Some of my palms after the recent freeze - League City TX

[Keys6505]

In League City TX, just south of Houston.  We had one night at 25 and the next bottomed out at at 23.5.  It did get above freezing in between.

Mule unprotected 

Majesty that I defoliated and wrapped with blankets and heat.  Too easy to protect to risk losing it.

L. Chinensis (unprotected) and Acoelorrhaphe Wrightii (blanket and Xmas lights)

C. Alba just got a blanket (had lights on it but they didn't work!) and the Arenga Englerii had no protection.  Another Chinensis behind that.

Decora unprotected 

Bizzy unprotected 

Chamadorea Hooperiana (I think?) just had a pot flipped over it

What I thought was Seifrizii but got absolutely toasted with canopy

Cham Costaricana that just got a blanket.  I may have overestimated it's cold tolerance

Licuala Spinosa strap leaf just got a pot flipped over it

A small Cham Radicalis and some transplant Rhapis did fine

Chuniopheonix Nana had a pot flipped over it with a string of Xmas lights laying next to it

Licuala Fordiana?  Lanonia?  I have to keep better records.  Had a pot with some Xmas lights next to it.

Cham Elegans unprotected 

A Cham Tepejilote that I decided would be easier to just dig up and replant after the freeze.  Doesn't seem to have missed a beat.

And last but not least, a potted Ptychosperma Elegans that I somehow missed when I loaded up the greenhouse.  May he rest in peace.

[SeanK]

Interesting, that C.tepejillote.

I have one potted, second winter. I notice that it is more cold tolerant than expected, also.  Could these be on-par with microspadix?

[Keys6505]

4 hours ago, SeanK said:

Interesting, that C.tepejillote.

I have one potted, second winter. I notice that it is more cold tolerant than expected, also.  Could these be on-par with microspadix?

I grew mine from seed so I have a lot of extras in pots.  I've killed MANY in ground.  I haven't found much evidence in my experience that they have any real cold tolerance.  I had 2 other smaller ones in ground for this freeze that look dead, I'll add pics later today.  I've tried to protect some in the past but that didn't go well either.  I tried a box around one a few winters back but I think I cooked it with lights.  Low 30's, maybe 28-29 they seem to be fine, but lower than that they drop quick.  It seems to have a really small root structure and I was able to crudely pull it out with 1 scoop of the shovel and stuffed it in a garbage bag.  If it recovers from that relatively easily that will be my plan moving forward with these.  Much easier than trying to protect.

[thyerr01]

The Arenga looks great, especially given it's fully exposed. Mine are going to lose all their leaves, even though they have a bit of cover. I guess they toughen up a bit at that size.

[Allen]

All in all doesn't look too bad.

[Keys6505]

8 hours ago, thyerr01 said:

The Arenga looks great, especially given it's fully exposed. Mine are going to lose all their leaves, even though they have a bit of cover. I guess they toughen up a bit at that size.

This is the first cold event that I haven't covered it.  I think from now on down to about 20 I'll let it ride, under that I'll still try to cover with some heat.  It's just gotten too big to protect easily.  It defoliated when we had 15 with no power in '21 even with a cover.  Took forever to grow back.

[Meangreen94z]

Your yard looks great. Everything is filling in and really coming together. Hopefully we get a 5-8 year reprieve after this. 

[Keys6505]

On 2/8/2026 at 8:00 PM, Meangreen94z said:

Your yard looks great. Everything is filling in and really coming together. Hopefully we get a 5-8 year reprieve after this. 

Thanks! At this point if we got 2 consecutive years without a hard freeze or drought I'd be thrilled.