2026 2026_02 - Florida Palmageddon Observations and Damage Photo Thread

[pj_orlando_z9b]

Looking around the yard, I'm convinced the wind driven cold was the biggest culprit of damage. Not palm trees, but I had z10-11 plants that look untouched under the roof overhang and also sheltered from the wind.  Desert rose, cordylines, and rattlesnake plants look just fine.  Desert rose flower still in full bloom.

[HudsonBill]

Yep same here you can literlay see things are burnt where the wind was blowing on it but not on the opposite side. Like pothos vine and monstera burnt on trees where it was facing wind. Other side of tree it's fine still. 

[Johnny Palmseed]

For me this was the worst damage I have seen while here in Merritt Island. The cold was bad but the wind was worse. I watered well a few days prior but the combo was too much. The tall stuff got it worse than the low.

Fried Jamaicans

Thrinax Radiata

TR seedlings look ok

Seagrape

KO tall only the spear is green

KO small slightly better

Tomatoes that looked fantastic days prior

Edited February 4 by Johnny Palmseed
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[Bazza]

I just got done doing a soil drench with Banrot on all 3 Coconuts. They aren't looking that great, gotta say, so we'll see.

I got the shortest one' bud spayed with Copper fungicide but couldn't get the spray high enough for the other two so will get those done tomorrow somehow.

I also got all the potted material OUT of the house so can now sleep in my bed and take a shower...lol...

Cheers to all - Baz

[Looking Glass]

I can’t speak specifically to freeze damage, but my condolences for all the bronze fronds.   
In general though, palms can be annoying in their convalescent and perimortem states. 
They often don’t know they are dead for a year or two.  Hanging on to green fronds long after their souls have risen into the great Zone 12 in the sky.  

They also have a disappointing habit of feigning good recovery, only to crap out a year later from hidden fungal mush mush.   Sometimes starting over yields better results.   

Alfredii sales should be through the roof this year.  

 

 

[kinzyjr]

It's very important to have patience while the damage is stacking up from this event.  To give an example from here, there is a pair of Chrysalidocarpus pembanus here in the corner of the yard.  Both looked fine two days ago.  Today, one was completely light brown and the spear pulled out with nearly no effort.  There's no reason not to expect more to spear pull or collapse as temperatures warm up gradually and we (might) get rain.

[Kiplin]

There's a lot of brown, a bit of green, and lots of hope and prayers!!

[FlaPalmLover]

My foxtail was looking a little rougher today. Looks like some brown has started to show in the crownshaft. I went ahead and applied some peroxide to it.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

Here is the I-drive coconut. Sun was setting but it's 100% brown from what I could tell. It also looked this way in 2018 from my recollection. . Note the foxtail with mostly green fonds against the building and sheltered by the larger foxtail. 

[idontknowhatnametuse]

17 minutes ago, pj_orlando_z9b said:

Here is the I-drive coconut. Sun was setting but it's 100% brown from what I could tell. It also looked this way in 2018 from my recollection. . Note the foxtail with mostly green fonds against the building and sheltered by the larger foxtail. 

Nice, give it 1 mild winter and it will recover perfectly.

[kinzyjr]

1 hour ago, pj_orlando_z9b said:

Here is the I-drive coconut. Sun was setting but it's 100% brown from what I could tell. It also looked this way in 2018 from my recollection. . Note the foxtail with mostly green fonds against the building and sheltered by the larger foxtail. 

Thanks for getting the photo.  Crossing my fingers that it makes it.

[Bkue]

Oviedo. Glimmer of hope I suppose. 400 areca’s, 3 royals, 1 coconut, 3 huge triple adonidias. Small hedge tropicals look like cooked spinach. 🤷‍♂️ 

[Johnny Palmseed]

16 hours ago, Looking Glass said:

I can’t speak specifically to freeze damage, but my condolences for all the bronze fronds.   
In general though, palms can be annoying in their convalescent and perimortem states. 
They often don’t know they are dead for a year or two.  Hanging on to green fronds long after their souls have risen into the great Zone 12 in the sky.  

They also have a disappointing habit of feigning good recovery, only to crap out a year later from hidden fungal mush mush.   Sometimes starting over yields better results.   

Alfredii sales should be through the roof this year.  

 

 

Well stated. I would like to have a big dig in the spring and replace a bunch of stuff. But the cold got so far south that I question buying replacements that might have unseen damage. Luckily, I have many Thrinax volunteer seedlings that I believe will be fine to replace my triple which was getting unmanageably tall.

[Matthew92]

Looks like they wasted no time cutting the brown fronds off the foxtails at Epcot. 

lot of brown shrubbery 

[Matthew92]

Additional photos of telephone pole palms at Epcot. Credit to YouTuber Theme Park Giant
 

Satakentia by Guardians of the Galaxy, row of foxtails farther back (compare to photo of same view earlier in this thread)

More denuded foxtails 

[Ivanos1982]

1 hour ago, Matthew92 said:

Additional photos of telephone pole palms at Epcot. Credit to YouTuber Theme Park Giant
 

Satakentia by Guardians of the Galaxy, row of foxtails farther back (compare to photo of same view earlier in this thread)

More denuded foxtails 

lol I'm assuming the spears are green? Otherwise why even bother... might as well take em out

[idontknowhatnametuse]

2 hours ago, Matthew92 said:

Additional photos of telephone pole palms at Epcot. Credit to YouTuber Theme Park Giant
 

Satakentia by Guardians of the Galaxy, row of foxtails farther back (compare to photo of same view earlier in this thread)

More denuded foxtails 

Removing the dead fronds was a bad move.

[Matthew92]

Here’s a current look at the famous Bottle Palm in Adventureland at Magic Kingdom. Credit to YouTuber ROPE DROP II for these screenshots from livestream today.

Current look at a portion of the Jungle Cruise  landscaping at Magic Kingdom 

 

I think the tree is a pink Tabebuia, leaves look all brown.

Brown vegetation in planter near entrance to Adventureland

 

Jacaranda foliage looks damaged in Tomorrowland

[Almisa]

It’s hard to look at but going to wait a few weeks before i start trimming. In addition to wrapping to the extent possible, treated with copper fungicide before and after the 3 straight 25 degree (not including wind) day freezes. 

[kinzyjr]

@Almisa Good to see things are overall doing OK there, even with the damage in spots.

[donalt]

while your belle isle landscape looks tattered, it does not seem to have outright killed . even the coconut may make it. fingers crossed. are you going to put copper fungicide in the crowns of foxtail, adonidia and coconut? I did my foxtails in 2010 and it definitely got them through.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

2 hours ago, donalt said:

while your belle isle landscape looks tattered, it does not seem to have outright killed . even the coconut may make it. fingers crossed. are you going to put copper fungicide in the crowns of foxtail, adonidia and coconut? I did my foxtails in 2010 and it definitely got them through.

Gorgeous palms. Yes, I have a pro coming over today to apply. He said he was surprised how well mine look compared to around town and his place. He is from north of Orlando. He is most concerned for the coconut and bottle. Gonna try and test for spear pull on coconut. I can't reach it.

[PalmBossTampa]

Saw this home in Seffner. How about that Pseudophoenix in comparison to the spindle,and foxtails!  These probably saw 25 degrees couple nights in a row. These are neighboring yards

[Merlyn]

I did a dose of hydrogen peroxide on pretty much all the palms yesterday afternoon.  Most didn't react at all, but the Cyphophoenix (all of them) foamed up like mad.  Those turned black when they burnt, instead of the typical red/brown.  I'm sure they are D-E-D.  After that I mixed up a total of 2.5 gallons of Daconil and squirted it into the crown of all the palms and almost all the cycads.

As expected, the cold damage just keeps looking worse and worse.  The 31.3F and heavy snowlike frost this morning didn't help at all.  Here's the data logs, frost and local airport temps.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

The Leu Gardens plant sale will make bank this year 🙃

[kinzyjr]

39 minutes ago, pj_orlando_z9b said:

The Leu Gardens plant sale will make bank this year 🙃

GardenFest in Vero Beach is tomorrow.  They might make some $$$, too.

[RiverCityRichard]

4 nights of freezing here (30, 24, 28, 32) and probably 10 frosts above freezing. I tried to create a windbreak using tarps and lining the ground in the garden with c9 lights. Due to 30mph winds on the 24f night, my attempt failed and nature took its course.

 

Undamaged:

Coccothrinax Macroglossa ‘Azul’ (saw 26f under failed makeshift greenhouse with temp sensor in it)

Leucothrinax Morissii x2

Sabal Mauritiformis

Sabal Causiarum

Chamaedorea Costaricana

Chamaedorea Microspadix

Copernicia Prunifera

Copernicia Alba x Unknown

Euterpe Edulis

Livistona Mariae

 

Damaged:

Beccariophoenix Alfredii x2 10’ and 12’ tall about 70% defoliated, green interior fronds and spears

Chrysalidocarpus Pembanus x2 8’ tall 80% defoliated, green spear and undamaged smaller stems

Howea Forsteriana 6’ tall 60% defoliated

Thrinax Radiata 4’ tall with 10” of woody trunk 60% defoliated

Chambeyronia Macrocarpa x2 both beginning to trunk defoliated except for good spears

Chamaedorea Ernesti Augustii (tarp smothered it) 80% defoliated

Chamaedorea Cataractarum 50% defoliated

Cryosophila Warscewiczii 30% defoliated 

Archontophoenix Cunninghamiana x2 25’ and 18’ both totally defoliated. Spears look good. Crowns were wrapped in burlap with c9 lights

Chambeyronia Oliviformis 5’ tall newest leaf snapped in half but is green, spear looks good

 

Dead: (Flopped after first night at 24f)

Kerriodoxa Elegans (3g just planted in October)

Chrysalidocarpus Lanceolatus 6’ tall

Ptychosperma Schefferi 3’ tall - may come back from roots

Ptychosperma Macarthurii 2’ tall - may come back from roots

Pinanga Adagensis - just got first ring of trunk

Archontophoenix Maxima 3g

Archontophoenix Myolensis 3g

Archontophoenix Tuckeri 3g

[idontknowhatnametuse]

49 minutes ago, RiverCityRichard said:

4 nights of freezing here (30, 24, 28, 32) and probably 10 frosts above freezing. I tried to create a windbreak using tarps and lining the ground in the garden with c9 lights. Due to 30mph winds on the 24f night, my attempt failed and nature took its course.

 

Undamaged:

Coccothrinax Macroglossa ‘Azul’ (saw 26f under failed makeshift greenhouse with temp sensor in it)

Leucothrinax Morissii x2

Sabal Mauritiformis

Sabal Causiarum

Chamaedorea Costaricana

Chamaedorea Microspadix

Copernicia Prunifera

Copernicia Alba x Unknown

Euterpe Edulis

Livistona Mariae

 

Damaged:

Beccariophoenix Alfredii x2 10’ and 12’ tall about 70% defoliated, green interior fronds and spears

Chrysalidocarpus Pembanus x2 8’ tall 80% defoliated, green spear and undamaged smaller stems

Howea Forsteriana 6’ tall 60% defoliated

Thrinax Radiata 4’ tall with 10” of woody trunk 60% defoliated

Chambeyronia Macrocarpa x2 both beginning to trunk defoliated except for good spears

Chamaedorea Ernesti Augustii (tarp smothered it) 80% defoliated

Chamaedorea Cataractarum 50% defoliated

Cryosophila Warscewiczii 30% defoliated 

Archontophoenix Cunninghamiana x2 25’ and 18’ both totally defoliated. Spears look good. Crowns were wrapped in burlap with c9 lights

Chambeyronia Oliviformis 5’ tall newest leaf snapped in half but is green, spear looks good

 

Dead: (Flopped after first night at 24f)

Kerriodoxa Elegans (3g just planted in October)

Chrysalidocarpus Lanceolatus 6’ tall

Ptychosperma Schefferi 3’ tall - may come back from roots

Ptychosperma Macarthurii 2’ tall - may come back from roots

Pinanga Adagensis - just got first ring of trunk

Archontophoenix Maxima 3g

Archontophoenix Myolensis 3g

Archontophoenix Tuckeri 3g

Chamaedorea costaricana in Florida? How?

[RiverCityRichard]

22 minutes ago, idontknowhatnametuse said:

Chamaedorea costaricana in Florida? How?

Only went in the ground in early September. Guys at Redland said they’d do well in shade

[MarceloCaramuta]

while I realize the topic of hardiness between Archontophoenix Cunninghameana and Alexandrae has been discussed for years, our recent extreme cold gave me the ability to take pictures of the two growing side by side in my yard.

Official Belle Isle FL (Orlando) low was 25 I live near n a large lake which creates a microclimate that has allowed Cocos Nucifera to live here without dying in the last brutal cold of 2010.  I believe we are the only spot in Orlando where Cocos Nucofera survived 2010.  

My recorded low was 28 degrees but its likely parts of the yard were a little lower.  The warmer part of the yard is the back yard near the water.

As the pictures show, even side by side, Archontophoenix Cunninghameana are undamaged while Alexandrae are completely defoliated.  

[kinzyjr]

@MarceloCaramuta Welcome to PalmTalk!  Thank you for the comparison from one of the more enviable locations in Central Florida.  Hope that you don't mind me merging your topic with the rest of the observations, but it is a better way to give this post the attention it deserves instead of burying it in the Freeze Damage Data as a separate topic.

 

[MarceloCaramuta]

Absolutely, thank you so much for this.  

[RainforestCafe]

In regards to archontophoenix alexandrae vs Cunninghamiana, I had the same experience. Cunninghamiana looks like it has almost no damage, while alexandrae are 100% fried and brown.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

7 hours ago, MarceloCaramuta said:

while I realize the topic of hardiness between Archontophoenix Cunninghameana and Alexandrae has been discussed for years, our recent extreme cold gave me the ability to take pictures of the two growing side by side in my yard.

Official Belle Isle FL (Orlando) low was 25 I live near n a large lake which creates a microclimate that has allowed Cocos Nucifera to live here without dying in the last brutal cold of 2010.  I believe we are the only spot in Orlando where Cocos Nucofera survived 2010.  

My recorded low was 28 degrees but its likely parts of the yard were a little lower.  The warmer part of the yard is the back yard near the water.

As the pictures show, even side by side, Archontophoenix Cunninghameana are undamaged while Alexandrae are completely defoliated.  

Hello fellow Belle Isle resident.  I'm on the Western side of the lake.  Thanks for sharing your findings.  Those are really nice palms that I may need to work into my landscape.  My low was 25.7 on Sunday AM and I posted pics of my yard.  Not too happy right now.

[donalt]

thank you for photos Marcelo! very helpful. your microclimate in that neighborhood had to help!!

[MarceloCaramuta]

10 hours ago, pj_orlando_z9b said:

Hello fellow Belle Isle resident.  I'm on the Western side of the lake.  Thanks for sharing your findings.  Those are really nice palms that I may need to work into my landscape.  My low was 25.7 on Sunday AM and I posted pics of my yard.  Not too happy right now.

Hi neighbor, the cunninghameana are ideal as they’re quite hardy.  The alexandrrae if they survive do look great and have been solid here for many years until this freeze.  

[MarceloCaramuta]

4 hours ago, donalt said:

thank you for photos Marcelo! very helpful. your microclimate in that neighborhood had to help!!

Yes it definitely helped.  My tall Adobidias are partially browned whereas others around are completely brown.  This freeze has shown to me anyway that Alexandre aren’t much hardier than Cocos and definitely less Hardy than even Adonidia.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

54 minutes ago, MarceloCaramuta said:

Hi neighbor, the cunninghameana are ideal as they’re quite hardy.  The alexandrrae if they survive do look great and have been solid here for many years until this freeze.  

Do you remember where you got them? I'm pretty sure MB Palms sales them.  Wouldn't let me correct my post but I'm on Eastern side of the big lake. So I do benefit from those light westerly winds. 

[Matthew92]

Cold damage at Disney's Polynesian manifesting...  Link to full post on FB here here: https://www.facebook.com/Tikimanpages/posts/pfbid02oU9KGsKtbhgn9Q14u92pqjoqCVdWe61Z3pKDASgtoQVwJKW8LZdYf53Q4eP19kLBl

Post on February 3rd: https://www.facebook.com/Tikimanpages/posts/pfbid037aCYNkk2iDQUciToCDVfzPdZsmduJafN76BXdTi1Qdsv1nYSYdQZLu265UNCJvUjl

 

 

[Matthew92]

On 2/4/2026 at 8:26 PM, pj_orlando_z9b said:

Here is the I-drive coconut. Sun was setting but it's 100% brown from what I could tell. It also looked this way in 2018 from my recollection. . Note the foxtail with mostly green fonds against the building and sheltered by the larger foxtail. 

Wow it's become such a beautiful, tall palm. Reminds me of ones I saw in Honolulu on Waikiki beach. Will be interesting to see if it can make it. Am also interested to see how the ones at Volcano Bay at Universal Studios do.