For the Ground

[MonkeDonkezz]

I have very minimal yard space and I could only fit one palm. What do yall recommed?(I know the usual trachy, minor and needle, I am asking for something other than those three)Also, If I were to protect it, would a Robusta work in the ground with yearly defoliation?

[MonkeDonkezz]

I am also accepting alternatives, such as yuccas.

[SeanK]

Not sure why you ask, given you're on Staten Island. A cool z7b.

1. T.fortunei is the only trunking palm with a chance of survival.

2. If you're going to protect, (sheltered area, back yard) I would go with a smaller species.

3. You may try building a small conservatory that would require only minimal heat.

Edited May 25, 2023 by SeanK

[Allen]

Yes you can grow a robusta if you box it/heat it but a fortunei is recommended as the months needed to protect it is much less.    

[Las Palmas Norte]

4 hours ago, MonkeDonkezz said:

...If I were to protect it, would a Robusta work in the ground with yearly defoliation?

There's only one way to find out. They're generally fairly cheap, so you won't incur a financial hit should it die.

[Allen]

4 hours ago, MonkeDonkezz said:

I am also accepting alternatives, such as yuccas.

Sure I think a rostrata would work in a dry bed.   

[SeanK]

22 minutes ago, Allen said:

Sure I think a rostrata would work in a dry bed.   

A recurvifolia also, and will take moisture.

[Alex Zone 5]

Sabal minor a big established one 

Yucca rostrata 👍👍

[teddytn]

For a trunking plant that will give you the same look as a palm, but way more cold hardy and no need to ever protect, yucca rostrata is your go to. Definitely get it up high in a raised bed/ planter, circle of rocks and you’ll be good to go. These are at my house zone 7a. We saw a bunch of negative temps this past winter and the rostratas didn’t flinch. 

[BeyondTheGarden]

Teddy those yuccas look great!  

[teddytn]

5 hours ago, Jesse PNW said:

Teddy those yuccas look great!  

Thank you sir! Started them from seed in 2014. 

[bobbycfd]

On 5/26/2023 at 8:13 PM, teddytn said:

For a trunking plant that will give you the same look as a palm, but way more cold hardy and no need to ever protect, yucca rostrata is your go to. Definitely get it up high in a raised bed/ planter, circle of rocks and you’ll be good to go. These are at my house zone 7a. We saw a bunch of negative temps this past winter and the rostratas didn’t flinch. 

Those are beautiful!! Question,  why in a high raised bed? Is a raised bed better for cold temperatures? I'm a newbie to this so I was curious 

[teddytn]

36 minutes ago, bobbycfd said:

Those are beautiful!! Question,  why in a high raised bed? Is a raised bed better for cold temperatures? I'm a newbie to this so I was curious 

Yuccas and most desert or from drier area plants need really good drainage. Raising them up even if just on a mound and surrounded by some rocks, let’s the extra moisture run off and away from the roots. For example I’ve got really heavy red clay soil here in TN, right below the surface can stay wet for a long time after it rains, if I planted those directly in that soil without amending it and raising them up it’s doubtful they would survive. If they did they wouldn’t grow to their full potential. There’s a lot of yuccas that are extremely cold hardy, but in their native habitat they take that cold without damage only when they stay dry. Cold and wet will rot most desert plants. For me there’s only so many palms I can grow unprotected in the ground. Yuccas are a plant group that can give you that look, but are far more cold hardy. I had a Sabal Birmingham completely defoliate this winter, a lot of sabals actually,  and the yuccas all just stand there like nothing happened.