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mikeevans43

cold hardy palm trees

mikeevans43
11 years ago

What types of palm trees can be planted in zone 7 in new jersey with no protection?

Comments (6)

  • User
    11 years ago

    Sabal minor and Raphidophyllum hysterix, but it is suggested to protect these too for at least the first year. Trachycarpus will be okay in normal to mild winters but will need protection if it is excessively wet and cold. The particular site you have makes a big difference. Here's what I have unprotected in Zone 7, NJ:

    Sabal minor and S. Louisiana
    Raphidophyllum hysterix (Needle palm)
    Chamaerops humilis (Med. Fan)
    Trachycarpus fortunei (windmill palm)
    Trachycarpus wagnerianus (Waggy)

  • tropicalzone7
    11 years ago

    Needle palms and Sabal minors should both do fine. I would protect them their first few winters, but once they are established they will be fine with your winters.
    Sometimes I don't protect my Trachys and they do fine and I have seen unprotected trachys do well here in NYC (also a zone 7). There is a nice sized trachy in my neighborhood that got protection last winter, but it looks like it will not be getting protection this winter so hopefully it makes it. That palm was partially underwater from Sandy's storm surge, so the salt water probably was not too good for it, so far it doesn't look like it was harmed though.
    I've seen other trachys get just a wrapping of burlap around the trunk and they make it out of winter with no problems. I think protection from precipitation during the winter time is really important for palms in cold climates. Too much water on the crown during the cold weather months can promote rot, especially when there is a lot of freezing and thawing from day to day. I havent protected any of my palms yet, but from this point on they will all be protected from rain, snow, or temperatures below 25F.

    I'm growing a Mediterranean fan palm, a Silver Serenoa, a Livistonia chinensis, 3 trachys, 2 butias, and a Sabal minor. They have all done pretty well with the winters here, most of them do get protection, but the protection is not that extensive. This year I'm also trying a Silver Mediterranean fan palm which is supposed to have more cold tolerance than the green form, but less moisture tolerance, so we'll see how it goes!
    Good luck!
    -Alex

  • mikeevans43
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks, I think I am going to plant a windmill palm, some sabal minors, and possibly a pin do palm next spring. Good luck for you too.

  • User
    11 years ago

    Pindo will do much better if you can protect it from winter precip--like under an overhang. I lost one a few winters ago from a very WET/SNOWY winter of prolonged cold. Might try one again in the ground. In the meantime, I have a few large ones in containers. They grow quite fast but can suffer bud loss even in the South--however, this species can recover from bud loss. Sabals are good but most are painfully slow, but faster in the ground than in a container. Among the Sabals, the variety 'Louisana' is relatively faster growing--for a Sabal. Trachy should be okay if the site is good. Larger is better in terms of cold hardiness btw.. Needes (Raphidophyllum hysterix) are clumping palms and are rated as cold hardiest and will eventually develop a trunk albeit covered with sharp needles! Good luck!

  • tropicalzone7
    11 years ago

    I agree, pindo palms hate winter moisture. Mine is in a really dry spot. I have to water it a lot during the summertime because the area is so warm that it dries up fast. It is growing fast in that spot and doing well. I had a pindo in a moist and shady location and it would only grow a frond a year.
    Some pindo specimens are a lot less cold tolerant than others. I covered one of mine last winter with a garbage bin with no other protection and it was damaged from a low of 12F, but survived. I have lost potted Butias to temperatures in the mid 20s because it was really snowy and the duration of cold was long.
    Good luck!
    -Alex

  • User
    11 years ago

    Same here, TZ, so I am leary of trying again w. the Butia as our winter climate is often WET. Potted, is really pushing it though with most subtropicals. The only potted palm I still have out is the Med. fan--another is in the ground. My containerized Butias though are getting big, so I may have to try the ground again. I may push the limits but I am rather conservative in not pushing things too far.

    Happy New Year!

    Njoasis