NC Date Palms

[NC_Palms]

Two of my date palms that I am growing in my zone 8a garden in NC. the first pic is P. sylvestris and the second is P. reclinata. Both do well but often get damaged each winter. I don't add any supplemental protection for them.

 

I am also growing P. dactylifera here but this palm HATES cool wet soil. So winters here are a challenge. 

 

 

 

[NC_Palms]

Update: Some expected cold damage but now are starting to push out new fronds

 

[NC_Palms]

Thought that I would give an update since the growing season is now over. 

The Phoenix dactyifera did bite the dust, I am unsure that I will replant it since it seems to not do to well here. But the other two dates are doing very well. 

 

Phoenix sylvestris (left) and Phoenix reclinata (right)

 

[VA Jeff]

I am living in Brunswick, GA now.  There are some very old canaries at the old courthouse that survivied 3 F years ago.  I havbe a few seedlings from them.  certainly they can survive wet cold.  But a zone 9 3 degrees is less damaging than a zone 8a 10 degree cold.  Still, I venture they would certainly do better in NC winters than sylvestris or reclinata.  Reclinata is marginal here, but there is one I know if in town that's been there for a few years.  Sylvestris is quite common here.  Surprisingly, I see dactylifera more in Florida than here.   And then there's theophrasti for cold hardiness.

All that being said, it's not worth fighting a battle to keep less hardy phoenixes alive without significant protection.  

[TropicsEnjoyer]

2 hours ago, NC_Palms said:

Thought that I would give an update since the growing season is now over. 

The Phoenix dactyifera did bite the dust, I am unsure that I will replant it since it seems to not do to well here. But the other two dates are doing very well. 

 

Phoenix sylvestris (left) and Phoenix reclinata (right)

 

The sylvestris and reclinata are stark contrasts between waxy blue and glossy green. Do you know if the reclinata is pure? It might have roebelinii genes by the looks of it.

[Fusca]

17 hours ago, NC_Palms said:

Thought that I would give an update since the growing season is now over. 

The Phoenix dactyifera did bite the dust, I am unsure that I will replant it since it seems to not do to well here. But the other two dates are doing very well. 

 

Phoenix sylvestris (left) and Phoenix reclinata (right)

 

They're growing well.  Did you grow them from seed?  Like @TropicsEnjoyer mentioned they might be hybrids - especially if you collected the seeds yourself.  One thing to look for is that pure sylvestris won't produce suckers but if it's a hybrid anything goes.  Reclinata is clustering so even if it's a hybrid also it's going to produce suckers.

[NC_Palms]

19 hours ago, VA Jeff said:

I am living in Brunswick, GA now.  There are some very old canaries at the old courthouse that survivied 3 F years ago.  I havbe a few seedlings from them.  certainly they can survive wet cold.  But a zone 9 3 degrees is less damaging than a zone 8a 10 degree cold.  Still, I venture they would certainly do better in NC winters than sylvestris or reclinata.  Reclinata is marginal here, but there is one I know if in town that's been there for a few years.  Sylvestris is quite common here.  Surprisingly, I see dactylifera more in Florida than here.   And then there's theophrasti for cold hardiness.

All that being said, it's not worth fighting a battle to keep less hardy phoenixes alive without significant protection.  

I have always assumed P. sylvestris is less hardy compared to R. reclinata. But the good thing about the latter is that it is pretty root hardy.  I do think the heat from the greenhouse helps keep the spot these guys are planted slighly bit warmer than in other spots of the garden. 

And totally forgot but I did manage to plant P. Canariensis this past summer. They still are strap leaf seedlings. that I planted in another microclimate in the yard. But it has dropped to the low twenties already and I have not noticed any damage to any of the Phoenix palms, which I am quite surprised 

[NC_Palms]

17 hours ago, TropicsEnjoyer said:

The sylvestris and reclinata are stark contrasts between waxy blue and glossy green. Do you know if the reclinata is pure? It might have roebelinii genes by the looks of it.

I am not sure about the genetics (I bought it on eBay lol) but since you've mentioned, I can now see the P. roebelinii in the fronds. 

 

2 hours ago, Fusca said:

They're growing well.  Did you grow them from seed?  Like @TropicsEnjoyer mentioned they might be hybrids - especially if you collected the seeds yourself.  One thing to look for is that pure sylvestris won't produce suckers but if it's a hybrid anything goes.  Reclinata is clustering so even if it's a hybrid also it's going to produce suckers.

Thank you. I bought them both online. I have not noticed any suckers from the P. sylvestris, but I guess time will tell if theyre hybrids or not. All what I know is that whatever their genetic makeup may be, that have not failed me yet in North Carolina. 

[TropicsEnjoyer]

 

3 hours ago, NC_Palms said:

All what I know is that whatever their genetic makeup may be, that have not failed me yet in North Carolina. 

Yeah for sure. It being a hybrid is nothing bad. Phoenix are always fun to figure out and these days each palm is different.

[Fusca]

On 12/16/2024 at 3:17 PM, NC_Palms said:

I am not sure about the genetics (I bought it on eBay lol) but since you've mentioned, I can now see the P. roebelinii in the fronds. 

 

Thank you. I bought them both online. I have not noticed any suckers from the P. sylvestris, but I guess time will tell if theyre hybrids or not. All what I know is that whatever their genetic makeup may be, that have not failed me yet in North Carolina. 

Yes, it'll be a while before they start suckering (if they do).  I'm posting a picture of my reclinata hybrid (unknown father) and it's almost the size where my sylvestris x dactylifera and my theophrasti started suckering.  Probably will sucker in 2025.

[NC_Palms]

It’s dropped to 22 degrees and no damage as of yet. I’m pretty sure the heated greenhouse they’re growing alongside really helps keep them warm. It’s about 75 - 80 degrees in there to keep the coconut toasty. And the boston ferns are still green!

 

Typically they look beat up and sad by the spring, but they’re much bigger than when I first planted them. 

[NC_Palms]

Update on these palms after temps in the low teens. I did cover with a thick blanket bc I didn’t want them to die. Phoenix sylvestris is basically untouched but P. reclinata is burned but alive. It will definitely come back so I am not worried one bit. 

There was no supplemental heat besides for whatever the greenhouse provided