Its such a shame to see. I would probably try and bring one home if they were left on the side of the road to die. A few of them still look pretty good. Sad to see them be tossed like that.
-Alex

The Queen Palms are like a dime a dozen to some of these hotels, golf courses, water parks and surf shops, so they are just planted as annuals and are left to die each winter. I had never actually seen any pulled up prematurely like this and dumped--probably to make room for fall plantings like mums or winter pansies or even Christmas displays. Here, the Queen Palms will often survive up till about Christmas or just after New Year. Once we get our first night in the low 20's they're toast. Had they been smaller Washy's or something hardier, I might have been tempted to carry one away, but those palms are about 15 to 20' tall. THAT would be a good sight with one of them strapped to my surfboard rack on my SUV.

What a waste. It takes a lot of years to get them this big.

I am glad mid Atlantic hotels are using palms during their long hot summers, and sad to see them wasting palms and money. Its also a lack of education. Many of these hotels facing south or on the water could have needle palms and trackys surviving most winters saving them a bundle of cash. Purchasing 15 palms that large and planting them must cost about $15,000. Trackys would save them lots of cash on landscaping.

Greg, it truly is a lack of knowledge. So few local gardeners even know that such a thing as hardy palms even exist. They don't even know what planting zone we are. People look at me when I'm nuts when I suggest a windmill palm for their protected gardens. They don't need winter wrapping or anything here. Friends visiting my yard just assume my palms get dug up and brought in or they die. How do we educate the masses?

Hello Everyone,

I agree with you all..It is such a waste!

SOooo sad!

Laura in VB

Its sad to see so many landscapers with so little knowledge around here. Im glad that Southern Magnolias and Crape Myrtles are finally used a lot around here, but about 10 years ago I saw a wealthy community with lots of palms right near me. But there was a problem.

First, they used hurricane cut sabal palmettos and Butias which is something that you cannot get away with growing without protection until about Virginia Beach. And second, they planted them in September! Maybe they would of put up a good fight if they were at least planted in the spring, but they were dead by New Years.

I am seeing some people plant windmill palms now which is great to see (a few are surviving the winter too!), but I have yet to see one nice sized needle palm! I really doubt that a large needle palm would have a problem in our winters, and if you plant them close the south side of a home, they would probably really thrive!

-Alex

Are the palms still there where they were found? I'm looking to get ahold of a few trunks for carving? At least they won't go to waste them..

I've not been down there since I took the pic. You live in the area? They were behind the shopping center where Bed Bath and Beyond is on Rte 50 westbound in West Ocean City (on the mainland).

I hope that more people in OC, MD realize they can plant Trachys, Needle Palms, Sabal minor and even Sabal birmingham for long term survival. I would bet most winters even a well established Butia could get by in a south facing protected location once it is established. I try to tell almost anyone who will listen.

The hardies are catching on, but more with private gardeners. I suspect that most hardy palms are hidden from view in back, protected gardens (like mine in Coastal DE). The resort businesses want instant tropical look to lure in the tourists each season, so the big tropicals fill that niche. I just wish they'd augment with some windmills. A few mini golf courses have windmills and Washys, which after this mild winter look pretty good. I just hope they keep them in place to recover instead of yanking them out and replacing them with fresher looking new ones.

Our home is in Glasgow Delaware, just over the border from Elkton Maryland in zone 7. We have four needle palms and a sabal minor (dwarf palmetto. ) In the 1-95 corridor of Delaware. Maryland and Virginia stick with the palms that are reliable. If you are in Lewes DE, OC MD or any coastal area above the Bay Bridge Tunnel stick with what is reliable in the Upper South, anything else is taking a chance. Three online sources of palms are Mail Order Natives (Lee FL), TyTy Nursery TYTY GA), and Chilly Palms from Charlotte NC.