alot of really nice photos! thanks for sharing. the very last photo looks like an Oregon Grape Holly.
jay

The palm two above the penguins (which you were uncertain of), looks like a Needle palm to me (Rhaphidophyllum hysterix), the Trachy above it does look like it went through the winter as it shows some characteristic but minor damage (mine passed out of that stage recently). I think what's surprising is that the larger Trachys bit the dust and the smaller one was okay (usually bigger is better in terms of hardiness). Here are some factors to consider:

i.) When were the larger ones planted? Should have been early in the season.
ii.) What's the soil and drainage like?
iii.) What's the sun and WIND exposure?--Microclimate makes a BIG difference with these marginals! And I find fortuneis appreciate a bit of shading from the strongest sun (in both summer AND WINTER)
iv.) Are they all in fact the same species (T.fortunei). Hardiness for some Trachys has yet to be determined.
v.) And finally, I wonder if there are differences in cold hardiness among different individuals of T.fortunei.

Thanks for posting.

PS., Mine have made it through three winters so far and I stopped protecting last winter.

Thanks!
Jay, I think your right on the ID. If its not then its definitely in that family.

Nj, The large ones were planted very early in the season, probably around late march, early april, maybe even a little before. Im not sure what the soil drainage is like but it must be pretty decent since there were lots of desert plants thriving there. Its also not exposed to too much wind since it has buildings surrounding it on almost all 4 sides (brick buildings!) It looked like the same species as the younger ones and I dont think a more exotic species would be very cheap or easy to find at that size.

But I do have a theory about the smaller palms and why they survived. I think that since it was closer to the concrete its possible that more heat radiated on it during winter days. Also since its smaller its naturally more sheltered. And If they didnt cut the dead growth from the other plants it could have acted as a mulch and further protect it. And the taller ones might not have been grown in a cold climate. I think palms that were grown in climates with 4 distinct seasons are much more tolerant of cold than ones that werent.

These palms were in a great microclimate so Im still not sure why the trunked ones died but maybe its a sign that these palms are best when started younger. They would spend more time growing in cooler conditions and get very well established so by the time it gets so tall that no other shrubs are available to protect it, it would be ready.
I usually blame the death of palms during the winter from cold precipitation but since the smaller ones did survive, I think that the lack of cold tolerance from those individuals is what killed them.
I do look at the bright side of things which is the smaller ones did survive with no protection in there first winter. I would not be surprised if they grow up to be very nice, large plants assuming that these next few winters are kind to them!

Thanks for looking everyone!
Good luck! Happy Independence Day!!
-Alex

The plant in your very last photo is a leatherleaf mahonia.

TZ, I forgot to tell you that the trunking Yucca you were uncertain of is Yucca rostrata. They are hardy in zone 7--especially if the soil is well-draining. They are nice enough--I've seen them planted among the animal exhibits at the Bronx zoo as I recall. But my tastes tend more toward the humid subtropicals and these Yuccas are more reflective of a desert or semi-arid region. They are relatively slow growing and can be expensive. On the other hand they look superior for shore areas (sandy soils, high uv levels, wind, etc.) Oh, yes, I was also going to say that Fatsia japonica will overwinter in zone 7 (unfortunately, they are also attractive to deer--personal experiences). A few other comments, Araucaria (Monkey puzzle) are interesting and are hardy in 7 as well, but they have issues with summer HEAT and our winter cold so I admire them from afar. I see you are interested in a non palm marginal plants. In that case, you might be interested to know that I have repeatedly overwintered Podocarpus macrophylla (Buddhist pine) and Loquat trees (Eriobotrya japonica)--the latter of which propagates easily from seed if you can't get the tree. The coming season, I'll be experimenting with Osmanthus (sweet olive) in zone 7.

To bad about that headless Yeti in the first pic,hard to believe a Trachy with that big of a trunk couldn't have been saved.

Most of the exotics look like recent planting except the trunking Yuccas,Y.gloriosa and the more common Yucca.

The Agaves look like American except for there shorter leaves,if they are they must have been planted this year as they are not hardy much past the lower 20s-esp with
moisture present.

Thanks for the ID NJ. Rostrata is a very common yucca here but they usually dont have 2 heads at that height so I guess that threw me off. I have always wanted to try a loquat and have definitley heard of there surprising cold tolerance in a zone 7. They are hard to find as plants so I guess the answer is to grow it from seed! I have also heard of sweet olives but its another harder to find plant. If I had to pick between the 2 then the loquat would be my choice!
Jim, I was hoping that the agave was a hardy species but unfortunately after looking back at these pics, it looks like it was planted just this year. The fatsias definitely look new but I hope they make it! The yuccas look like they have definitely been there a while as well as some of the other plants (I saw a large camellia that was looking extemely healthy in shade).
I wish the large trachys made it but hopefully these other plants will.

GOod luck!
Thanks for looking!!
-Alex

Hi TZ,

Just a note, your other post will not open.

Thanks for the CP pics. They are going for a tropical blended look and its promising someone there has a vision!

The Agaves must have been planted this summer. Even Laura in VB pots hers. The monkey puz. tree and some others will survive - but as you noted the other stuff should be covered or over wintered in pots.

There are winter hardy Agaves. One of the local garden centers was selling them a couple of years ago. I did't get one because I'm really more interested in humid subtropicals and tropicals than desert plants. If you're interested, I have seen them being sold on eBay--clearing they'll succeed best in soils offering excellent drainage (invest in some sand).

Greg, Yeah I have no idea why my other post isnt opening which is why I wanted to repost it. I wish there was a way to delete it because Im sure its going to get annoying after a while so I apologize in advance. There are definitely some winter hardy agaves and Im not sure if these are one of them. I guess they arent but I have to admit they were one of my favorite plants in the garden! THe monkey puzzle trees will definitely make it because they seem to do really well here.
I did look for some off ebay and even considered getting them but I figure I would wait a little while because I dont have anywhere where it would look really nice, but Im thinking about making a bed next year with a more desert like look to it and cold tolerant agaves might be a nice addition!
Good luck!
-Alex

TZ:

Thanks for the report, although it could not have been torture to visit the CP Zoo. LOL! I miss it from my New York days. Is the backstroking polar bear still there?

That zoo was built, like nearly everything in New York, by Robert Moses. And he built it as a gift to former Governor Al Smith, the ONLY politician or person Moses respected. He lived nearby and was an animal lover.

Perhaps visit the Zoo in the Winter and see if they are protecting the palms. I might theorize that they don't wrap because it spoils the effect, although it is winter.

I didnt see any polar bears there but I didnt really get the chance to see all the animals. The only polar animals I saw were puffins and penguins. I definitely didnt mind going to the zoo since Im also an animal person.
I doubt they protected any plants there so the few palms that did survive did it all on there own! Its a nice zoo and the landscaping did have some exotic plants but nothing that really looked out of place for New York.
If I can, Ill be visiting during the winter to check up on them.
Good luck!
-Alex

Did the sagos survive? And you are lucky to have so many palms up there! When I lived in va.(from when I was born to about 9 or 10) I dont remember seeing any palms. And its the same zone. Well, then again I really wasnt interested in palms untill a little over a year ago when I went to California. Once a few months ago I think we were near va. beach or somthing and I might have seen a few palms.I did see a few small palms here for bike week a month ago but they are only temporary. But if I go back to va. I have some big plans. If I can find the money since Im too young for a job! Its too bad those windmills died. They are very cool looking (even though Ive never seen one,haha).
And again good luck with your garden! Your plants look perfect.
-Hunter

I agree that two above the penguin is a needle palm, not a trachy, but it is interesting how similar the two palms look when small.

One above the penguin is a Variegated Yucca Gloriosa. They are really cool yuccas, especially when they are solitary.

They have have a hardy agave Americana protoamericana which doesn't have the curvature of the leaves. The agave only gets to 3' x 3' but is hardy to zone 7.

Hunter, Palms arent too common here either! Some of the botanical gardens and zoos are catching on though and a few houses nearby do have palms, but its nothing that you would find too easily (unless you knew where to look). Virginia Beach has tons of palms considering that if you go just a bit north or west, you will barely see any! I think that VB is the farthest north you can go to get that Palmy southern feel (Norfolk, Virginia also has a few palms around and lots of other southern favorites like live oak, crape myrtles, southern magonlias, long leaf pines, camellias, and gardenias so it defintely feels a bit subtropical there as well, but not much futher north or west than that).
Also, I doubt the sagos survived. It was a cold winter and even during a warm winter, they arent usually expected to survive (unless they have protection).

Islandbreeze, the trunk and fronds on that palm looked a bit trachycarpus like to me, but they do look similar when very young, especially when there is a ton of vegetation covering most of the plant.

Chadec, I will have to check that agave out! Do you have it and if you do, did it survive the winter?

-Alex

Alex, do you know those scientific names by heart? All I know is cocos nuficera.