What do you mean double trunked?

They are looking really good. Jim Im not sure, but I guess the double trunk windmill palm is 2 windmill palms whose trunks meet at the base of the plant. I doubt its a forked trunk which does happen to palms in rare cases, but if it was, that would be awesome!!!

Yup.It's forked, one plant 2 branches, but the smaller one has done nothing and has no more fronds

Ok, here's pics!

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Very nice. I had one just like it (but much smaller) only in my case the larger one died and the smaller one continued to grow. Ive also seen some triples at a local nursury 2 years ago, but it was priced at around 175 dollars and probably was no more than 3 feet tall INCLUDING the pot! Thats pretty pricy.
But thats not a forked palm, which might be a good thing because it happens when palms are under stress (I think). Actually there is a better name for it than a "forked" palm, it is probably more commonly reffered to as a "branched" palm. Not sure if thats the correct name, but its probably the best way to describe it.
Heres a link showing a seach on it. The first 3 pics are the best to describe what it is.
Good luck, enjoy the new flowers!

Here is a link that might be useful: Google search:

Thanks for the insight, hopefully it'll make it!

Apparently from all the info I read on windmill palms, they seem to recover from spear pull pretty well.Did it die from the cold or from sickness. Mine died of some kind of sickness I guess since it was late summer when the spear pulled. I think it has a much better chance for survival if the cold caused the spear pull because it doesnt mean its not healthy, but just a little damaged.

Good luck, I hope it comes back! Gotta love double trunked palms. They give a nice tropical appearance!

When did the abomination appear?

Trachys don't sucker,although there is some debate about a variety(T. caespitosa)that is said to be a suckering type.
Let's rule that one out.
If this isn't a separate plant then it may be the main growth point shot out the side and the top one died,which one will take over?
If it did sprout out the side you would think the main one is dead but if the bottom one died,I wonder if it is possible for the top to go again.

What's the history with this palm?

Like the pics. Some look so healthy and other so damaged?

The small palm on the double trunk looks like she gave up the ghost for the bigger palm side.

I purchased this from Home Depot here in Marietta in 2009 and planted it last March/09. Lost a couple fronds and has never recovered or did anything all last summer. The one center frond is somewhat green and exhibits no spear pull. All my other were purchased small 3 gal and have all grown to 5-6 feet within a couple years and 2 are now flowering, but this poor guy is just dormant.

I dont know what it is with chain gardening stores, but their palms dont seem to be as cold tolerant. Ive heard that some people have lost palms from lowes from the cold. I bought a needle palm and sabal minor from lowes last year and the needle palm died (after a low temp of only 14F) and the sabal minor had damaged despite protection from precipitation and a little warmth from x-mas lights. My pindo palm from ebay had the same protection as the sabal minor and had no damage at all and one of my windmill palms had no protection and also got no damage (well no more than it had going into winter). I wonder if the palms from these stores are just not used to cold which is why they are so slow to grow after a damaging winter. Im not sure, but its the only thing I can think of.

Good luck!

The palms bought from the big chains are usually from Florida,
they are pushed with fertilizer and are not acclimated(more tender growth,thinner cell wall structure) to cold.

There is no reason they can't be just as cold hardy once they adjust-this will involve more protection the first few years to protect foliage,
which will-in the end be lost and replaced with hardy foliage that has adjusted to it's new climate-

7 out of 10 I purchased from HD or Lowes and NONE ever died and in fact growing like weeds except for the double trunked windmill. Well I did buy a 1 gallon needle last fall from HD for $7.00 and so far it's crapped out.

They are selling"cold hardy palms" as far north as New York/Jersey,probably not as big of an issue with cold hardiness in Georgia as further north.

Jim, I agree, those are probably florida grown (or worse greenhouse grown). Actually the plants I have bought that grow outside in central florida seem to be pretty strong since some (especially after this winter) as seen temps in the 20s.
I think the main difference between the palms growing up here and in places like northern gerogia is the duration of the cold here. The lowest temps here are pretty similar to georgia even the record lows, but the high temperatures are lower here. This year we only went down to 14F, but that was on 3 occassions and the duration of cold was unusally long. Usually only 1 or 2 days dont make it above freezing here every winter, but this winter there were like 3 or 4.
I was just extremely surprised that my weak windmill palm survived and is growing healthy leaves, and my healthy needle palm died and only one tiny pup survived which hasnt really grown yet. My sabal minor also from Lowes was protected by the same means as my pindo palm (which off ebay and was from central florida) and my pindo had no damageat all, but my sabal minor had burnt leaf tips. My other windmill palm (this was also from central florida grown outdoors) was also protected the same way as my pindo and sabal minor and that also had no winter damage unlike the sabal minor.
I think a needle palm that has been grown all its life in the cold would have absolutely no probelm here because it typically does not go below 5F-10F here, but one from a greehouse has no chance for the first few leaves. If I protected my needle palm, I have no doubt that it would still be here today and technically the pups are still alive so its not entirely dead. But Im sure once all my palms get a little older the ones rated for a zone 7 wont need any protection, but I plan on always giving my pindo and medditeranean fan palm protection since they are zone 8a palms at best.

Good luck!

Its probably true Jim that the varieties from Florida spin off less cold tolerant seedlings mixed with strong cold tolerant seedlings. The ones we buy from growers in SC or NC are more cold tolerant I believe.

Plus like was said here also, proper cold protection when the palms are young would be important in GA. If a plam is planted in late summer, it will be much less cold tolerant.