mule palm vs mexican fan palm cold hardiness

[vistaprime]

hi everyone,

Does anyone zone push or winterize both Mules and Washingtonia Robustas?  I planted one of each for the first time in Zone 6B in Southern Ontario this early spring.  After watching a James Palms video, I was discouraged from planting a trachy. Not a fan of the trunk or the canopy.  I recently winterized both palms and set the inkbird temperature controller for both at  ON at 5 degrees C and OFF at 10 degrees Celsius.  Just wondering from those who have experience with both which they found was more cold hardy. Online there's no consistency in lowest temp tolerance, especially for mules.

[JLM]

For mules theres natural variability. No mule will be the same as another.

As for comparing their cold tolerance, im going out on a limb here to say that mules will probably be more hardy than robustas.

[vistaprime]

Just now, JLM said:

For mules there's natural variability. No mule will be the same as another.

As for comparing their cold tolerance, im going out on a limb here to say that mules will probably be more hardy than robustas.

Thanks. so far so good. this is our first year winterizing and we tested the lights and the inkbird temp controller before wrapping and covering. Right now it's 0 degrees Celsius and  the lights have come on several times this morning and both trees are reading over 9 degrees celsius.  I was a bit worried more about the mule because there's less experience with it where I am but out in Montreal one person who has planted it seems to be doing well after a couple of seasons now. And they are 5a.

[MSX]

2 hours ago, vistaprime said:

After watching a James Palms video, I was discouraged from planting a trachy. Not a fan of the trunk or the canopy. 

Windmills can look good too with the right style

Almost like robustas from James Palms videos

 

[vistaprime]

6 minutes ago, MSX said:

Windmills can look good too with the right style

Almost like robustas from James Palms videos

 

yeah those look great. I recently saw the Trachycarpus Winsan. I must say it was a handsome looking palm. but windmills in the your screengrab would be pretty hard to winterize in Canada without a cherry picker.🙂

[RJ]

For those that winterize their palms trachy’s seem to handle better then most others. They don’t seem to mind being cooped up for months at a time. As stated mules will very with their hardiness. A true Mexican fan palm is definitely hardier in a dry climate. My rule of thumb is if you can grow true robusta without protection then you can grow a mule. The kicker is so many are mutts, so like mules their hardiness is variable. YMMV. 😏

Edited November 14, 2022 by RJ

[RyManUtah]

For what it’s worth: Robustas tend to burn around -4c in my region. My mule will stay green until -9c. Growth rate is similar. 

[Jesse PNW]

5 hours ago, vistaprime said:

...  After watching a James Palms video, I was discouraged from planting a trachy. Not a fan of the trunk or the canopy. ....

The only thing I can add to this is, there have been quite a few palms I wasn't a fan of, after only seeing them online.  But once you see them in person, it can totally change your perception of that palm, it's personality, and the effect it creates.  This has happened to me with several palms.  Sabal palmettos, Washingtonias, Livistona chinensis.  Also, there is a lot of variability between specimens.  Most of the Trachycarpus in commercial landscaping around here have very skinny trunks and they don't look that healthy (compared to privately owned/grown).  Then you see some in private gardens (well fertilized and irrigated) that are just tanks and healthy as a stallion, they really shine.  

Edited November 14, 2022 by Jesse PNW

[ChrisA]

2 hours ago, MSX said:

Windmills can look good too with the right style

Almost like robustas from James Palms videos

 

That flowering Jacaranda in the background makes those two Trachycarpus look even better! Where are these specimens located if you don't mind my asking? Must be an incredible climate for a large variety of plants.

[MSX]

14 minutes ago, ChrisA said:

That flowering Jacaranda in the background makes those two Trachycarpus look even better! Where are these specimens located if you don't mind my asking? Must be an incredible climate for a large variety of plants.

Oh yeah, that's true! They're growing in San Fernando valley, CA 

[vistaprime]

3 hours ago, Jesse PNW said:

The only thing I can add to this is, there have been quite a few palms I wasn't a fan of, after only seeing them online.  But once you see them in person, it can totally change your perception of that palm, it's personality, and the effect it creates.  This has happened to me with several palms.  Sabal palmettos, Washingtonias, Livistona chinensis.  Also, there is a lot of variability between specimens.  Most of the Trachycarpus in commercial landscaping around here have very skinny trunks and they don't look that healthy (compared to privately owned/grown).  Then you see some in private gardens (well fertilized and irrigated) that are just tanks and healthy as a stallion, they really shine.  

We've gotten off topic of the thread but  I have seen quite a few trachys at Pineapple Dan's in Niagara on the Lake. They pretty much looked as I expected but as I said I like the look of the winsan variety but I still wouldn't plant it.  Btw, I am an expat so where I live most of years I am surrounded by palm trees ( hint: Go world cup 2022).  So I have good look at the palms I like and the ones I wouldn't plant.

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by vistaprime
updates

[Manalto]

If you're going to go through all the trouble of zone-pushing a palm, it's probably a good idea to pick one you love.

[vistaprime]

27 minutes ago, Manalto said:

If you're going to go through all the trouble of zone-pushing a palm, it's probably a good idea to pick one you love.

Thanks good advice. but I am hoping to stay on the topic of the thread which getting feedback on those who have both mules and washys and the comparison of the hardiness of both.

[knikfar]

6 hours ago, MSX said:

Windmills can look good too with the right style

Almost like robustas from James Palms videos

 

These are beautiful. But they have to be over 100 years old to be that tall. The tallest we have here in Raleigh are about half that height and they're over 30 years old. 

[Manalto]

2 hours ago, vistaprime said:

Thanks good advice. but I am hoping to stay on the topic of the thread which getting feedback on those who have both mules and washys and the comparison of the hardiness of both.

Be grateful your topic is getting bumped to the top of the list by new comments, even though all of them may not address the topic of hardiness directly. If nobody responds, it will get buried and then nobody will respond (my question about Satsuma varieties, for example).

[Jesse PNW]

Yes, it would be nice if you could just ask a question, and a dozen concise answers would manifest, but that's not how forums work.  It's not fair to throw something out there in your original post, and then expect people on an internet forum to not discuss it.  I'm with Manalto, visibility is good.  It sucks when you ask a question, knowing that there are dozens of folks who know the answer, and no one chimes in.  

Have you consulted the Cold Hardiness Master Data Spreadsheet?  I hope the attached image formats OK. 

Edit; the compression kinda sucks, you may need to open the image in a new browser to read it well. 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by Jesse PNW

[DAVEinMB]

@vistaprime I'd repost this question as a poll, I'd love to see that tally over time

Edited November 15, 2022 by DAVEinMB

[vistaprime]

On 11/15/2022 at 3:54 AM, Jesse PNW said:

Yes, it would be nice if you could just ask a question, and a dozen concise answers would manifest, but that's not how forums work.  It's not fair to throw something out there in your original post, and then expect people on an internet forum to not discuss it.  I'm with Manalto, visibility is good.  It sucks when you ask a question, knowing that there are dozens of folks who know the answer, and no one chimes in.  

Have you consulted the Cold Hardiness Master Data Spreadsheet?  I hope the attached image formats OK. 

Edit; the compression kinda sucks, you may need to open the image in a new browser to read it well. 

 

 

Thanks. This looks informative. but it's hard to read.  Do you have a direct link.

[Jesse PNW]

 

[Las Palmas Norte]

On 11/14/2022 at 8:54 AM, Jesse PNW said:

The only thing I can add to this is, there have been quite a few palms I wasn't a fan of, after only seeing them online.  But once you see them in person, it can totally change your perception of that palm, it's personality, and the effect it creates.  This has happened to me with several palms.  Sabal palmettos, Washingtonias, Livistona chinensis.  Also, there is a lot of variability between specimens.  Most of the Trachycarpus in commercial landscaping around here have very skinny trunks and they don't look that healthy (compared to privately owned/grown).  Then you see some in private gardens (well fertilized and irrigated) that are just tanks and healthy as a stallion, they really shine.  

Wise words. Perspectives change when encountering firsthand exposure.