2026 2026_02 - Florida Palmageddon Observations and Damage Photo Thread

[PalmBossTampa]

On 2/10/2026 at 1:07 PM, cocoforcoconuts said:

Where in Tampa are you?

SE Hillsborough -Lithia/Fishhawk Ranch

 

On 2/12/2026 at 9:16 PM, Kiplin said:

It was so weird flying into Orlando on Monday after the cold front and just seeing brown everywhere from the plane. It felt like we were flying into Denver.  It definitely looks like winter around here. I'll certainly be very glad to see some green soon!

I'm surprised that those reclinata fronds burned so hard. I had always thought they were hardy but then again, the combination of winds and cold were awfully tough for these palms. 

Here my Reclinata . This didn’t happen at 27deg for 7hours few years ago. Obviously gonna rebound fine

 

13 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

Definitely liked it better when it was all green.

Well lets all be patient because most of these common species will take until Oct/November to have 3/4 of canopy

[gyuseppe]

20 minutes ago, PalmBossTampa said:

Here my Reclinata . This didn’t happen at 27deg for 7hours few years ago. Obviously gonna rebound fine

Hello Pete,
Is this your Phoenix reclinata  after a small frost?
In 25 years, mine has only had minor leaf damage from the cold once.
This is how it looks after every winter.

[Atlanta Area Palm Guy]

On 1/31/2026 at 10:59 AM, idontknowhatnametuse said:

Who knows, recovery stories are always part of these type of topics.

Usually, the looks of these plants are way worse than the actual damage.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

4 hours ago, idontknowhatnametuse said:

Does every street look like this in Orlando?

Definitely the burbs where people planted z10 fruit trees and tropical. The other issue is our grass got zapped so all grass everywhere is pretty much brown. Just adds to the depressing look. 

[Jimbean]

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/338762216

[kinzyjr]

@pj_orlando_z9b + @Kiplin + @PalmBossTampa + @gyuseppe

These are my Phoenix reclinata hybrids with a juvenile coconut that got 100% defoliated for comparison.  My best guess is that they are crossed with Phoenix canariensis since that was the closest other species, but they don't have enough trunk to say for sure.  Guest appearances from Livistona chinensis, Syagrus romanzoffiana, and Washingtonia robusta as well.

[Merlyn]

@FlaPalmLover I recognize the Foxtails, but haven't been through the area recently.  On my last bike ride I took some "after" photos of a batch of Royals, Foxtails, and Christmas Palms at 3 houses in a row.  In the last big freeze the Royals grew back fast, one of the row of Foxtails died (maybe 2?  I can't remember) and the Christmas batch are all new.  I plan to watch these to see what happens.

@kinzyjr my Reclinata (which *looks* reasonably pure) didn't burn at all with 22.5F and direct wind exposure.  I thought they were all pretty tough, so the burn photos seem pretty wild!

I did a hydrogen peroxide pour on almost every palm in the yard, about 5 and a bit 32oz bottles worth.  I then went back with Daconil in a sprayer and did a stream of it into almost every plant in the yard (palms and cycads).  I did about 2.5 gallons total.  I then fertilized everything with my normal spring dose.  I used about 40lb of Sunniland 8-0-10.  It's pretty warm, in the 60s to 80s...I can't think of a scientific reason to avoid fertilizing.  It's warm enough with plenty of sunlight, and damaged palms need nutrients to grow.  Why wait?

[FlaPalmLover]

Isn't the conventional wisdom that you're not supposed to let any rain/water get into the heart of a palm when it's sick or whatever? Preventing that sounded really tedious, so I didn't do anything prior to tonight's rainfall. 

[Atlanta Area Palm Guy]

11 hours ago, FlaPalmLover said:

Isn't the conventional wisdom that you're not supposed to let any rain/water get into the heart of a palm when it's sick or whatever? Preventing that sounded really tedious, so I didn't do anything prior to tonight's rainfall. 

Sounds perfectly fine to me.  This stuff happens in nature all of the time and nature has it's own way of sorting this stuff out.

[kinzyjr]

11 hours ago, FlaPalmLover said:

Isn't the conventional wisdom that you're not supposed to let any rain/water get into the heart of a palm when it's sick or whatever? Preventing that sounded really tedious, so I didn't do anything prior to tonight's rainfall. 

When considering my available options for a rain event, I decided the best thing I could do is use Banrot on any species that appeared to be struggling with post-cold fungal growth.

[junglejim]

I read that any prolonged temps under 30 will kill pandanus. I covered mine but it was still in the mid 20's for several hours with a punishing north wind. I figured it was smoked, but over two weeks later it still has a little green and if a peel back at the heart a little it is green. I would love to keep this thing alive, it's been in the ground over 2yrs. Other that cutting back dead/brown vegetation and light sprinkling of palm fertilizer is there anything else i can do?

[kinzyjr]

3 hours ago, junglejim said:

I read that any prolonged temps under 30 will kill pandanus. I covered mine but it was still in the mid 20's for several hours with a punishing north wind. I figured it was smoked, but over two weeks later it still has a little green and if a peel back at the heart a little it is green. I would love to keep this thing alive, it's been in the ground over 2yrs. Other that cutting back dead/brown vegetation and light sprinkling of palm fertilizer is there anything else i can do?

Welcome to PalmTalk!

Keep an eye on the weather.  If we get another cold front, you may have to cover it again.  If you have any fungicide, an application may help.  

[Merlyn]

@FlaPalmLover if it's easy to keep water out then it's a good idea.  Conventional wisdom also says to avoid overhead sprinklers.  Yet every single palm nursery on the planet uses big overhead sprinklers, at least until 10g or bigger sizes.  They switch to drip lines with emitters or bubblers on 10 to 100g pots.  If overhead sprinkling was a serious risk then they wouldn't do it...they'd be risking their livelihood on it.  For sure I wouldn't intentionally spray water in the crown, but I doubt a bit of rain is a serious risk.

Other people here suggested Daconil in the crown, partially because it stays tacky when it dries.  So the mixture *might* stick around in the crown even with some rain.  Honestly, as long as torrential rain doesn't wash into the crown, many (or most?) would stay in place.  And a systemic (like Banrot or Aliette or others) is great when absorbed.  Systemics may be slower though, I read a study somewhere that it could take 1 to 2 weeks to get from the soil to the crown.  So I like the idea of the 2 step treatment.  I did a soil drench of Banrot + Aliette on a few key palms like my mutant Elaeis, a couple big Arenga Pinnata, and several Attalea Brejinhoensis.  Those were all seriously burnt and the frond stems were at least partially burnt towards the crown.  So I figure both is a good choice.

@junglejim welcome to PalmTalk!  I had a couple of 1-2 year old Pandanus Utilis (I think), but both died after 27-30F frosts.  They defoliated and started to regrow, but then caught a crown rot and died.  So a good crown treatment (Daconil, hydrogen peroxide, Mancozeb, any copper-based, etc) and a systemic (Banrot, Aliette, others) is a good choice.

[Jimbean]

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/338806575

[Matthew92]

 

 

[kinzyjr]

Figured everyone could use some good news.  Pritchardia thurstonii was able to weather the storm under coconut canopy and shielded from wind slightly by the lanai.  It is opening the damaged leaf in the photo and the another spear is coming out.  That said, we do have another front coming and that might finish it off.  At least it is still in the game, though.

[Jimbean]

Two royals in habitat showing damage

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/339113012

[Bazza]

Hey everyone......been a while and sorry I have not read what has been posted since I last posted but wanted to post a quick update on my palms.

My 3 Coconuts are the ones I'm most concerned with. Everything else - while full of brown fronds - look like they are going to pull through, thankfully.  And we'll see about the Veitchia joannis. I can't see what's happening with the spear because it's so dang tall...lol...

I'm still pleasantly surprised at how well my Ptychosperma and Archontophoenix held up.

With the warmer weather I thought I'd hit everything with a second dose of copper all over the crown and soaking the spear as much as possible, so did that this afternoon.

Will also do a liquid feed this weekend. I think it would help.

Good luck everyone and I will followup down the road when I know more...

[D. Morrowii]

Heres a brief overview of pretty much every palm I have in the ground. So much of it is totally burned that I’m not sure how helpful this is.  On the other hand If some of these make it could be useful. 

Exposure, 1,2,3,4 - least to most 4 = out in the open, 1 being fully artificially protected, 2 = naturally covered on 3 sides, 3 = naturally covered on 1 or 2 sides. 
 

Could also be a combination of the above also. In other words, a palm up close to the house and near the corner of a fence but with fronds extending well above protection might be 2 and 4. 

 

Young/small, maturing/medium mature/large or combination of the above.

 

1. Level of damage
2. Level of exposure
3. Age/Size of Palm
4. Status one week after cold front.

 

1. Pritchardia sp? 40% leaf damage, level 3 exposure, Young to maturing, 3/4” of spear growth. 
2. Aiphanes minima - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp. mature 12” wood trunk, no spear growth. 
3. Beccariophoenix alfredii - 0% leaf damage, young to maturing, Level 2 exp., appears to be growing. 
4. Caryota mitis - 90% leaf damage, level 2,3,4 exp., Mature/large, growth status unknown. 
5. Chambeyronia olivoformis - 85% leaf damage, level 3 exposure, young to maturing, 3/4” spear growth. 
6. Gaussia princepts - 0% leaf damage, level 2 exp, maturing/medium, growth status unknown,
7. Coccothrinax sp? Argentata/barbadensis? - 10% leaf damage, level 2 exp. Young/small Appears to be growing.
8. Coccothrinax argentea? - 0% leaf damage, level 2 exp., young/small, status appears to be growing. 
9. Coccothrinax miraguama - 0% leaf damage, level 2 exposure, young/small, status appears to be growing. 
10. Coccothrinax alaxandri - 0% leaf damage, level 1-2 exp., young/small, status appears to be growing. 
11. Ravanela (traveller tree) - 100% leaf damage, level 4 exp, mature/large, status unknown. 
12. Vietchia spiralis - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., mature/large, unknown. 
13. Chrysalidocarpus basilongus - 0% leaf damage, level 2 exp., maturing/small status unknown. 
14. Ptychosperma elegans - 70% leaf damage, level 2-3 exp., mature/ medium, Status no growth. 
15. Normanbya normanbyi - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., no growth. 
16. Cyphophoenix elegans - 90% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/medium. Status no growth. 
17. Gassia gomez pompae - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/smallstatus unknown. 
18. Chambeyronia olivoformis -  95% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/medium, status no growth. 
19. Coccothrinax miraguama havanensis - 0% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/small status appears to be growing. 
20. Pseudophoenix vinifera - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/small, status unknown. 
21. Ravenea rivularis - 75% leaf damage, level 4 exp., maturing/medium, status unknown. 
22. Latania loddigesii - 0% leaf damage, level 1 exp., maturing/medium, status 1/4” of spear growth. 
23. Chambeyronia pyriformis - 0% leaf damage, level 1 exposure, maturing/small, status 3/4” spear growth,
24. Chambeyronia macrocarpa #1 - 100% leaf damage, level 2-3-4 exp., mature/large, status 1/2” new spear growth. 
25. Burretiokentia viellardii - 90% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/medium, status slight spear growth. 
26. Becarriophoenix fenestralis - 85% leaf damage, level 3 exp., maturing/nedium, status 1/2” spear growth. 
27. Coccothrinax macrglossa azul - 0% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/small, status appears to be growing.
28. Ptychsperma elegans paddle leaf - 98% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/medium, status no growth. 
29. Chrysalidocarpus pilulifera - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/small, status no growth. 
30. Chrysalidocarpus prestoniana - 95% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/medium, status unknown spear is green.
31. Phoenix sylvesteris x2 - no damage full exposure. 
32. Brassiophoenix drymophloeides - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., mature, medium. 
33. Dictyosperma album rebrum - 100 % leaf damage, level 3 exp., maturing small, status no growth. 
34. Cyphophoenix nucele - 99% leaf damage, level 3 exp., young/medium, status no growth. 
35. Dypsis rosea - 0% leaf damage, level 1 exp. maturing/young, status appears to be growing.
36. Chrysalidocarpus loucoubensis - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing small, status no new growth. 
37. Chambeyronia houlouensis - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/medium, status no new growth. 
38. Hydriastele beguinii obi - 20% leaf damage, level 1 exp., mature/medium, status 1/2” new growth on spear. 
39. Cocos nucifera red spicata - 100% leaf damage, level 2-3 exp., maturing/ large, status 1/4” new growth on spear. 
40. Pinanga javana - 25% leaf damage, level 1-2 exp, maturing/medium, status 1/8” new spear growth. 
41. Pinanga adagensis - 45% leaf damage, level 1-2 exp., maturing/medium, status 1/4” new spear growth. 
42. Chambeyronia macrocarpa #2 - 60% leaf damage, level 2-3-4 exp., mature/medium, status 1/2” of new spear growth. 
43. Archontophoenix tuckeri #2/3 -  70% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., mature/medium, status unknown. 
44. Clinostigna savoryanum - 40% leaf damage, level 1-2 exp., mature/medium, status very small growth on new spear. 
45. Burretiokentia hapala - 40% leaf damage, level 2 exp., maturing/medium, status 1/4” of new spear growth. 
46. Calyptrocalyx polyphullus - 0% leaf damage, level 1 exp., mature/medium, status appears to be growing. 
47. Euterpe edulis - 0% leaf damage, level 2 exp., maturing/medium, status appears to be growing. 
48. Veitchia arecina #1 east - 100% leaf damage, level 4 exp., mature/large, status unknown. 
49. Chrysalidocarpus rufescens - 0% leaf damage, level 2 exp., young/medium, status unknown, 
50. Prychosperma elegans - 20% leaf damage, level 2 exp., mature/medium, status appears to be growing. 
51. Normanbya normanbyi #2 - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., mature/medium, status no new growth. 
52. Veitchia arecina #2 east - 100% leaf damage, level 4 exp., mature/large, status unknown.
53. Pseudophoenix sargentii - 15% leaf damage, level 2-3 exp., mature/medium, status appears to be growing.
54. Licuala grandis - 0% leaf damage, level 1 exp., maturing/large, status appears healthy. 
55. Cocos nucifera HD - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., mature/large, status 1/2” new spear growth. 
56. Cyphophoenix elegans - 10% leaf damage, level 2-3 exp., status appears healthy. 
57. Chrysalidocarpus lanceolatus - 60% leaf damage, level 1-3 exp., status some parts appear healthy. 
58. Thrinax radiata - 20% leaf damage, level 4 exp., maturing/large, appears healthy. 
59. Areca catechu dwarf - 0% leaf damage, level 1 exp., mature/small, status appears healthy. 
60. Wodyetia bifurcata - 95% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., mature/large, status unknown. 
61. Licuala ramsayi - 10% leaf damage, level 2-3 exp., maturing/small, status appears to be growing. 
62. Pinanga speciosa - 50% leaf damage, level 1-2 exposure, mature/small, status  1/2-3/4” of new spear growth on 3. 
63. Archontophoenix tuckeri - 95% leaf damage, level 4 exp., Mature/large, status unknown. 
64. Ptychosperma elegans - 85% leaf damage, level 4 exp., mature/large, status unknown. 
65. Pseudophoenix sargentii #1 - 85% leaf damage, level 4 exp., mature/medium, status unknown. 
66. Bismarckia nobilis - 0% leaf damage, level 4 exp., mature/large, status slight shock? Appears to be growing. 
67. Syagrus schizophylla - 95% leaf damage, level 4 exp., status unknown. 
68. Satakentia liukiuensis / 100% leaf damage, level 1 - 4 exp., Mature/medium, status 3/4” new spear growth. Crownshaft and trunk covered/warmed leafs exposed. 
69. Roystonia regia - 90% leaf damage, level 4 exposure, mature/large, status unknown. 
70. Chrysalidocarpus pembana - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., no new growth. 
71. Caryota mitis - 100% leaf damage (main trunk) level 3-4 exp., maturing/medium. Status no growth. 
72. Rhapis excelsa - 0-5% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., status appears healthy. 
73. Syagrus amara - 60% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., mature/medium, status no growth/unhealthy before front. 
74. Arenga engleri - 100% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., status new spear appears ok. 
75. Ptychosperma schefferi - 85% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/small, status unknown. 
76. Sabal mauritiformis - 0% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., young/small, status appears healthy, in pot. 
77. Carpoxylon macrospermum - 75% leaf damage, level 1-4 exp., mature/medium, status 1/2” new spear growth. Lights and heater used to protect lower part of palm. 
78. Neoveitchia storckii - 20% leaf damage, level 1 exp., maturing/large. Status 3/4” new spear growth. Most damage was from lights used to protect it. 
79. Caryota gigas - 70% leaf damage, level 1 exp., young/large, status unknown, covered by pot. 
80. Chambeyronia hookeri - 15% leaf damage, level 1 exp., mature/small, status no new growth. 
81. Hyophorbe indica red - 0% leaf damage, level 1 exp., maturing/medium, status 3/4” new spear growth. 
82. Attalea cohune - 80% leaf damage, level 3-4 exp., maturing/large, status unknown. 
83. Veitchia arecina + winin pair, 100% leaf damage, level 2-4 exp., mature/large, status unknown. 
84. Areca vestiaria maroon - 0% leaf damage, level 1 exp., maturing/small status appears healthy. 
85. Areca catechu semi dwarf - 20% leaf damage, level 2 exp., mature/large, status unknown. Protected by Bismarckia fronds. 
86. Licuala grandis - 0% leaf damage, level 1 exp., maturing/small, status appears healthy. 
87. Licuala peltata sumowongii - 0% leaf damage, level 3 exposure, maturing/small, status appears healthy. 
88. Hyphane coriasia - 0% leaf damage level 3 exp., maturing/small, status appears healthy, in pot. 

[Palmerr]

Man yall this is insane def gonna set a lot of people’s gardens and stuff Back awhile. that baby foxtail i planted along with the others that were larger are def dead in Kissimmee FL

[aabell]

@D. Morrowii Thanks for the extensive survey, very interesting. Maybe I missed it if you said earlier, but what temps did you get there?

[D. Morrowii]

1 hour ago, aabell said:

@D. Morrowii Thanks for the extensive survey, very interesting. Maybe I missed it if you said earlier, but what temps did you get there?

@aabell I had 24.5F in the front yard and 25.2 in the back. 

[flplantguy]

For anyone wondering about Chrysalidocarpus basilongus, mine survived once again this year and has some spear movement, but was defoliated mostly even covered with a sweater. Ultimate low of 24-25 inside the sweater (it wasn't a great protection honestly) and the spear has moved about an inch since.  Chrysalidocarpus titan had no cover on the spear and a leaf, and dead fronds on the rest, with no damage yet discernable.  I'm impressed and surprised by that. Minimal damage on a similarly covered B alfredii on an exposed leaf.  No losses yet, but on the fence for my spindles, bottle, adonidia (on purpose not cared for) and possibly my bucaneer if it keeps dealing with infection and likely decline disease.  My losses were last year mostly but will add some this year, just hoping not the palms left.  The forest had minimal to no frost, the front was open and hit harder on subsequent nights, including one unforcasted that did the most damage to a redneck leaf open to the sky (it's opposing leaf is fine, but it was all heavily covered in the 24 degree night and winds before).  Chambeyronia are angry but should come back, and chrysalidocarpus lanceolata is another surprise good performer.

[Looking Glass]

The only palm that had damage here was Crysalidocarpus Lafazamanga.  It browned up a little a couple days after our brief AM lows of 34-35F.  Possibly not a great palm for cooler areas.   It was fine before this and never showed issues in previous years.  

 

[junglejim]

On 2/17/2026 at 5:23 PM, Matthew92 said:

 

 

I haven't seen animal kingdom, but I've been working out in front of new island tower and they put in a ton of new landscaping between there and Polynesia at the worst possible time. It all died. Here's a poor peltophorum pterocarpum spit open at the trunk.

[bubba]

Stange bloomers:

 

Areca catechu close to 20 feet:

 

Mangoes will still be available:

 

More PB Coconuts:

 

An inland WPB Coconut looks unhappy but will pull through:

 

I took some more pictures today both at Ann Norton, Palm Beach and inland West Palm Beach. We still are looking pretty good:

 

That was a Carpoxolon macrospermum The next is an R.borinquena:

 

 

 

Coconuts still holding up:

 

More:

 

 

 

 

Kapok still standing although it is currently leafless:

 

Found another Kapok, nearly as large, that I have been looking for:

 

Even the Lipsticks made it:

 

 

 

Banyans refused to melt:

 

[ruskinPalms]

I guess it is time to show some of the aftermath in my yard from that last freeze before the next frost comes this week. I wanted to give a as much time as I could so that we can see the real damage as it sets in. The first week after the freeze looked mostly green in my yard. Ultimate low was probably around 30 or 31 here with a few nights of definite frost on my coconut and C. macrocarpa for sure. 
 

First is my small coconut and some sort of clumping Chrysalidocarpus, maybe pembanus or cabadi.

 

This area is wind sheltered from the north and northwest by my 2 story house. I think the wind sheltering just let more frost from and caused more damage. The zone 10 palms on the north side of my house look better as you will see later in this thread. I noticed that same pattern all around my neighborhood. I guess it just goes to show things don’t always go the way that we think it will. 
 

closeups of the previous two.

 

Ptychosperma elegans, Ravenea rivularis, C. lutescens, W. bifurcata, bottle palm

 

Pathetic Adonidia that was starting to die before the cold this year, Roystonea regia 

 

T. radiata, C. argentata

 

C. macrocarpa, Rhapis excelsa 

 

Papaya, dragon tree and canna lilly in a pot

 

To the north side of the house. C. lutescens, foxtail and Pygmy date. Less damage than my southern exposed backyard behind a two story house…

 

Things to note:

My yard has zero overhead oak canopy, only other palms make for canopy here, there is a large open field as part of the community park across the street from me to the north that looked like snow from the frost, there is native oak and pine forest to the back of my house to the south, I only have two immediate neighbors to the west and east. I don’t get much help from neighborhood density and no ponds near me. Temps I quote are the lowest from 3 closest PWS’s within a mile or two of my house, I gave up obsessing and fretting over temps in my backyard because I could never justify buying a fan aspirated weather station which is about the only way to get accurate temps when the wind is calm. 

[aabell]

A few of the more tender things at Naples Botanic Garden today. Not sure what the low temps were there but the vast majority of the collection seems to have avoided major damage. 

Areca catechu:

Nypa fruticans:

Pritchardia pacifica:

And a few Pritchardia thurstonii for comparison, proving much more tolerant of cold compared to pacifica (as advertised) 

[pj_orlando_z9b]

8 hours ago, ruskinPalms said:

To the north side of the house. C. lutescens, foxtail and Pygmy date. Less damage than my southern exposed backyard behind a two story house…

Looks like you did very well. Glad to see other areas with success stories. Orlando gets browner by the day unfortunately between the freeze and the drought. 

[Matthew92]

The palms in close view mentioned in this post (foxtails): those spears look quite brown. Not a good sign.

 

 

[MarkC]

I was mostly surprised by how badly so many bismarkia were damaged, I drove up i75 until I hit 17. Then took it to i4. Things looked decent till around Arcadia driving East on 17, then things got worse exponentially. By Wachula, nearly everything that should not have been there was completely fried. 
 

Just some photos this morning from Universals Endless Summer Surfside. Around Disney most of the giant birds of paradise were completely fried, some had green but many were toast. Here, they faired better depending on placement and proximity to buildings. 
 

 

 

On 2/22/2026 at 8:42 AM, Matthew92 said:

The palms in close view mentioned in this post (foxtails): those spears look quite brown. Not a good sign.

 

 

The lush canopy to the right side of the Mexican pavilion has been reduced to some hardy bamboos and livistonas. Everything else either perished or was fried into frond oblivion. 
 

 

 

On 2/21/2026 at 3:20 PM, ruskinPalms said:

Pathetic Adonidia that was starting to die before the cold this year, Roystonea regia 

What is killing so many Adonidias? I notice them in Naples in the medians and they are constantly being replaced. They seem to just turn sour very quickly for no apparent reasons. 

[FlaPalmLover]

Anyone else have cordyline fruticosa totally destroyed by the cold front? I didn't know they were so cold sensitive. Mine look like they're toast. They were 3-4 feet tall already. I didn't protect them because I didn't know they were that sensitive.

[idontknowhatnametuse]

21 hours ago, MarkC said:

What is killing so many Adonidias? I notice them in Naples in the medians and they are constantly being replaced. They seem to just turn sour very quickly for no apparent reasons. 

Phytoplasma diseases; ex. Lethal Bronzing.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

13 hours ago, FlaPalmLover said:

Anyone else have cordyline fruticosa totally destroyed by the cold front? I didn't know they were so cold sensitive. Mine look like they're toast. They were 3-4 feet tall already. I didn't protect them because I didn't know they were that sensitive.

I have several types of cordylines and have mixed results. Like most other plants, cordylines that were protected from winds and under overhangs look untouched. Even the same plant looks totally different in some cases. Exposed looks bad, understory great. 

[kinzyjr]

On 2/22/2026 at 3:52 PM, FlaPalmLover said:

Anyone else have cordyline fruticosa totally destroyed by the cold front? I didn't know they were so cold sensitive. Mine look like they're toast. They were 3-4 feet tall already. I didn't protect them because I didn't know they were that sensitive.

My Cordylines and Crotons were all defoliated.  We'll see if they leaf back out when it warms up.  If not, there is a reason I put a few Sabal minor 'McCurtain' between each of the crotons.

[MarkC]

More photos for posterity from Universal. It’s interesting that there’s so many degrees of variances to the damage plants achieve. I was at Islands Of Adventure to snap up some photos, and it’s really bad there. This was probably somewhat of a reckoning. But to my surprise, traveler’s palms in some locations fared better than I would have guessed.
 

 

 

Currently at Hollywood Studios, this park isn’t too reliant on tropicals, appears most things will survive for the most part. I don’t have the heart to go over to Animal Kingdom which is deep in the dead zone. 
I’ll make it over there in March.

 

[tep1981]

Port Richey, in Jasmine Lakes. We were extremely fortunate with the wind direction remaining slightly west of north during this event. Our low minimum was 28.0°F for 3 to 5 hrs (guessing on duration. I still need to check our weather station data). Veitchia Arecina, planted December 2021, this year, I was having a bad Lupus Flare and was curious about the cold tolerance. Completely unprotected through the 3 nights of freezing and 3 to 5 nights close to freezing. My Beccariophoenix Alf. was also unprotected with the 28.0°F. Alexander Palm, toasted, but alive and the new spear has grown about 6 inches. Foxtail, foliage crisp, new spear green and also has grown a few inches. Dichrostachys "Kalahari Christmas Tree", surprisingly was defoliated but will recover. Pretty sure the wind was the main culprit. Not to mention it too was uncovered. My Coconut Palm and 2 small Teddy Bear Palms were my main concern. One Teddy Bear,  oddly enough the one I boxed and blanketed, defoliated, but the green spear has grown slightly. The other was on the southern side of my husband's big work truck, which must have helped protect the foliage. I wrapped the base up to halfway its height. The end of the big frond eventually did brown mostly,  but not as much as I anticipated. As for my Coconut Palm, the C9 lights actually burned each frond and they fell over *smh* but, the temperature stayed about 70°F with the cover. I was hospitalized for a few days after the freeze and left the lights on to keep it cozy. The spear has actually grown about 3inches since. 

The photo driving down Jasmine Blvd (heading east towards Little rd - I was not driving) is of Royals, Coconut and Caryota. A bit crispy, but nothing like the carnage to our east

[kinzyjr]

2 hours ago, tep1981 said:

Port Richey, in Jasmine Lakes. We were extremely fortunate with the wind direction remaining slightly west of north during this event. Our low minimum was 28.0°F for 3 to 5 hrs (guessing on duration. I still need to check our weather station data). Veitchia Arecina, planted December 2021, this year, I was having a bad Lupus Flare and was curious about the cold tolerance. Completely unprotected through the 3 nights of freezing and 3 to 5 nights close to freezing. My Beccariophoenix Alf. was also unprotected with the 28.0°F. Alexander Palm, toasted, but alive and the new spear has grown about 6 inches. Foxtail, foliage crisp, new spear green and also has grown a few inches. Dichrostachys "Kalahari Christmas Tree", surprisingly was defoliated but will recover. Pretty sure the wind was the main culprit. Not to mention it too was uncovered. My Coconut Palm and 2 small Teddy Bear Palms were my main concern. One Teddy Bear,  oddly enough the one I boxed and blanketed, defoliated, but the green spear has grown slightly. The other was on the southern side of my husband's big work truck, which must have helped protect the foliage. I wrapped the base up to halfway its height. The end of the big frond eventually did brown mostly,  but not as much as I anticipated. As for my Coconut Palm, the C9 lights actually burned each frond and they fell over *smh* but, the temperature stayed about 70°F with the cover. I was hospitalized for a few days after the freeze and left the lights on to keep it cozy. The spear has actually grown about 3inches since. 

The photo driving down Jasmine Blvd (heading east towards Little rd - I was not driving) is of Royals, Coconut and Caryota. A bit crispy, but nothing like the carnage to our east

Glad to see that area ducked this one.

[Palmerr]

6 hours ago, MarkC said:

Currently at Hollywood Studios, this park isn’t too reliant on tropicals, appears most things will survive for the most part. I don’t have the heart to go over to Animal Kingdom which is deep in the dead zone. 
I’ll make it over there in March.

 

Man! Dedication thanks for showing us all of this!!

[MarkC]

2 hours ago, Palmerr said:

Man! Dedication thanks for showing us all of this!!

Truth be told, I would have been in the vicinity anyway, unfortunately my photographic skills and lack of illustrations don’t make it that interesting. Add to that the compression of the file on this forum(otherwise they’d likely never load).