Palm trees - "Cabbage" palmetto trees - does your southern city have them? (ATTN: Atlanta/Columbia/Birmingham)

[waccamatt]

Whatever you do, don't trim the fronds on the Washingtonia.

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks. That is what I have been told. When should I cut off the perished foliage? When new green shows? (If it does)

Whatever you do, don't trim the fronds on the Washingtonia.

[waccamatt]

Thanks. That is what I have been told. When should I cut off the perished foliage? When new green shows? (If it does)

Yes, when a new green frond is completely grown in. It may take all summer. I'm assuming the tree survived and hopefully it did.

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks.

Yeah, hopefully the Washingtonia will recover. If not, then it was not meant to be. Growing a zone 8b tree in a 7a climate is way out there anyway. I do not mind if it loses its foliage in the winter, just so it comes back in the spring/summer. I could live with that. I guess time will tell.

Other than that, all of my Southern Live Oaks came through as well, the leaves are looking glum now, but I have been told it is normal for them to do that this time of year.

As for our last freeze date, according to our NWS, it is April 17, which seems a bit far out to me, as by then, most all of our trees have leaves and by the end of April, all are green and full. However, I have seen freezes as late as early May, but its rare. That April 17 date is also at the airport, which is also typically the coolest area in the metro, as they are in a river valley.

How much fertilizer should I place on them?

Thanks again!

I was wondering about your palms and all this cold weather T-storm. Thanks for the update. I would wait and see what the Washingtonia is going to do this summer before giving up on it. Glad to hear your Windmills came through the winter still green. Here in North FL we had 3 freezing nights from Feb. 16 to Feb. 19. We usually don't have that many in a row. I lost nothing or did not have any damage to any of my plants that I grow out of my zone.

Here we have past our likely last freeze date, so yesterday when it was 80 degrees I fertilized all my palms to "wake them up." I would fertilize all your palms including the Washintonia after the date of your last likely freeze, if you know when that is.

Keep us posted!

Thanks. I will remember that....

BTW... here are before and afters:

Before:

After:

Sad huh?

Yes, when a new green frond is completely grown in. It may take all summer. I'm assuming the tree survived and hopefully it did.

[waccamatt]

It does look sad, but be patient and it might come back. I think it may be a bit small to survive in your climate, though.

[Tennesseestorm]

Yeah, I will give it awhile to see what happens. If not, at least I still will have the Windmill and Sabal Birmingham.

Thanks. I will update as the spring progresses.

It does look sad, but be patient and it might come back. I think it may be a bit small to survive in your climate, though.

[richyb83]

Not exactly sure what kind of Palm trees these are?? along Laurel Street in downtown Baton Rouge.

[Tennesseestorm]

I am not sure either, but it looks like its not a "hardy" palm. I did not see it listed on the hardy palm site.

Nice looking though.

Not exactly sure what kind of Palm trees these are?? along Laurel Street in downtown Baton Rouge.

[poonther]

Those BR palms are Queen Palms which are rated to zone 9. BR as is my hometown are in zone 8b. Those are planted in a good micro-climate being downtown so they should last unless we have a 100 year type of freeze. I do see several of them in Tally, but the ones that survive are the ones planted in a good micro-climate.

T-storm based on what you've told me, I would fertilize all your palms around the end of March. Are you going to fertilize them w/palm food? If so, after you fertilize them, it's no problem if you have a freeze, just a hard freeze would not be good for them. So when you think you are past your area getting a hard freeze, I'd lay the palm food on them. The directions for how much are usually on the back. I can find Palm Food at any Lowe's or Home Depot here, but I'm not sure if you can in your area. If not, go to a nursery to see if they carry it or you could ask Lowe's or The Depot to order it for you.

[richyb83]

Thanks for the info poonther Aint it nice to be living along the same subtropical parallel?? Thanks again for starting this thread Tstorm.

Here's a few more Palm trees from Baton Rouge on North Boulevard. A little fried fringes on the tips from the hard freezes from late January.

Hey yall...? I have a Palm tree like this one above; it's tips(outer-half's) are brown too. Do I need to prune my tree?? Or should I ask the place I bought it from? On proper maintnance. Thanks.

[Tennesseestorm]

Yeah, I was thinking it was a higher zoned palm. I did not see it listed on the hardy palms list. They are nice.

Thanks for the info on the fertilizer/palm food. I think it is available here. I imagine that by mid April, we should be in the all clear for the freeze to be over, unless an unusually cold artic blast roars down. By then, a hard freeze would be very rare.

Those BR palms are Queen Palms which are rated to zone 9. BR as is my hometown are in zone 8b. Those are planted in a good micro-climate being downtown so they should last unless we have a 100 year type of freeze. I do see several of them in Tally, but the ones that survive are the ones planted in a good micro-climate.

T-storm based on what you've told me, I would fertilize all your palms around the end of March. Are you going to fertilize them w/palm food? If so, after you fertilize them, it's no problem if you have a freeze, just a hard freeze would not be good for them. So when you think you are past your area getting a hard freeze, I'd lay the palm food on them. The directions for how much are usually on the back. I can find Palm Food at any Lowe's or Home Depot here, but I'm not sure if you can in your area. If not, go to a nursery to see if they carry it or you could ask Lowe's or The Depot to order it for you.

Your welcome. I have enjoyed it.

Is that a Cabbage palmetto?

Thanks again for starting this thread Tstorm.

Hey yall...? I have a Palm tree like this one above; it's tips(outer-half's) are brown too. Do I need to prune my tree?? Or should I ask the place I bought it from? On proper maintnance. Thanks.

[LJinPA]

As for you Palm Tree it doesn't look good in that pic but if you even see the slightest hint of green anywhere than there is hope. I'm not a Palm Tree expert but I garden a lot... You may want to try watering it in some luke-warm water and maybe loosen up the soil so that the roots warm up faster and to remind the plant that it's spring.

Now its my turn to be a daredevil... I ordered seeds for Chinese Windmill Palm on E-bay and I'm going to try to grow it here in Northeast Pennsylvania. I'm starting it indoors and I'm hoping I can grow it at least as an annual or even a house-plant if I take it in for the winter...

The furthest North I've seen Palm Trees growing outside and that grew somewhat tall is on the beack in Ocean City, MD and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware... Strangely they looked like the not-so hardy Queen Palms so perhaps they may just grow them as annuals or even dig them out of the sand and inside for the winter. Queen Palms supposedly grow fast so maybe it's possible. Years ago I saw then in front of a gas station in Western PA where theres nothing mild about the climate...(They were about 7-10' tall...

Otherwise the farthest North I saw a Palm in the inland south was one baby one in Charlotte, NC 10 yrs ago.

The furthest North I saw significant sized palms in general as on the Italian-Swiss border where I saw loads of tall windmill or Washington Palms around Lake Maggiore.

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks for the tips. I will give it awhile to see if it recovers. My Windmill palm made it through the winter with stride. My Sabal Birmingham is also getting new growth. I will try that "luke warm" water trick. I still have the ground around it covered with pine needles... I guess I should go ahead and uncover.

Please let us know how that palm handles the weather in northeast Pennsylvania.... I am very interested to know.

Well, other than my palms and another guy I know that is growing palms outdoors 25 miles west of here, the furtherest northwest/inland I have seen palms growing personally was just south of Charlotte just across into the South Carolina state line and the photos of those are below.....

I took these last late September... these are about 5 miles south of the NC/SC state line, south of Charlotte....

There was also a photo of a nice sizable palm in Knoxville, Tennessee posted somewhere on a palm site.

Good luck!

As for you Palm Tree it doesn't look good in that pic but if you even see the slightest hint of green anywhere than there is hope. I'm not a Palm Tree expert but I garden a lot... You may want to try watering it in some luke-warm water and maybe loosen up the soil so that the roots warm up faster and to remind the plant that it's spring.

Now its my turn to be a daredevil... I ordered seeds for Chinese Windmill Palm on E-bay and I'm going to try to grow it here in Northeast Pennsylvania. I'm starting it indoors and I'm hoping I can grow it at least as an annual or even a house-plant if I take it in for the winter...

The furthest North I've seen Palm Trees growing outside and that grew somewhat tall is on the beack in Ocean City, MD and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware... Strangely they looked like the not-so hardy Queen Palms so perhaps they may just grow them as annuals or even dig them out of the sand and inside for the winter. Queen Palms supposedly grow fast so maybe it's possible. Years ago I saw then in front of a gas station in Western PA where theres nothing mild about the climate...(They were about 7-10' tall...

Otherwise the farthest North I saw a Palm in the inland south was one baby one in Charlotte, NC 10 yrs ago.

The furthest North I saw significant sized palms in general as on the Italian-Swiss border where I saw loads of tall windmill or Washington Palms around Lake Maggiore.

[waccamatt]

Tennessee, any sign of green yet on your palm?

[Tennesseestorm]

Hey... no, not yet, but I did pull on that center stem and it did not pull out. I was told if it did not pull out, then there was hope. That was my Washingtonia - which I knew was a gamble anyway...

My Windmill palm is flourishing.... it has all kinds of new growth coming out of the center, as does my Sabal Birmingham, but it has alot of die-back on the fronds - meaning it is getting smaller instead of larger... I may need to move it or something?

Tennessee, any sign of green yet on your palm?

[waccamatt]

Once the Buirmingham is more established it will grow more quickly. I sure hope your Washingtonia comes back, but it is awfully far north for one to survive for long.

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks Waccamatt. Yeah, I hope it does. It did not grow any last summer and I have that "dieback" now, but I do have new growth on it. Hopefully it will flourish this year.

I hope the Washingtonia comes back as well. I will just let it set there and see what happens. If I do not see anything by late May, I bet it will not be coming back. I knew it was a gamble, so no big loss I guess.

I am glad though that my Windmill did very well this year and is flourishing now. It did not grow much last year, I think with it being its first year I had planted it. Hopefully it will do better this year.

I also planted more Loblolly pines and a Slash pine.... they are flourishing as well. Loblollys are zoned for here and not uncommon, but the Slash pine is rarely seen in these parts. I think that is why I wanted to plant one so badly. I also planted more Longleaf pines... all doing well. There are some around here, but not too many. I know of only about 25 around here.

Once the Birmingham is more established it will grow more quickly. I sure hope your Washingtonia comes back, but it is awfully far north for one to survive for long.

[Southron]

An brief article in today's Montgomery Advertiser recommends 3 hardy palms for the central Alabama area: needle palm, sabal palm and Chinese windmill palm.

Some palms flourish in central Alabama climate

[El Norte]

I should add that last summer I saw some palms (not sure what kind) planted on the beach in Point Pleasant, New Jersey! I'm sure they were pulled out at the end of summer though. Here's a pic of them...

You are correct, those palmes can not live in New Jersey, those are coconut palms!

-----

Tienes razon, estas palmas no pueden vivir in New Jersey, son palmas de coco!

[Alabadrock]

We have a palm dealer outside of Huntsville, AL. The palms up here to do survive, down to about 5 degrees. Very rare that it gets down to that here. They sell a lot of palms in the area.

We were told by one of the owners that cities like Atlantic City replace their palms every year up there. They spend millions each year just maintaining these palms.

[richyb83]

Some Palm trees in a new round-about on the campus of LSU in the shadows of Tiger Stadium.

Baton Rouge LA

[aboutmetro]

Call me crazy, but I am a tree "nut".

I am wondering - who has cabbage palm trees in their city? If you live in Florida, southern MS, AL, GA, SC (eastern), or coastal NC and southeastern VA- then I know the answer is yes, but I am referring to areas north and west of those areas. I am trying to figure just how far north and inland that the "cabbage palm" tree grows. There are tree websites that show where certain species of trees grow, but trees are known to grow in areas they are not typically supposed to.

I know that some plam trees grow as far north as the coast of southeastern Virginia, but I am not sure what species they are - I am not certain that these are cabbage palmettos, but they look like it. There is supposed to be a certain species that will grow in temperatures as cold as -10*. The palm I am referring to is called the "Needle palm and scrub palm" - reported to grow as far north as Washington DC, but I am really not referring to that palm tree. Here is a link to the hardy palm trees:

http://members.aol.com/palmferndc/palms/index.html

The tree I am referring to is the "Cabbage Palm" - It is the same tree that is the South Carolina state tree. http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/SABPALA.pdf - this is the tree I would like to know if it grows in your city.

Actually- here is a link to the South Carolina state tree:

http://www.50states.com/tree/southcarolina.htm

I have heard that these cabbage palmetto trees grow as far north and inland as Columbia, SC - can anyone verify this? If they do- then how about Atlanta, Dallas or Birmingham? Any "cabbage" palmetto trees in those cities? If they grow there, then they definitely do in Columbia, since Columbia is typically a warmer city and a lot lower in elevation.

Thanks!

I have a friend that brought a couple up from FL and planted them by her pool about 3 years ago. They're still alive. (and she kills alot of plants...)

[waccamatt]

Tennessee Storm, did your Washingtonia come back?

[Tennesseestorm]

Hi. Thanks for asking.... No, as of July it did not... all the green was gone and what was left just broke away... we finally built a deck near that area and where it was ended getting covered up with some dirt, but I do not think it was coming back anyway. I knew it was a gamble when I planted it... I just had hoped it was that more hardy Washingtonia, but from what I had gathered, I had the least hardy one. It was nice while it lasted though... it really grew well that summer and part of the winter, but all of those cold nights I had covered it before it perished turned out to be a waste of time.

On a happy note though, my Windmill palm is thriving... it survived last winter with no fanfare and has thrived this year. We had two record lows of 8

[waccamatt]

May the Washingtonia rest in peace. I'm glad the others are doing so well. I think a large Washingtonia might survive there, but I had 3 small Washingtonia's that didn't survive, here in Columbia, past their first winter.