Windmill palms in Central Virginia

[bobbycfd]

Hello everybody!! I'm a newbie to the forum and also brand new to growing palms. I've always had a fascination of growing a couple palms in my yard so after a trip to Florida this past spring I decided to try my hand with a couple windmill palms.  

I'm in Fluvanna County which is very central to the state for the folks not familiar so I believe I'm in 7a.  I transplanted my trees in pots two weeks ago and so far they're doing well.  I'm just nervous about putting them directly in the ground right now due to the colder winters here and not sure what effect that will have on my young trees. I've attached some pictures and look forward to chatting with folks that is excited about palms as I am and learning from you folks!!

[Cindy Adair]

Welcome to the forum!
 

When I lived in Virginia Beach, VA there were several Windmill palms with the one planted very close to the house doing the best. By the time I moved to the tropics there were seedlings everywhere. No winter protection and trouble free but of course you are cooler. 
 

I just returned yesterday from a palm society meeting in London and saw many happy looking Trachycarpus at Kew Gardens and the Palm Centre nursery and at Bodnant gardens in Wales.

I have a friend in the IPS who grows this genus in the mountains of NC near Asheville.

Your potted palms look lovely and healthy so you are off to a great start. Hopefully someone else who grows this species in colder climates can answer your questions better than I can. 

[SeanK]

The 2012 USDA map puts you in the middle of z7a. So you should plan for approximately 3°F each winter. That means snow and is a bit too cold for T.fortunei. 

I would pot them up to grow indoors another year. Meanwhile, plan a protection scheme for when they go into the ground. They will need to be covered.

[GregVirginia7]

Welcome to the forum…it’s an interesting place full of knowledgeable people! I’m in Northern VA, about 10 miles south and west of DC…not sure how your climate compares but you probably do get somewhat colder winter temps though our overall temps are probably pretty similar…the three palms that have been great in ground for me are Sabal minor/McCurtain, Needle and Trachy Fortunei…planted around 2014 except for the Minors that are newer…here are the Needles…the first one is mostly sun…the second one is mostly shade:

 

 

The Needles have been protection free except for their first winter…I do water if we hit a dry spell but otherwise, they’re completely on their own…the sunny one is even getting a bit of a trunk that I want to expose…

Sabal McCurtain:

and Sabal Minor from seed sprouted outdoors and both never protected:

Trachy F.

My Trachy has done well…if you put yours in the dirt, do not mess with the roots in any way…be very careful with that. Just back fill with the soil but break it down pretty good, fill about half, water in well and finish the backfill, water again well…mulch it good. You will want to position them in a south facing spot so they get good sun in the winter and north winter wind protection if possible…mine was in shade but we cut the tree down that sheltered it and once exposed and acclimated to mostly sun, it took off like a rocket…your first few winters will require heat and cover protection till they are established…I never went the wrapping route but constructed a simple structure with black landscaping cloth for cover (black really draws in heat from the sun during the day and some Christmas lights (the small ones) for heat, but eventually it got too big to protect so it’s been on its own for most of its time in ground…has done exceptionally well but this last winter of two nights in single digits and two days below freezing…well, it took a hit but is recovering. Though it has withstood, unharmed, much harsher winters, the combination of mild/moderate winter temps then sudden single/sub freezing temps, even though of short duration, did a number on it for sure!

Turns out, every exposed frond got damaged and as of today, they all look pretty bad…however, it is pushing new fronds like crazy so hopefully will be back to pre Christmas freeze by end of summer…lots of food and water for this one! Enjoy the palm experience…check this forum out for winter protection methods, spring/summer feeding schedules and general maintenance and hopefully, you won’t have any casualties…😊

 

[PAPalmtrees]

I would plant them in the ground up against a southern facing wall when it gets really cold you should protect them with C9 Christmas lights a tarp and a frost cloth.

[scarecrow]

Zone 7a is a bit of a stretch. My hardiest, tallest windmill looked like the pits after 2F, the coldest in decades. Cold hardiness varies from seedling to seedling and seedlings from warmer climates may not adapt to colder regions. If you want a trunking palm try Sabal Birmingham or Sabal brazoria but expect slower growth.

[NickS]

I have 2 nine foot windmills in Charlottesville. Both on a south facing wall. It is my experience that it’s cold  plus wind that gets windmills. If you can keep them out of those occasional hard north winds in Dec Jan you might be ok. The tree that gets the most wind got it good last year but is recovering nicely. BTW I know of at least 2 other un protected windmills in Charlottesville about 8 feet. Also sabal minor and needles totally ok for central VA.

Edited June 4, 2023 by NickS

[bobbycfd]

On 6/4/2023 at 4:58 PM, NickS said:

I have 2 nine foot windmills in Charlottesville. Both on a south facing wall. It is my experience that it’s cold  plus wind that gets windmills. If you can keep them out of those occasional hard north winds in Dec Jan you might be ok. The tree that gets the most wind got it good last year but is recovering nicely. BTW I know of at least 2 other un protected windmills in Charlottesville about 8 feet. Also sabal minor and needles totally ok for central VA.

Thanks for the information!!! I'm a little slow with the reply, it's been a crazy busy summer so far.  I would love to see some pictures of your palms if you don't mind sharing.  I was in a neighborhood in cville a few months back and saw a couple of beautiful palms in someone's front yard.  Keeping my fingers crossed I can have the same luck

[bobbycfd]

On 6/3/2023 at 8:02 AM, GregVirginia7 said:

Welcome to the forum…it’s an interesting place full of knowledgeable people! I’m in Northern VA, about 10 miles south and west of DC…not sure how your climate compares but you probably do get somewhat colder winter temps though our overall temps are probably pretty similar…the three palms that have been great in ground for me are Sabal minor/McCurtain, Needle and Trachy Fortunei…planted around 2014 except for the Minors that are newer…here are the Needles…the first one is mostly sun…the second one is mostly shade:

 

 

The Needles have been protection free except for their first winter…I do water if we hit a dry spell but otherwise, they’re completely on their own…the sunny one is even getting a bit of a trunk that I want to expose…

Sabal McCurtain:

and Sabal Minor from seed sprouted outdoors and both never protected:

Trachy F.

My Trachy has done well…if you put yours in the dirt, do not mess with the roots in any way…be very careful with that. Just back fill with the soil but break it down pretty good, fill about half, water in well and finish the backfill, water again well…mulch it good. You will want to position them in a south facing spot so they get good sun in the winter and north winter wind protection if possible…mine was in shade but we cut the tree down that sheltered it and once exposed and acclimated to mostly sun, it took off like a rocket…your first few winters will require heat and cover protection till they are established…I never went the wrapping route but constructed a simple structure with black landscaping cloth for cover (black really draws in heat from the sun during the day and some Christmas lights (the small ones) for heat, but eventually it got too big to protect so it’s been on its own for most of its time in ground…has done exceptionally well but this last winter of two nights in single digits and two days below freezing…well, it took a hit but is recovering. Though it has withstood, unharmed, much harsher winters, the combination of mild/moderate winter temps then sudden single/sub freezing temps, even though of short duration, did a number on it for sure!

Turns out, every exposed frond got damaged and as of today, they all look pretty bad…however, it is pushing new fronds like crazy so hopefully will be back to pre Christmas freeze by end of summer…lots of food and water for this one! Enjoy the palm experience…check this forum out for winter protection methods, spring/summer feeding schedules and general maintenance and hopefully, you won’t have any casualties…😊

 

Thanks for all the information!! Your collection looks awesome,  I can tell you have put a lot of time and work into it