Hello Houston
So much to talk about cold hardy palm trees. Jeremy Goldstein, Heights Hauling and Landscape. We deliver and install specimen sized palms for less. Houston has such a wide range of palm trees that can and will thrive in our climate. Many are Cold Hardy but some are not.
What is all this hype about cold hardiness in a palm tree? It seems these days all kinds of palms are available from mass merchandising stores. But are they suitable for Houston Texas? The simple answer is no - many palms that are being made available to the public are a simply are not suited for the Houston Texas climate.
What is cold hardiness? A typical established palm should be able to survive cold down to this temperature. What is established palm? Normally a palm that has been planted at least two years
Two kinds of Palm Mortality
the first kind of mortality is leaf mortality - that is when the leaves of the palm die back. Many mistake this as a dead palm - a lost cause - but with a simple little treatment most will come back from the loss of leaf
Please read on - I'll have a link here shortly to a post that will address this specific issue
the second kind of mortality is ultimate mortality - that is when the palm dies. Note: many palms have multiple trunks and if part of the palm dies, it will not cause the whole palm to die. Treating and removing / pruning the dead portion is important for the systemic health of the whole palms
Why should we be concerned with cold hardiness, aren't all palm tree tropical? Absolutely not! I cannot tell you how many times I hear this false statement and how it riles my blood. Many palms grow in rugged and high altitudes. Several different kids of palms can withstand Zero degree temperatures or even colder without loosing a leaf.
What should I know about Cold Hardiness? Some easy to gather information about the normal highs and lows for your site and your USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/. Most palms that are mass marketed will have a tag that indicates the lowest tempt the palm can withstand. In general palms with palmate [palm like] leaves are more tolerant of cold than those with pinnate - or feathery style leaf. Most of Harris county is 9a / 8b / with the coast being slightly warmer. Most nursery's should be able to tell you if a palm is good for your area and may have site specific questions.
some common sense statements
Size: the size or mass of a palm tree will affect how it much damage it suffers. For example, a much larger queen palm, say with 10 ft of clear trunk and a weight of 600 lbs, will not suffer as a 15 gallon that only has 6 ft of trunk but may weigh just 100 lbs.
Site or micro-climates: in the simplest of terms, by putting a palm tree on the south side of a structure that is blocking the cold winds, that physical barrier / siting will provide winter / cold protection
Micro-climates: a small area within a larger setting that has a different temperature. For example, to place a pygmy date palm [Phoenix Robelinii] closer to a brick wall to block the wind and provide warmth from the radiant [heat] of the brick.
Common sense and the advice of the vendor and other palm enthusiasts should help guide in the selection process of palm trees. Of course personal preference, the willingness to take a risk, and venturing out to push the limit's of cold hardiness are great subjects. Further blog posts will identify some common palms and their cold hardiness.
Jeremy Goldstein
Contact # 713-291-9466
http://datepalm.co [that's dot co not dot com]
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