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Lilith · 10-06-2008, 05:53 AM

I suppose we are lucky here, we can buy 8 ft Foxtails at Walmart for about $13 every season. I haven't ever bought one though, because they are not reliably hardy here and I don't have a permanent spot in my greenhouse for one. The man who purchased our old house from us bought a huge mature specimen and had it trucked up from South FL and planted it smackdab in his front yard...it was about 16 or so feet tall with a trunk diameter of roughly 14 inches or more. The first 2 seasons he covered it with (I kid you not) a silk parachute when a freeze was predicted to go below 30F. Then 2 winters ago we had had a very mild winter and it was almost Spring and he and his wife booked a trip to Italy. 2 days after they left it dropped to 22F (surprise surprise). No parachute. The palm died.

When literature says a palm is "hardy to 27F" for example, what that really means is, mature specimens have withstood brief dips to that temperature without suffering permanent damage. There are varying segrees of palm hardiness...leaf burn/spotting from cold damage, frond loss, and trunk death. The most insidious damage is later crown rot from cold exposure. You think your palm is okay and made it, then suddenly it just croaks and all the fronds fall off.

There is a huge difference between a mature palm and a juvenile palm.

I agree, you were very lucky that your palm survived the treatment you gave it at all, but if I were you I wouldn't consider it a "done deal" that it has truly survived. That kind of harsh treatment coupled with the cold could very well result in some rot that you just can't see yet. I hope it doesn't happen and that it continues to recover, but, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it suddenly just die.

10-06-2008, 05:53 AM	#12 (permalink)
Lilith Senior Member Lilith's Photo Gallery Location: sunny Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Gina Anne Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 341 BananaBucks : 140,078 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 20 Times Was Thanked 136 Times in 52 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Hardy Foxtail Palm? I suppose we are lucky here, we can buy 8 ft Foxtails at Walmart for about $13 every season. I haven't ever bought one though, because they are not reliably hardy here and I don't have a permanent spot in my greenhouse for one. The man who purchased our old house from us bought a huge mature specimen and had it trucked up from South FL and planted it smackdab in his front yard...it was about 16 or so feet tall with a trunk diameter of roughly 14 inches or more. The first 2 seasons he covered it with (I kid you not) a silk parachute when a freeze was predicted to go below 30F. Then 2 winters ago we had had a very mild winter and it was almost Spring and he and his wife booked a trip to Italy. 2 days after they left it dropped to 22F (surprise surprise). No parachute. The palm died. When literature says a palm is "hardy to 27F" for example, what that really means is, mature specimens have withstood brief dips to that temperature without suffering permanent damage. There are varying segrees of palm hardiness...leaf burn/spotting from cold damage, frond loss, and trunk death. The most insidious damage is later crown rot from cold exposure. You think your palm is okay and made it, then suddenly it just croaks and all the fronds fall off. There is a huge difference between a mature palm and a juvenile palm. I agree, you were very lucky that your palm survived the treatment you gave it at all, but if I were you I wouldn't consider it a "done deal" that it has truly survived. That kind of harsh treatment coupled with the cold could very well result in some rot that you just can't see yet. I hope it doesn't happen and that it continues to recover, but, I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it suddenly just die. __________________ 11/2008 Outer Banks Marathon 26.2, Kitty Hawk NC--3:50 2/2009 5 Points of Life Marathon, 26.2, Gainesville FL--4:00 4/2009 Boston Marathon, 26.2-- 4:38 10/2009 Marine Corps Marathon, DC, 26.2--457 1/2010 Houston Marathon, 26.2--3:55:09 2/2010 5 Points of Life Marathon, Gainesville--415 Halloween Day 2010 Marine Corps Marathon, DC-- 2/2011--Austin TX Marathon--