I know that spindles are just a tad hardier than bottles in terms of minimum temp, but are they more cool hardy than bottles? I know that bottles don’t like consistently cool temperatures, so I’m wondering if spindles are the same or if they can take cooler periods better? 

Edited May 12, 20242 yr by JLM

Not by much 

and the hyophorbes are so slow that foliage recovery takes forever 

if you get frost in your area I wouldn’t recommend these unless youve got overhead protection like canopy to catch frost

In my experience here, Spindles might be 1-2F hardier...if that.  If you wanted to try one or the other, I'd definitely try Spindle first.  But I've slowly lost the majority of the Hyophorbes that are not within about 6 feet of the house, or well protected under the canopy of a big Bismarck.  And that's with temperatures in the 27ish range for where they are sited.  If you get into the mid 20s regularly, use them as a potted patio plant and just bring them in anytime it's going to get close to freezing.

Yep definitely. H lagencaulis barely last a month during winter here. H vershaffeltii slowly languish and die after a couple of years. H indica seems like it doesn’t mind the cool at all. I have 3 months or so with average temp of 10C/50F. 

Coastal San Diego is not the ideal area for spindles (generally zone 10a) but they grow reasonably well here around here. But they seldom hold more than four or five decent looking leaves, since leaves it open during the winter generally spot pretty badly. So they’re not exactly the things of beauty that they can be in the tropics. Having said that, bottles require a lot more protection in my experience, although with some protection, they can look reasonably good as well. Agree with Merlyn; probably 1 to 2°F more cold hardy for the former

In Sydney, spindles thrive and bottles are marginal at best from what I’ve seen. Strange that observations are so different in coastal San Diego where temps are relatively similar. 

In Alicante, Spain spindles are doing very well but bottle palms are hard to keep alive although I know a couple of people who have had them for a few years but always struggle to get going after winter. 

Here are a couple of pictures approaching mid-Spring. Pretty typical in my area. Having said that, this is the only palm that I would grow for no other reason in the crown shaft. 

Beautiful form on that spindle, Bret. You just proved that they don’t mind coastal SoCal!
 

My own limited experience here in the Palm Springs area is that bottles are more touchy and do best in a filtered-shade south-facing sun trap area while spindles can handle a northeastern exposure in winter and low 30s without canopy…and even push a little in winter. I’m tentatively feeling they are hardier in more sun here. But I’m still trialing young plants so these are far from good test results. But it tracks with my experience in the Keys where bottles were fine in sun but gorgeous in dappled shade. Spindles seemed to do fine in either but looked great in more sun. 

Here is a picture of my largest just after winter about to start trunking:

 

18 hours ago, TropicalGardenSpain said:

Here is a picture of my largest just after winter about to start trunking:

 

Jamie, do you protect that spindle at all? If I remember, looking at your area’s winter temperatures in the past, you are quite cool for several months in winter and spring. So I would say that is a fantastic success you have achieved. I have a feeling a bottle wouldn’t last long there…

9 hours ago, mnorell said:

Jamie, do you protect that spindle at all? If I remember, looking at your area’s winter temperatures in the past, you are quite cool for several months in winter and spring. So I would say that is a fantastic success you have achieved. I have a feeling a bottle wouldn’t last long there…

We have cool nights but most days are back up to 20c and our winters are very dry with no frosts at all in the specific area where I am. for example 30 minutes away from me areas get -6 sometimes in winter but my lowest temp this year was an hour or so at 3c. last year I had 1c for an hour one morning but again unto 16-20 in the day. I do not protect this palm and have a number of them in the garden doing well. I also have carpoxylon, Vietchia and Adonidia all currently doing well without protection. 

Mismo clima que @TropicalJardínEspaña 

 

 

By the answers stated from various locations, it is clear that Spindles take “cooler” better than Bottles. The mediterranean climates in which these are growing through this. The California desert presents an interesting juxtaposition.

My question is when they begin to Seuss:

 

 

Edited May 15, 20242 yr by bubba

my lowest temperature according to extreme weather watch has been 39 degrees since planting my spindle (in ground), so I am not sure this is helpful. But it is less damaged than my bottle palm (potted). I would say they are generally more cool hardy but not by much. 

8 hours ago, bubba said:

By the answers stated from various locations, it is clear that Spindles take “cooler” better than Bottles. The mediterranean climates in which these are growing through this. The California desert presents an interesting juxtaposition.

My question is when they begin to Seuss:

 

 

Beautiful 😍

Here's mine in Vista California

 

Next to it is the hybrid

 

On 5/13/2024 at 11:21 AM, tim_brissy_13 said:

Yep definitely. H lagencaulis barely last a month during winter here. H vershaffeltii slowly languish and die after a couple of years. H indica seems like it doesn’t mind the cool at all. I have 3 months or so with average temp of 10C/50F. 

Hello! Could you tell something more about H. indica in Melbourne? We've got a similar average temp in winter with Melbourne. If H. indica can survive for years in Melbourne, I'll plant one in Guilin, China, as the only Hyophorbe that possibly can take the long and cool winter here.

This is mine, the red form.  2.5 years from seed and in the ground for 18 months now. It’s the only option in the genus for cooler climates, but still won’t enjoy direct frost settling on the fronds. I’d recommend partial, filtered sun with some canopy to get protection from frost and some extra warmth. 

16 minutes ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

This is mine, the red form.  2.5 years from seed and in the ground for 18 months now. It’s the only option in the genus for cooler climates, but still won’t enjoy direct frost settling on the fronds. I’d recommend partial, filtered sun with some canopy to get protection from frost and some extra warmth. 

Great! I must plant one.  How was the extreme low temp did your H. indica took in Melbourne?

I just saw  "2005 Minimum: 2.6C", that's much higher than Guilin did. We got some years went below 0C in recent 20 years. Archontophoenix alexandrae and Syagrus romanzoffiana do well here but Royal palms cannot take it at all.

By the way, is it Pritchardia hillebrandii in front of H. indica in the first picture?

1 hour ago, HolyNewBee said:

Great! I must plant one.  How was the extreme low temp did your H. indica took in Melbourne?

I just saw  "2005 Minimum: 2.6C", that's much higher than Guilin did. We got some years went below 0C in recent 20 years. Archontophoenix alexandrae and Syagrus romanzoffiana do well here but Royal palms cannot take it at all.

By the way, is it Pritchardia hillebrandii in front of H. indica in the first picture?

Last year our minimum was exactly freezing 0.0C/32F. The year before it was -1.4C/29F (but I think I protected it while in a pot that winter). A alexandrae and S romanzoffiana also do well here and Royston’s do not so sounds like there must be some similarity in climate. 
 

The Pritchardia next to the H indica is P napaliensis. 

1 hour ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

Last year our minimum was exactly freezing 0.0C/32F. The year before it was -1.4C/29F (but I think I protected it while in a pot that winter). A alexandrae and S romanzoffiana also do well here and Royston’s do not so sounds like there must be some similarity in climate. 
 

The Pritchardia next to the H indica is P napaliensis. 

Thank you! There must be some similarity in climate! Last year we hit down to  -1.1C/30F, and the snow lay on the ground, which was the first time in twenty years. I think we can talk more about the list of which palms survived in winter and which failed the outdoor  cool hardy test.

I've got a Wallichia disticha too. Its new leaf turned yellow last winter and recovered now.

Lots of awesome replies! Thanks everyone! I had considered planting my spindle and at least attempting it, might wait though. Only thing is it’s starting to get big with some decently long fronds. They look great, but not sure how long it’ll be able to remain a patio plant.
 

I have determined my bottle will remain potted. I planted my last one because I needed the pot, protected it for the first several freezes and it did just fine, stayed nice and green. At least until Christmas when we dipped to 19F with a high in the 30s. I didn’t protect it for that, needed those resources elsewhere, the bottle wasn’t worth protecting. Let’s just say….it melted, almost literally.