Houston or Corpus. Supposedly Jubs don't like the heat but there is one still alive after something like 20 years in my hometown El Paso, it survived 2011, but I still think El Paso winters are a bit less harsh than Dallas ones - sunnier, less ice and wet in general, quicker warm ups after the freeze...

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If Dallas had cooler and less humid summer nighttime temps, a Jubaea would have no trouble usually. It's a solid 8b in the city center. 

Edited May 10, 2021 by Teegurr

[PricklyPearSATC]

  On 5/10/2021 at 4:38 AM, Teegurr said:

If Dallas had cooler summer temps, a Jubaea would have no trouble usually. It's a solid 8b in the city center. 

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Scratch Laredo off prospective sites...LOL 

[Fukuoka Scott]

  On 5/10/2021 at 4:40 AM, PricklyPearSATC said:

Scratch Laredo off prospective sites...LOL 

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Yeah El Paso being at 3000 ft average elevation does make things a bit cooler than some other places (although we do have about a month of 100+ temps) the nights are relatively cool compared to someplace like Tucson or Phoenix, and nowhere near their ovenlike heat...

Edited May 10, 2021 by Fukuoka Scott

[Collectorpalms]

I feel the Jubaea needs a memorial service for Texans, and fellow palm enthusiast.

While she wasn’t born here, she did live here in the worst of extremes for just over a decade. She did put on growth, and while it wasn’t to her max potential like in the Mediterranean, it was a 100 year storm that took her out. It’s probable if not for this event, she would have continued to amaze, inspire, and outlive us.

Edited May 10, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[atlamtapalms]

Keep the stem and have an artist design a fake crown of fronds… poof.. everlasting Jubaea!

[Collectorpalms]

  On 5/10/2021 at 10:10 AM, atlamtapalms said:

Keep the stem and have an artist design a fake crown of fronds… poof.. everlasting Jubaea!

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For $995, if they can turn my dead Robustas into Canaries, it’s a bargain. 

Edited May 10, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Jimhardy]

What they don't tell you is putting extra weight at the top of a rapidly rotting

palm trunk is not a good plan......sad about that Jubaea...really doest look like

anything going on in the crown area does it...

[UK_Palms]

  On 5/10/2021 at 4:38 AM, Teegurr said:

If Dallas had cooler and less humid summer nighttime temps, a Jubaea would have no trouble usually. It's a solid 8b in the city center. 

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I don’t think it’s the temps in general as Jubaea do fine in the Middle East where it is baking hot and they do fine in southern England where it is just ‘warm’ in summer. I think it’s purely a humidity and rainfall issue, especially in summer.
 

They like dry heat during the warmer half of the year. Dallas gets about 40 inches of rain per year, compared to about 10 inches in Jubaea’s native range, plus it is humid in summer in Dallas. That is the issue. Not so much the temperature. 

Edited May 10, 2021 by UK_Palms

[Collectorpalms]

  On 5/10/2021 at 11:18 AM, UK_Palms said:

I don’t think it’s the temps in general as Jubaea do fine in the Middle East where it is baking hot and they do fine in southern England where it is just ‘warm’ in summer. I think it’s purely a humidity and rainfall issue, especially in summer.
 

They like dry heat during the warmer half of the year. Dallas gets about 40 inches of rain per year, compared to about 10 inches in Jubaea’s native range, plus it is humid in summer in Dallas. That is the issue. Not so much the temperature. 

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Downtown Dallas where the buildings are doesn’t go below 85F To 90F at night during hot spells. It’s almost as bad as Dubai. 
However, over at the Arboretum, I am surprised they haven’t tried them. They would do much better overall. Great soil. Moderated by a lake. It’s a whole other world (except Feb 2021).

[UK_Palms]

  On 5/10/2021 at 11:42 AM, Collectorpalms said:

Downtown Dallas where the buildings are doesn’t go below 85F To 90F at night during hot spells. It’s almost as bad as Dubai. 
However, over at the Arboretum, I am surprised they haven’t tried them. They would do much better overall. Great soil. Moderated by a lake. It’s a whole other world (except Feb 2021).

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Didn’t you say that you can’t grow Jubaea in College Station either though? I could be wrong, but I don’t think there are any in Houston either, right? So the summer humidity and rainfall is definitely the main factor in my opinion.
 

Jubaea grows in places like Seville, Crete and Antalya in the Med where they have some days that reach 105-110F and some nights that don’t drop below 80-85F. But it’s obviously a very dry heat. I’m pretty sure they have Jubaea’s in Israel as well where it is equally as hot, if not warmer, than the other places I mentioned. 

[PalmatierMeg]

  On 5/10/2021 at 10:35 AM, Collectorpalms said:

For $995, if they can turn my dead Robustas into Canaries, it’s a bargain. 

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Oh, my stars! A primer on how to turn a disaster into financial gain.

[Collectorpalms]

  On 5/10/2021 at 12:23 PM, UK_Palms said:

Didn’t you say that you can’t grow Jubaea in College Station either though? I could be wrong, but I don’t think there are any in Houston either, right? So the summer humidity and rainfall is definitely the main factor in my opinion.
 

Jubaea grows in places like Seville, Crete and Antalya in the Med where they have some days that reach 105-110F and some nights that don’t drop below 80-85F. But it’s obviously a very dry heat. I’m pretty sure they have Jubaea’s in Israel as well where it is equally as hot, if not warmer, than the other places I mentioned. 

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I personally cannot grow a Jubaea because of my clay soil Is forever deep, and high sodium and alkaline water. 
But in Montgomery county, just between us and Houston there is perfect acidic soil you can grow things I can only dream of. They get a lot more rainfall and are cooler than Houston during the day and night. Same gulf coast humidity. 

A person posting on here, until they moved last winter had one and looked good.

Edited May 10, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[strongbad635]

  On 5/9/2021 at 10:37 PM, Collectorpalms said:

Meanwhile. They have already planted a Coconut and some other expensive “annuals.”

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"Hey, our Jubaea died in the Zone 6b winter we just had."  

"Sweet, let's buy some bottle palms, coconuts, and other even less hardy palms that will get toasted next winter when we hit 14f!"

 

***GIGANTIC EYE ROLL*** Dallas WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS

[JohnAndSancho]

  On 5/10/2021 at 4:43 PM, strongbad635 said:

"Hey, our Jubaea died in the Zone 6b winter we just had."  

"Sweet, let's buy some bottle palms, coconuts, and other even less hardy palms that will get toasted next winter when we hit 14f!"

 

***GIGANTIC EYE ROLL*** Dallas WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS

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Dallas gonna do Dallas things. 

[BeyondTheGarden]

Was that the local low there, 14F?

[Collectorpalms]

  On 5/10/2021 at 6:10 PM, Jesse PNW said:

Was that the local low there, 14F?

 

 

 

Over 8 days below freezing consecutively, snow, and in the City lows From -2F to warmest was 3F. Thanks

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Edited May 10, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[BeyondTheGarden]

Thanks. 

[Jimhardy]

  On 5/10/2021 at 5:08 PM, JohnAndSancho said:

Dallas gonna do Dallas things. 

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 If they only had Goldfish there and they all died in the cold....

why not go buy some Killer Whales next. 

[JohnAndSancho]

  On 5/10/2021 at 8:27 PM, Jimhardy said:

 If they only had Goldfish there and they all died in the cold....

why not go buy some Killer Whales next. 

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We've all seen Free Willy and we know how that goes. 

[Matt N- Dallas]

  On 5/10/2021 at 12:23 PM, UK_Palms said:

Didn’t you say that you can’t grow Jubaea in College Station either though? I could be wrong, but I don’t think there are any in Houston either, right? So the summer humidity and rainfall is definitely the main factor in my opinion.
 

Jubaea grows in places like Seville, Crete and Antalya in the Med where they have some days that reach 105-110F and some nights that don’t drop below 80-85F. But it’s obviously a very dry heat. I’m pretty sure they have Jubaea’s in Israel as well where it is equally as hot, if not warmer, than the other places I mentioned. 

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Jubaeas grown from smaller plants have thrived in Dallas.  Tony has been growing one for more than 20 years and I’ve had one inground for 18 years.  There have been some in Austin for a number of years also.  The Dallas World Aquarium jubaea probably began its demise from stress cracks due to the enormous weight while being dug, transported and moved +1,500 miles and then replanted in a small hole surrounded by cement.  I defoliated and wrapped my Dallas Jubaea a day before the Feb cold blast and it’s growing just fine.  It came through the Feb 2011 cold blast without protection.  It’s true during July & August that Dallas will often have the highest nighttime low temps in the state (mid to upper 80’s). I don’t believe the heat in Dallas is the most limiting factor.  

[EastCanadaTropicals]

  On 5/9/2021 at 10:37 PM, Collectorpalms said:

Meanwhile. They have already planted a Coconut and some other expensive “annuals.”

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They never learn, do they? That is why I get super angry when people export adult jubaeas, they are rare in the wild.

[EastCanadaTropicals]

  On 5/10/2021 at 1:49 PM, PalmatierMeg said:

Oh, my stars! A primer on how to turn a disaster into financial gain.

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Lol, my area has an artificial Cidp, save the artifical palms for zone 6a and below climates like mine.

[Matt N- Dallas]

  On 5/11/2021 at 11:55 PM, EastCanadaTropicals said:

They never learn, do they? That is why I get super angry when people export adult jubaeas, they are rare in the wild.

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While I don’t want to see any palm die, especially a century old jubaea- it’s all relative.  The Dallas World Aquarium is privately owned and the owner buys & plants that he likes.  Some people happily spend five to six-digit sums of money on plants that will live less than a year (annuals) - while many bemoan the practice.  Some consider spending $50 on ‘annuals’ a waste.  Each plant lover has a different budget and aspects of plant growing that makes her or him happy.  

[Collectorpalms]

  On 5/12/2021 at 1:52 AM, Matt N- Dallas said:

While I don’t want to see any palm die, especially a century old jubaea- it’s all relative.  The Dallas World Aquarium is privately owned and the owner buys & plants that he likes.  Some people happily spend five to six-digit sums of money on plants that will live less than a year (annuals) - while many bemoan the practice.  Some consider spending $50 on ‘annuals’ a waste.  Each plant lover has a different budget and aspects of plant growing that makes her or him happy.  

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Yes, and the couple that owned it before should have never sold it the first place to owner.

[ryjohn]

I live in North Louisiana and have a Jubaea that’s been in the ground for 15+ years and which is just starting to get enough clear truck for the average person to walk under.  Just did an internet search to look for an update on the big Dallas jubaea and was sad to see it.  I really agree with those posters attributing the health and large transplant status as the reason it likely never had a chance.  A healthy palm grown up from a small size is much tougher.

Mine took this freeze with some defoliation, but our absolute lows were not nearly as bad, although the duration below 30F was at least 84 hours.  I lost a 30’ Phoenix sylvestris (non -hybrid so cold hardy) because I wrapped and insulated the trunk up to the crown with incandescent mini Christmas lights, but apparently the crown extended well below the bud and I needed to defoliate the palm to save it and insulate higher.  Would have taken only another 20 min or so.

We are much wetter than Dallas here, especially in winter, but it is often quite droughty here in summer.  Soil is sandy as we are on the coastal flood plane.  I’d describe my palm as robust but always a bit short-fronded and tattered with brown leaflets on the lower fronds.  Is cold hardier on the older fronds than butia but has more spring emerging frond issues.  Jubaea x Butia more very vigorous and large than both, but is no substitute for a pure Jubaea!

Edited August 10, 2022 by ryjohn

[RJ]

  On 8/10/2022 at 8:17 PM, ryjohn said:

I live in North Louisiana and have a Jubaea that’s been in the ground for 15+ years and which is just starting to get enough clear truck for the average person to walk under.  Just did an internet search to look for an update on the big Dallas jubaea and was sad to see it.  I really agree with those posters attributing the health and large transplant status as the reason it likely never had a chance.  A healthy palm grown up from a small size is much tougher.

Mine took this freeze with some defoliation, but our absolute lows were not nearly as bad, although the duration below 30F was at least 84 hours.  I lost a 30’ Phoenix sylvestris (non -hybrid so cold hardy) because I wrapped and insulated the trunk up to the crown with incandescent mini Christmas lights, but apparently the crown extended well below the bud and I needed to defoliate the palm to save it and insulate higher.  Would have taken only another 20 min or so.

We are much wetter than Dallas here, especially in winter, but it is often quite droughty here in summer.  Soil is sandy as we are on the coastal flood plane.  I’d describe my palm as robust but always a bit short-fronded and tattered with brown leaflets on the lower fronds.  Is cold hardier on the older fronds than butia but has more spring emerging frond issues.  Jubaea x Butia more very vigorous and large than both, but is no substitute for a pure Jubaea!

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Is this your palm ?