What happened to Texas Cold Hardy Palms (Joseph Rossi)

February 20

I am aware that Joseph Rossi Lost most of his palms in the 2021 Freeze But does anyone know what happened to him he literally dropped off the face of the earth haven't heard anything about him in years. ! I'm assuming he just completely gave up on the palm hobby.

February 20

I am aware that Joseph Rossi Lost most of his palms in the 2021 Freeze But does anyone know what happened to him he literally dropped off the face of the earth haven't heard anything about him in years. ! I'm assuming he just completely gave up on the palm hobby.

February 20

I'm curious too. I can't imagine how devastating that must have been to lose everything like that, I just hope he's doing alright.

February 20

Sometimes folks just move on. I've done that on a couple of non-palm forums.

February 20

Yes, he and his brother operated the nursery off farmland they owned. He invested heavily in inventory but not infrastructure, and unfortunately it caught up to him. From what he had told me any profit they made came from basic cold hardy species sold wholesale to local DFW landscapers. The rarer stuff was a dream of his for the business , that eventually became a massive loss. He spent tens of thousands on seeds from RPS alone, and that was before their shipping went crazy . He traveled to California , Florida , etc and bought every specimen level, seed producing age Cycad, Palm , Yucca , Dasylirion etc. he could get ahold of. From what he told me most of the rare stuff survived in his better greenhouses and he has kept for himself. He has absolutely no interest in being affiliated or caught up in the hobby/industry again.

February 20

Wrong last name for the individual, but I've received images in text messages from other growers that happened to catch a response from him on Facebook.

February 20

7 hours ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I'm curious too. I can't imagine how devastating that must have been to lose everything like that, I just hope he's doing alright.

Me too I can't imagine losing all of my hard work like that. yeah , I really hope he's doing all right

February 20

2 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

Wrong last name for the individual, but I've received images in text messages from other growers that happened to catch a response from him on Facebook.

Oops i wasn't sure about the last name , but that's what I found when I was doing research on him

February 20

6 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

Yes, he and his brother operated the nursery off farmland they owned. He invested heavily in inventory but not infrastructure, and unfortunately it caught up to him. From what he had told me any profit they made came from basic cold hardy species sold wholesale to local DFW landscapers. The rarer stuff was a dream of his for the business , that eventually became a massive loss. He spent tens of thousands on seeds from RPS alone, and that was before their shipping went crazy . He traveled to California , Florida , etc and bought every specimen level, seed producing age Cycad, Palm , Yucca , Dasylirion etc. he could get ahold of. From what he told me most of the rare stuff survived in his better greenhouses and he has kept for himself. He has absolutely no interest in being affiliated or caught up in the hobby/industry again.

Okay, thanks for the information. The thing I really don't understand I wonder why he just stopped posting on Palm talk and stuff.I noticed he was a big member and then he just disappeared.

February 20

6 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

Sometimes folks just move on. I've done that on a couple of non-palm forums.

Of course, I love Palms and tropicals, but I also do love a lot of other plants.I can't just imagine moving on from palms

February 20

8 minutes ago, PAPalmtrees said:

Okay, thanks for the information. The thing I really don't understand I wonder why he just stopped posting on Palm talk and stuff.I noticed he was a big member and then he just disappeared.

Because he doesn’t want to be associated with the business anymore . 5 years down the road he still has people like you seeking him out. He told me 4 months after the 2/21 freeze he wasnt going to waste any more time trying to salvage things. He may very well lurk on here, but most likely he got burned bad and wants to move on in life.

February 20

15 minutes ago, Meangreen94z said:

Because he doesn’t want to be associated with the business anymore . 5 years down the road he still has people like you seeking him out. He told me 4 months after the 2/21 freeze he wasnt going to waste any more time trying to salvage things. He may very well lurk on here, but most likely he got burned bad and wants to move on in life.

I do understand that. I actually really wasn't trying to seek him out, I did see his nursery did shut down, I just wanted to know if he was still growing any palms at all or anything of that nature

February 20

2 hours ago, PAPalmtrees said:

I can't just imagine moving on from palms

"Imagine", that's the key word. Often when current views change over time, and they will, and depending on what motivates them, affinity changes. I'm no where near as enthusiastic about palms and exotics as I was 20 years ago. Currently, I'm happy with a minimalist approach to the hobby.

February 20

2 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

"Imagine", that's the key word. Often when current views change over time, and they will, and depending on what motivates them, affinity changes. I'm no where near as enthusiastic about palms and exotics as I was 20 years ago. Currently, I'm happy with a minimalist approach to the hobby.

When I first started growing palms a few years ago that's the only thing I wanted to put in my gardens, But the past two years I have planted palms but I've also planted a lot more other stuff

February 20

13 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

Yes, he and his brother operated the nursery off farmland they owned. He invested heavily in inventory but not infrastructure, and unfortunately it caught up to him. From what he had told me any profit they made came from basic cold hardy species sold wholesale to local DFW landscapers. The rarer stuff was a dream of his for the business , that eventually became a massive loss. He spent tens of thousands on seeds from RPS alone, and that was before their shipping went crazy . He traveled to California , Florida , etc and bought every specimen level, seed producing age Cycad, Palm , Yucca , Dasylirion etc. he could get ahold of. From what he told me most of the rare stuff survived in his better greenhouses and he has kept for himself. He has absolutely no interest in being affiliated or caught up in the hobby/industry again.

It's a real shame, so few people dig into the details that matter with palms, even further south, like here in San Antonio. Nurseries, big box stores, and subsequently people will just keep stocking and planting verities of palms that don't grow well here. The most common is robusta vs filifera. I would think people would have figured out by now that one is completely hardy here, while the other one isn't. I was just at the Rim and almost every single Washingtonia is totally burned, aside from a handful that are obviously filifera dominate.

I remember reading a post of his that he went out to the desert in California to find the most pure non-hybridized filifera seeds. Maybe he could have single handedly turned the palm culture in Texas around. If only his farm was in RGV, or even here, rather than so far north in Texas.

February 20

3 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

"Imagine", that's the key word. Often when current views change over time, and they will, and depending on what motivates them, affinity changes. I'm no where near as enthusiastic about palms and exotics as I was 20 years ago. Currently, I'm happy with a minimalist approach to the hobby.

If you count the first Majesty palm I bought, long before I discovered Palmtalk or even thought about seeds, I might be 6 years into this - and I can't tell you how many times I've said eff this lol. And that's without me losing 5 or 6 figures and years or decades of work.

February 21

What happened to @Mr. Coconut Palm from south Texas?

February 21

12 minutes ago, Aceraceae said:

What happened to @Mr. Coconut Palm from south Texas?

He is still in Corpus Christi but doesn't post much anymore - I last saw him at a palm society meeting last April.

February 21

It seems like everybody has gone to Facebook. I'm permabanned for some reason so it's whatever.

February 21

11 hours ago, JohnAndSancho said:

It seems like everybody has gone to Facebook. I'm permabanned for some reason so it's whatever.

I like the forum format a lot more, it's too bad they're mostly dying in favor of places like facebook and instagram. It makes looking up old threads and posts a lot easier too.

February 21

On 2/20/2026 at 8:54 AM, PAPalmtrees said:

Oops i wasn't sure about the last name , but that's what I found when I was doing research on him

This will clear it up: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/44333-trachycarpus-sp-nova/?do=findComment&comment=985110

If you were searching with an engine that uses AI, it probably conflated him with a YouTube video at Dr. Rossi's place in Hastings, FL back in Fall 2018. Texas Cold Hardy Palms sent me a bunch of cycads to auction off as a thank you to CFPACS for taking care of an issue for him. It was mentioned in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm-p_9NbkrE

February 21

18 hours ago, Aceraceae said:

What happened to @Mr. Coconut Palm from south Texas?

The last 5-6 winters haven’t been conducive to growing coconuts in Flour Bluff or North Padre Island, where he was doing so. I lucked out and saw his house and a garden he helped plant out before this run of bad winters. If you talk to him his interest in palms is pretty much 100% coconuts. Maybe if things get milder he will come around.

February 21

On 2/20/2026 at 10:57 AM, Las Palmas Norte said:

"Imagine", that's the key word. Often when current views change over time, and they will, and depending on what motivates them, affinity changes. I'm no where near as enthusiastic about palms and exotics as I was 20 years ago. Currently, I'm happy with a minimalist approach to the hobby.

I learned real quick that growing palms is a huge commitment. It's not like you plant something and call it a day. Here in Texas I can't even fully enjoy the winter because my nose is glued to the NWS screen just hoping that we don't get a 2021 Palmageddon winter. It's the uncertainty that bothers me. Every hobby costs money. I'm someone that can easily let go. I don't need to live at a place where I can grow palms. I also don't have the time and willpower to build structures around zone pushed palms just to keep it alive. I see some of our members doing that every year I'm like there's no way I'm going to do that. I work many hours, physically I don't have time for that kind of stuff. I also have my wife . She's maintenance too lol. I'm just a simple palm grower and I'm cool with that.

February 21

1 hour ago, kinzyjr said:

This will clear it up: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/44333-trachycarpus-sp-nova/?do=findComment&comment=985110

If you were searching with an engine that uses AI, it probably conflated him with a YouTube video at Dr. Rossi's place in Hastings, FL back in Fall 2018. Texas Cold Hardy Palms sent me a bunch of cycads to auction off as a thank you to CFPACS for taking care of an issue for him. It was mentioned in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm-p_9NbkrE

That makes sense I did just look at the AI overview it was late at night I was about to go to bed I didn't want to do much research

February 22

7 hours ago, MarcusH said:

I learned real quick that growing palms is a huge commitment. It's not like you plant something and call it a day. Here in Texas I can't even fully enjoy the winter because my nose is glued to the NWS screen just hoping that we don't get a 2021 Palmageddon winter. It's the uncertainty that bothers me. Every hobby costs money. I'm someone that can easily let go. I don't need to live at a place where I can grow palms. I also don't have the time and willpower to build structures around zone pushed palms just to keep it alive. I see some of our members doing that every year I'm like there's no way I'm going to do that. I work many hours, physically I don't have time for that kind of stuff. I also have my wife . She's maintenance too lol. I'm just a simple palm grower and I'm cool with that.

I heard that. If I was still working I'd only have the dozen or so plants in my bedroom still. The only protection I did was threw some Styrofoam boxes when we had a 14° night and I think that's about as far as I'm willing to go. I'm not climbing a ladder to wrap an 80 foot tree, I'm not building mini greenhouses, I'm not getting Xmas lights and running cords and thermocubes and blankets. Everything I'm gonna plant out is either capable of surviving or a perennial or I know it's compost. Everything else can stay in pots.

February 22

23 hours ago, JohnAndSancho said:

has gone to Facebook

Zuckers.

February 22

On 2/21/2026 at 2:10 AM, JohnAndSancho said:

It seems like everybody has gone to Facebook. I'm permabanned for some reason so it's whatever.

I deactivated when Meta started up. It started asking me extra security questions at every login. I think Zuckerberg was just phishing for more user personal information.

February 22

I deeply hate the hold Facebook has on the plant community. If you have any niche plant interest you will often find the largest and most active groups for it on Facebook. Most of 'big internet' runs on selling user information but that site viciously starves for personal data like a vampire for blood.

One seller of my personal white whales only takes orders through Facebook and it vexes me so. :badday:

February 22

37 minutes ago, Jubilation said:

that site viciously starves for personal data like a vampire for blood.

Couldn't agree more..

🤔 ..." like a vampire for blood " Suckin' -borg? ..Perfect nick name for zuk ..i mean ..suck..

Enthusiastically awaiting the day the Meta ( ..i mean Shett -aa ) empire implodes like the death star.. If only that dinner between the dweeb and other creeper dude was the kill shot..

Of course, when that glorious day occurs, how ever it does, that will mean a lot of whining form people who suddenly have to ...Gasp!, grasp them pearls.. ..go outside and interact with the world ..and other living people / things in it, ...like normal people did pre 2000.. Scary!! 😂

February 22

2 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Couldn't agree more..

🤔 ..." like a vampire for blood " Suckin' -borg? ..Perfect nick name for zuk ..i mean ..suck..

Enthusiastically awaiting the day the Meta ( ..i mean Shett -aa ) empire implodes like the death star.. If only that dinner between the dweeb and other creeper dude was the kill shot..

Of course, when that glorious day occurs, how ever it does, that will mean a lot of whining form people who suddenly have to ...Gasp!, grasp them pearls.. ..go outside and interact with the world ..and other living people / things in it, ...like normal people did pre 2000.. Scary!! 😂

I'm not a huge fan of Facebook ( anymore) but I know it's not just Facebook that sells your personal data. You give up your personal privacy the minute you surf on the world wide web giving social media your personal information just to sign in . It's the way it is since the existence of the internet. I have nothing to hide but that doesn't mean it's OK.

February 22

13 hours ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I heard that. If I was still working I'd only have the dozen or so plants in my bedroom still. The only protection I did was threw some Styrofoam boxes when we had a 14° night and I think that's about as far as I'm willing to go. I'm not climbing a ladder to wrap an 80 foot tree, I'm not building mini greenhouses, I'm not getting Xmas lights and running cords and thermocubes and blankets. Everything I'm gonna plant out is either capable of surviving or a perennial or I know it's compost. Everything else can stay in pots.

I give our palm hard-core fan boys a lot of credit . I enjoy watching them on YouTube or just see pictures of them protecting their palms . A lot of them probably have a remote job or just have a lot of time.

February 22

I'm not gonna quote everybody here, but I nuked Facebook during Covid. Not gonna get into the why, but at that point I already had to send in a photo of my driver's license because someone reported me as being fake. The email address I used on that account is long gone.

I tried to make another account recently since that's apparently where 98% of this forum has gone, and despite having to do facial recognition scans and them already having my biometrics through my phone, I'm somehow banned for violating community standards of a community I haven't been part of in 6 years - but I could make an Instagram account, go figure - and the ads and "followers" it promotes to me make it really obvious just HOW MUCH they already know about me and it's disturbing as hell - I occasionally grab my mom's tablet and scroll through her Facebook and it's not much different. They know she's a boomer that will buy pretty much anything they throw in front of her, lol... But yeah, I hate it. I mean, say what you will about the owner of Twitter (and believe me, I say it), but at least the ads on there are stupid and have nothing to do with any of my private or personal info. I have no interest in buying a St Louis Cardinals jersey or a World's Greatest Grandpa coffee cup. But Meta knows where I live, they know my health status, they know my marital status, I just want an active plant and palm forum again. And I honestly hope more and more of our previously active users on here figure the shit out and see it for what it is.

February 22

I have never been involved with any of the social media formats. I just never developed an interest in such things. I will say that if it wasn't for my wife having a face books account, I would never have been re-united with an uncle and cousin I hadn't seen since 1969.

February 23

3 hours ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I tried to make another account recently since that's apparently where 98% of this forum has gone,

When I first joined a couple years ago palmtalk was so active with so many different members, but it seems like the past couple months it's only been the same People contributing. Honestly it's really scary what these social media companies know about you

February 23

16 minutes ago, PAPalmtrees said:

When I first joined a couple years ago palmtalk was so active with so many different members, but it seems like the past couple months it's only been the same People contributing. Honestly it's really scary what these social media companies know about you

Activity comes in ebbs and flows. During the last freeze, we recorded the most concurrent users at 3,862. The previous mark was just over 1,800.

image.png.43df8f91161d2bd7312a46791c158d06.png

February 23

26 minutes ago, kinzyjr said:

Activity comes in ebbs and flows. During the last freeze, we recorded the most concurrent users at 3,862. The previous mark was just over 1,800.

I didn't realize that that's pretty cool! I hope the record gets broken soon!

February 23

I found this website by googling palms that interest me and palm care. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has web searched an uncommon plant and had a 'palmtalk.org' post amongst the first results.

This place has a lot of information and a lot of knowledgeable users who aren't casually accessible elsewhere >! except Facebook tagically hehe !< A desire to connect with this knowledge base is why I signed up.

We help this forum by simply posting and discussing a diverse set of topics related to palms and tropical or tropical looking plants. Cast a big net and you'll catch something. Never feel bad about posting here

February 23

1 hour ago, PAPalmtrees said:

When I first joined a couple years ago palmtalk was so active with so many different members, but it seems like the past couple months it's only been the same People contributing. Honestly it's really scary what these social media companies know about you

There's a lot of come and go. Sometimes I like to read threads from the mid 2000s. Some may not be among us anymore, others simply moved on to the next hobby. I can't guarantee that I will be posting here in 10 years . I know some of our users are on Facebook as well.

February 23

45 minutes ago, Jubilation said:

I found this website by googling palms that interest me and palm care. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has web searched an uncommon plant and had a 'palmtalk.org' post amongst the first results.

This place has a lot of information and a lot of knowledgeable users who aren't casually accessible elsewhere >! except Facebook tagically hehe !< A desire to connect with this knowledge base is why I signed up.

We help this forum by simply posting and discussing a diverse set of topics related to palms and tropical or tropical looking plants. Cast a big net and you'll catch something. Never feel bad about posting here

That's exactly how I found palmtalk lol. I like Facebook because people post a lot on there but it seems like people are not that knowledgeable also and it kind of makes me irritated because A lot of people on there just argue About politics and give false information, That is definitely one thing I'd like more about Palmtalk There's none of that.

February 23

27 minutes ago, MarcusH said:

There's a lot of come and go. Sometimes I like to read threads from the mid 2000s. Some may not be among us anymore, others simply moved on to the next hobby. I can't guarantee that I will be posting here in 10 years . I know some of our users are on Facebook as well.

Yeah exactly, I first joined there was a lot of people I used to love reading their posts but they just stopped posting. It Makes me a little sad

WELCOME GUEST

What happened to Texas Cold Hardy Palms (Joseph Rossi)

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