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Cold Hardy Palms by Phil Bergman

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Introduction
There are a couple of basic things to consider when selecting species of palms to grow.  These include knowing how cold you get, learning cold tolerances of the species, and proper culture, especially before and after the cold weather appears.
How Cold Do You Get?
Many palm enthusiasts do live in cold areas.  At the nursery, we are commonly asked which species of palms tolerate cold weather.  So, we ask the customer, "How cold do you get?"  Most of the time customers guess at their low temperatures. These guesses are based either on hunch, the evening news, or what they read in the newspaper.  Very seldom is this information accurate unless the person has researched the subject and came up with accurate data.  It is not unusual that a customer that is from an area that gets extremely cold to say "We hardly ever get below 40 degrees".  We know that's not their real low, so we'll try to get them to be a little more scientific about their weather. 

If you live in coastal Southern California or South Florida, cold weather is usually not much of a problem.  However, if you live in areas like Central and Northern California, most of Texas, Las Vegas, northern Florida, the SE U.S., or most of the Gulf States, cold weather is something you have seen or will eventually see.  And, you should know how cold your really get. Remember that even areas like Miami and San Diego do, from time to time, get unusual cold winters.    

The major limiting factor in the successful growing of palms is the degree of cold weather that any given palm species will see during the winter.  Factors such as intensity of sun, presence of summer heat (or lack of it), and humidity are also very important.  But, cold exposure is the most limiting factor for those of us in the United States.  So, the goal is to know how cold you actually get on the coldest nights.  Then determine if that low value is typical of most winters. 

Most palm nurserymen would rather you tell them your low temps than quoting "climate zones", as the latter are unreliable and quite variable.   It is really helpful when a customer says "I've never gotten below 28 degrees in ten years" or "I always get into the teens".

The best way to determine how cold your garden gets is to purchase a maximum-minimum or hi-lo thermometer.  Taylor Company manufactures an excellent maximum-minimum thermometer and it is quite easy to use.  You just leave it out during the winter in the garden and read the lowest temperatures.  It will not be accurate for high temperatures if the sun hits the thermometer.  You can use the provided magnet to reset the low values so you can plot your low temperatures over the entire winter. 

If it is presently Summer and you are not sure of the cold in your area, ask your friends about freezes.  Check the local weather log for your area.  Try to remember if you saw ice on the windshield of your car.  Look around in your neighborhood and see what other people have successfully grown.  All of these things let you know about your weather and what might be accomplished.  Therefore, when you contact us or another grower, you can say we typically get down to 25 degrees but once we saw 22 degrees.  This type of information will assist a nurseryman in telling you what you can grow.

Getting Good Advice
 If you look in a typical palm book, you will see statements such as "this species is well suited for temperate areas".  What does that mean in your case?  Its not very helpful.  Words like temperate and semitropical and mild areas are sometimes more deceptive than helpful.  Yet these are the types of statements palm books make about growing different palm species.  All you want to know is will it grow for me! 

To answer this question for you, a palm grower depends on his experience and the experience he's gathered from others over time.  For the past 34 years Ive gathered cold tolerance information from my customers, my own growing experience, Internet discussions, and from meetings and conferences I've attended.   The knowledge that experienced growers attain becomes almost second hand to them.  The Palm Society of Southern California has, for years, pooled information and produced a publication about cold tolerance of many species.  The usefulness of this information is to let us all know which species have the best chance to survive in our gardens, especially if we live in a very cold area.   

Therefore, when you know how cold you get, talk with a palm nurseryman, an experience palm enthusiast, or someone who really knows his stuff. This will keep you out of trouble and make your growing a lot easier.  Unfortunately, home improvement centers and general nurseries typically don't know much about the species and specifically about their cold tolerance.  Most palm specialty nurseries will know which species are best for your area.  It might be wise to trust their opinions and recommendations.

Be Realistic
 Once you are armed with information about your cold weather and have a reliable and informed nurseryman for your plant material, pick the appropriate species for your area.  I can't tell you how many times a customer has enthusiastically told me that their particular area is different and that they can grow things no one else can grow.  Perhaps this is true, but palms show very predictable damage when exposed to certain temperatures.  Certainly there are a lot of variables like how long the cold lasts, how wet it is, and how warm the next day becomes, etc.  But, it is next to impossible to provide a tropical environment outside on a freezing night.  Dont expect the impossible.  Be realistic in your expectations. 

In our area the Coconut Palm does not survive outdoors.  Yes, there are a few survivors throughout the entirety of Southern California.  But, as a very reliable rule, Cocos nucifera, will eventually die from our cold weather.  This doesnt mean you cant try, but the chances are you will fail.  The same applies to a lot of sought after species.  Cyrtostahcys renda, the Red Sealing Wax Palm, attracts many enthusiasts because of its dramatic red trunks.  No, it will not survive in cold weather.  It predictably dies at about 47 degrees Fahrenheit.  Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, the King Palm, dies at about temperatures below 24 to 25 degrees.  The typical Queen Palm dies at about 18 degrees.  So, if you know your garden gets down to 5 degrees, dont think you're going to keep alive any of the above species.  Plant palms that will predictably grow in your area.

If you like to make lists of palms that appeal to you (typically on the Internet or with books), bring that list to your local grower and he can tell you which ones to eliminate.  Many of our customers do just that.  They bring in a list of twenty-five plants, and we immediately eliminate some because they probably wont survive in his area.  Remember, the first things I ask a new visitor to the nursery is "where do you live and how cold do you get".

What About Microclimates?
 It is true that microclimates are very important and do exist.  Being on a ridge is better than being in the bottom of a cold valley.  Overhead canopy also protective from the cold.  Such canopy can keep interior garden temperatures much warmer on a cold night, sometimes even 10 degrees F. warmer.  Large rocks jutting out of the ground can maintain the previous days warmth and release this warmth during the night.  Morning exposures to sun can quicken the re-warming of the plants after a cold night.  All of these things are important.  But, the cold that you measure (even in the microclimate areas) is the low.  This determines which species you can grow.  Another recommendations is to look around in your area.  If you know others that like palms have had trouble with certain species, you will have to figure out how you can grow a species when someone close by can't.  Maybe you'll be the first one in your town to grow a King Palm.  Or, maybe you won't. Low temperatures experienced are one of the best indicators of success..  

Remember To Acclimate Your Palms
Lets say youve done your homework, you know how cold you get and which plants to purchase.  When you purchase your plants, remember to acclimate them to your area.  A cold tolerant palm may need a little help getting ready for your area.  If it was raised in a greenhouse, it might need a little protection before its ready for your cold or your sun.  Such a plant could be placed under a tree or next to the house for its first few months.  This is especially true if youve purchased it during the coldest part of the year.  Dont just challenge the plant, acclimate it slowly into the cold or full sun and your successes will be greater.

How To Use This Information
 Use the following cold tolerance information as a general guide.  There is no crystal ball in the plant world.  Figure the following information will help you pick the right species for your area.  But, it is not gospel.  It is not a guarantee.  It is meant to be helpful information only.  With this in mind, please read on:  

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Last modified: July 08, 2010

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