Is there anyone here growing windmill palms in south florida?

[Colin1110082]

Hello, from what I know windmill palms don’t do as well in the constant humid heat of south florida compared to the north, but is there anyone here who grows specifically fortunei in southern florida? I am sure there are varieties of windmill palm that do better there but I am wondering if any fortunei are down there. Thanks. I was just curious

[RFun]

1 hour ago, Colin1110082 said:

Hello, from what I know windmill palms don’t do as well in the constant humid heat of south florida compared to the north, but is there anyone here who grows specifically fortunei in southern florida? I am sure there are varieties of windmill palm that do better there but I am wondering if any fortunei are down there. Thanks. I was just curious

I know there are windmills in South Florida.  For that kind of climate, I would plant the windmills on the banks of a creek, river, lake or a swampy area.  Seasonal floodplain would work as well.

[Merlyn]

@Colin1110082 as far as I know, there are only a few documented Windmills (Trachycarpus) of any sort in Central to South Florida.  The soil nematodes kill them.  I've never seen one survive in the Orlando area.  The local FDOT dummies planted a row of 20' tall Trachies at the I4 interchange near 434, all of them died within about 1-2 years.  European Fan (Chamaerops Humilis) do great though, as long as they aren't in swampy soil.

[Colin1110082]

18 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

@Colin1110082 as far as I know, there are only a few documented Windmills (Trachycarpus) of any sort in Central to South Florida.  The soil nematodes kill them.  I've never seen one survive in the Orlando area.  The local FDOT dummies planted a row of 20' tall Trachies at the I4 interchange near 434, all of them died within about 1-2 years.  European Fan (Chamaerops Humilis) do great though, as long as they aren't in swampy soil.

Yeah that’s what I thought. The only ones I know of in Orlando were at a ride at disney world but they looked thin.  I’m sure there are a few that are living decently in southern florida, that is why I asked. Maybe someone knew or are growing them in the south and they happen to be living.

[kinzyjr]

There are a few spots here without nematode issues where they do OK, but I wouldn't stack them up against the ones growing in clay soil in Georgia, SC, or NC: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/56607-trachycarpus-in-lakeland/

[Colin1110082]

1 hour ago, kinzyjr said:

There are a few spots here without nematode issues where they do OK, but I wouldn't stack them up against the ones growing in clay soil in Georgia, SC, or NC: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/56607-trachycarpus-in-lakeland/

Yes stuff like that, it clearly can be done if done in the right place with the light care! Healthy looking specimen 

[PalmatierMeg]

Years ago I planted a windmill palm here in SWFL (I mistook it for a Coccothrinax). It never grew, instead it lingered in misery before croaking 18 months later. With all the tropical palms we can grow in SFL why would I waste time, money and energy trying to grow a temperate palm that hates my climate and alkaline soil and is also a nematode magnet?

[hbernstein]

There are wholesale nurseries in S. Florida that offer them, but I assume that they're shipping them north. I've never seen one in the ground here. I twice tried growing potted T. wagnerianus, but always managed to kill them. 

[VA Jeff]

Growing a windmill in South Florida is like ordering a hotdog at a gourmet steakhouse.

[VA Jeff]

Trachy latisectus grows at the Bamboo Farm in Savannah.  It is one of the most subtropical of the genus, but not especially subtropical looking.  I think the best trachy is princeps.  

 

A similar thing could be said about the similar looking trithrinax.  It sounds great until you see it in person.  Super slow growing.  After seeing it in Argentina in a botanical garden, I thought it's a more painful, less attractive version of trachycarpus.   But it would grow fine in Miami.