Planting a Pindo now?

[JohnT]

Hello everyone, 

I live in Wilmington North Carolina which is a solid 8A. I came across someone selling some Pindos for some great prices. He assured me they came from Florida and are in good health. My main concern is if it’s a bad idea to plant one now in the fall season and heading into winter? My gut tells me that I should wait until the spring time but what do y’all think? I’ve been really diligent with watering my new palms that I got this spring and they are really healthy. Should I take the risk? I’m thinking about heading to check them out in a couple of hours today so I would really appreciate some feedback as soon as possible. 
 

https://wilmington.craigslist.org/grd/d/southport-palm-tree/7404241820.html

Thank you 
 

[Jtee]

Yeah I’d really like to know also, I was thinking of buying this little 3 gallon mule palm at Lowe’s for $10. I’d prefer to plant now. I’m in zone 8b. 
 

and those pindos you are looking at are a great deal for that size. I’d definitely get one even if you have to plant next spring. When next spring arrives you’ll be glad you got it. 

[oasis371]

I would hold off until the Spring.  Can you temporarily containerize and keep it cool but frost free over the winter?  I grew mine from containerized seedling and overwinter two of mine in a detached garage from December-March 1.  

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[KDubU]

I planted a big Pindo last December in 9a and it did fine. 

[Las Palmas Norte]

Zone 8 - wait until Spring.  

[GeorgiaPalms]

I planted a Butia out in zone 8a in GA during December of last year and it thrived well and performed through the year. Here's a photo the day I planted it, and then again today.

 

 

[Paradise Found]

I think the SE is suppose to have a semi mild winter so i say yes. Just be ready to protect just incase it does get really cold. 

[Turtlesteve]

I am zone 8A in SC.   I have had good results planting pindo palms in fall as long as the bud is still underground.  I will protect them the first winter if it gets to the low 20s. 

[JLM]

Personally i limit myself to planting within the late March - late September timeframe. As long as the ground does not freeze, you might could get away with it, but any palm being planted in the ground would prefer warm soil to get established in.

[Steve in Florida]

Since the plant was field dug and most of the roots cut, the chances it will survive if planted now are pretty slim.

[Las Palmas Norte]

Yes. There are many versions of zone 8. My zone 8 winters are cold, wet, & rainy. Not great for Pindo planting.

[Turtlesteve]

Yeah OK, missed that it was dug.  My comment on planting in fall related to pot grown pindos

[oasis371]

Hang in there and be patient,  Spring will be here in a nanosecond, as you get older, you too will discover this to be true! LOL.

[Jimhardy]

The palm is better in the ground then

in a pot if it gets cold, roots are colder exposed in a pot above ground

then below, this is esp important if it has been transplanted recently.

[Scott W]

  On 11/14/2021 at 1:55 PM, Jtee said:

Yeah I’d really like to know also, I was thinking of buying this little 3 gallon mule palm at Lowe’s for $10. I’d prefer to plant now. I’m in zone 8b. 

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$10???  That's a steal if you ask me!!!  Hopefully you bought it...or more if they have them all priced like that!

[Jtee]

  On 11/15/2021 at 2:30 PM, Scott W said:

$10???  That's a steal if you ask me!!!  Hopefully you bought it...or more if they have them all priced like that!

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It may be a Queen but I can’t really tell, even if it is a Queen I guess it’s ok. $10 is more than I want to pay for a Queen lol but oh well. 

[Scott W]

  On 11/15/2021 at 3:20 PM, Jtee said:

It may be a Queen but I can’t really tell, even if it is a Queen I guess it’s ok. $10 is more than I want to pay for a Queen lol but oh well. 

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Okay, sounds more like it.  I've only recently seen a mule at my local Lowes and it was priced at $150, but more around the five gallon size (think the pot said 10").

[JohnT]

Thanks everyone for your replies, I appreciate the feedback. I think I’ve decided against planting in the ground due to winter being around the corner. However, those low prices still have me wanting one! What if I pot it and put it inside my garage /shop which is insulated overnight during chilly temperatures? 

[Las Palmas Norte]

Good call. Mines 3 seasons in, and this year it doubled in size. Heat, fertilizer and regular water paid big dividends.  

 

[oasis371]

John, that is how I overwinter many of my palms, cycads, citrus and others, in a frost free but chilly garage.  Yes there is some sunlight and artificial but it works for three months.  I go very light on the winter watering.  Been doing this for YEARS, never issues.  

Yes, these are my  most robustly growing palms without exception.  I have two in large tubs about eight feet tall, what I thought was a third one, turned out to either pure Jubaea or a Jubaea x Butia hybrid.

Good luck.

 

Edited November 15, 2021 by oasis371

[Las Palmas Norte]

  On 11/15/2021 at 6:56 PM, oasis371 said:

John, that is how I overwinter many of my palms, cycads, citrus and others, in a frost free but chilly garage.  Yes there is some sunlight and artificial but it works for three months.  I go very light on the winter watering.  Been doing this for YEARS, never issues. ...

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My garage gets pretty crowded. I draw the line, so my wife can still park there.  

[oasis371]

LOL..., This is a NO PARKNG ZONE!

 

Edited November 16, 2021 by oasis371

[D Palm]

I plant in the fall and use root stimulator…what a deal!

[Harry’s Palms]

I am in Southern California and rarely plant in fall or winter. We don’t get frost where I am but it can get chilly at night or early morning. A Butia is one of the hardiest palms for cold but when introducing any palms to new soil it seems success is much easier in warmer climate. I planted mine about 23 years ago as a seedling on a South facing slope in Spring and it is huge and VERY silver looking. Most of the Butia’s in my area are much greener looking . It was dark green as a seedling but after about five years started the silver/blue thing. It is very close to the color of my Brahia Armata.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Harry’s Palms

[Fusca]

Sounds great - can you post a photo?  I prefer the look of silver Butia.  I'm growing one from seed I collected from a very silver Butia but it's still green after 9 years.

[Harry’s Palms]

I am new to this forum but I will try to get a picture of it and post it. Yours looks like it has a bit of silver but it could be lighting.

[Harry’s Palms]

As requested, a pic of my silver Butia. Planted April 1998, came in a seedling tube with bladed fronds only so very new to the world.

[Scott W]

Here's one of mine that I transplanted back in August from my my brother's old property.  It set seed last year and I'm debating on letting it set a bract of pure Butia before doing hybrids on it.

[Fusca]

  On 11/22/2021 at 9:56 AM, Harry’s Palms said:

I am new to this forum but I will try to get a picture of it and post it. Yours looks like it has a bit of silver but it could be lighting.

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Your palm looks great - thanks for posting!  As does yours @Scott W!  Mine has silver leaf petioles but the leaves themselves are green.  I hope they change some time down the road.

[Scott W]

  On 11/23/2021 at 7:03 PM, Fusca said:

Your palm looks great - thanks for posting!  As does yours @Scott W!  Mine has silver leaf petioles but the leaves themselves are green.  I hope they change some time down the road.

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Thanks!  It had this silver blue when planted from a 3 gallon (grown from seed collected locally) in a field in Central Florida some 15 years ago.  It had since grown for at least the last 10 with little care....no fertilizer, no extra water, no tending to weeds around the base, no pesticides.  Was looking to buy a couple mature Butia when I recalled planting these and as luck would have it the current landowner let me come and dig them for free!  

[BeyondTheGarden]

  On 11/23/2021 at 6:16 PM, Scott W said:

Here's one of mine that I transplanted back in August from my my brother's old property.  It set seed last year and I'm debating on letting it set a bract of pure Butia before doing hybrids on it.

 

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If you ever cross a Butia with a Lytocaryum, please let me know! 

[Scott W]

  On 11/24/2021 at 12:17 AM, Jesse PNW said:

If you ever cross a Butia with a Lytocaryum, please let me know! 

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It's definitely on the list....and will do!

[Harry’s Palms]

  On 11/23/2021 at 7:03 PM, Fusca said:

Your palm looks great - thanks for posting!  As does yours @Scott W!  Mine has silver leaf petioles but the leaves themselves are green.  I hope they change some time down the road.

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Thank you. The interesting thing is , I never expected it to be silver. It was such a dark green for the first few years. I know these palms hybridize easily so who knows. I bought it from a palm collector who has since passed on but he swore it was not Capitata. No way of knowing. Harry

[Fusca]

  On 11/24/2021 at 2:05 AM, Harry’s Palms said:

Thank you. The interesting thing is , I never expected it to be silver. It was such a dark green for the first few years. I know these palms hybridize easily so who knows. I bought it from a palm collector who has since passed on but he swore it was not Capitata. No way of knowing. Harry

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You're right, yours is likely a "mutt" .  But I think that Butia paraguayensis and catarinensis (common in Florida) can be quite silver.  Has yours set seed yet?  Fruits and seeds of these species are both elongated while odorata (common in Texas) are round.

Edited November 24, 2021 by Fusca

[Rkm4]

I am in MD zone 7a.  I bought a pindo at Lowes in summer 2019 and put it into an 18x18x18 teak pot in front of my garage in a sunny location. The first winter I took it into the garage in January for about 6 weeks. Last winter it never got much below 10 degrees so I didn’t bother. So far this year it is still outside. It has doubled in size and with the pot now is well over 6 feet. The photo is from a week ago. https://www.dropbox.com/s/dqjg36tzzuwiwba/51828824618_36a4725cac_o.JPG?dl=0

[Allen]

  On 1/20/2022 at 4:19 AM, Rkm4 said:

I am in MD zone 7a.  I bought a pindo at Lowes in summer 2019 and put it into an 18x18x18 teak pot in front of my garage in a sunny location. The first winter I took it into the garage in January for about 6 weeks. Last winter it never got much below 10 degrees so I didn’t bother. So far this year it is still outside. It has doubled in size and with the pot now is well over 6 feet. The photo is from a week ago. https://www.dropbox.com/s/dqjg36tzzuwiwba/51828824618_36a4725cac_o.JPG?dl=0

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Welcome to the forum!  And nice palm there!  I have heard they can be sensitive to wet cold.  So watch out for spear pull when it warms up as you got quite a bit of ice.  What was the low it has been in?

Edited January 20, 2022 by Allen

[SeanK]

  On 1/20/2022 at 4:51 AM, Allen said:

Welcome to the forum!  And nice palm there!  I have heard they can be sensitive to wet cold.  So watch out for spear pull when it warms up as you got quite a bit of ice.  What was the low it has been in?

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You're in trouble now.

Butias are solid to 10 degrees fahrenheit. But snow or ice in the bud will start them on a slow death. I usually get about 5 years before they get killed.

[knikfar]

  On 11/21/2021 at 10:19 PM, Fusca said:

Sounds great - can you post a photo?  I prefer the look of silver Butia.  I'm growing one from seed I collected from a very silver Butia but it's still green after 9 years.

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Did you protect this guy during the record freeze last February? 

[Fusca]

  On 1/21/2022 at 9:37 PM, knikfar said:

Did you protect this guy during the record freeze last February? 

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I didn't protect any of my 3 Butias but this one and another of similar size had spear pull after consecutive nights of 9° and 13°.  I trunk-cut those two and they have quickly recovered.  Today you can't tell they went through that ordeal.