Well summer is finally coming to an end and I'm pretty happy with how my in-ground palms (and other plants) recovered from the deep freeze we got here back during December.  According to Weather Underground it got down to 5f in my town the night of December 24th.  Thankfully the rest of the winter was fairly mild, but that low was by far the worst I've seen since the crazy freeze event of 2018.  I protected my Butia thoroughly, but the rest were on their own.  It was interesting to see how some palms did better than others of the same species, I guess due to microclimates in my yard and/or genetics. 

Here are some examples of the damage in mid-February and how they look now in August:

Trachycarpus fortunei (1) - cosmetic damage but no spear pull, made a full recovery

 

Sabal louisiana - some damage, full recovery

 

Cycas revoluta - total defoliation, made a full recovery

 

Cycas taitungensis - total defoliation, made a full recovery

 

Sabal brazoria - unfazed

 

 

Trachycarpus fortunei (2) - severe spear pull and fungal infection, made full recovery after treatment with copper fungicide

 

Trachycarpus fortunei (3) - severe cosmetic damage and spear pull, had to trunk cut sadly but it is making a slow recovery

 

Butia odorata - some spear damage, otherwise undamaged due to protection. Full recovery

 

Washingtonia robusta - total defoliation, making slow recovery after trunk cut to the ground

 

Cordyline australis - died to ground, made full recovery

 

Spanish moss - mostly unfazed

 

Fatsia japonica - cosmetic damage, made a full recovery

 

Pittosporum tobira - surprisingly very little damage, and it more than doubled in size this summer 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks, I love posts like these. Surprised the fatsia lived, though it does appear to be in a favorable microclimate. I will be experimenting with variegated forms which are reportedly hardier. Pittosporum are tough but I have more trouble getting them through a hot summer. For the rest, I have had similar experiences with all these plants with the exception of my Robusta that did not make it. 

Where did you get that washingtonia from jeez 

Edited August 29, 20232 yr by BigBilly

8 hours ago, Swolte said:

Thanks, I love posts like these. Surprised the fatsia lived, though it does appear to be in a favorable microclimate. I will be experimenting with variegated forms which are reportedly hardier. Pittosporum are tough but I have more trouble getting them through a hot summer. For the rest, I have had similar experiences with all these plants with the exception of my Robusta that did not make it. 

I have fatsia growing here in the high desert that survived -10f in 2011.  Meaning some wood and actual leaves.  Way harder than reported. Also very drought tolerant too(it has gone multiple years without additional irrigation).  Completely shaded in my locale. It cannot tolerate any direct sun here. 

I think the OP report of 5f and this pic says volumes about it's cold hardiness!

Everything looks good. The protection paid off. Hopefully, 10 years before we see those temps again.

3 hours ago, BigBilly said:

Where did you get that washingtonia from jeez 

I got it from this seller out of Hampstead Palmpeii Nursery | Hampstead, NC | BuyPalmsOnline.com. I bought several from them, but I've got the rest potted up rather than in-ground

1 hour ago, NCFM said:

I got it from this seller out of Hampstead Palmpeii Nursery | Hampstead, NC | BuyPalmsOnline.com. I bought several from them, but I've got the rest potted up rather than in-ground

Gotta try one of those here we got down the same temperature here.

10 hours ago, NCFM said:

I got it from this seller out of Hampstead Palmpeii Nursery | Hampstead, NC | BuyPalmsOnline.com. I bought several from them, but I've got the rest potted up rather than in-ground

I wonder how pure their filiferas are. I see some purple on the base.