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I'm not 100% sure to be honest. I've had one in ground for 2 years. It got knocked down to about 6" after the 22° (if I remember correctly) freeze but got back to 7-8' this past summer. I tried to protect it for this past 15° blast but I hung C7's on it and it looks like I burned a few spots. So likely damaged again but looks good up until 5' or so. I'm pretty confident it's at least root hardy until it gets some girth like @ahosey01 mentioned.

My personal favorite is Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), but some others include Florida Strangler Fig (Ficus aurea) and Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum).

I will select a hyper local tree. I am actually cheating because the ones that grow near me (across the street from home) were planted here. Habitat is confined to a small area in the north end of La Jolla, up through Del Mar, and a related ssp that grows on Santa Rosa Island. I am referencing Pinus torreyana commonly called a Torrey Pine. Golfers who are not from the area know the golf course named after this pine. While I don't want one in my garden, they are spectacular in the neighborhood and in habitat. The older ones in my neighborhood tower above pretty much every other tree. There is one on the street behind me that has hosted a few nesting pair of Great Blue Herons the last few years. It is dark and raining now, so I can't go out and snap a photo of one in the neighborhood, but I can share an older photo of Torrey Pines State Reserve as seen from the south end of Del Mar. The hillside in the distance is the largest native population of the species. The Reserve is worth a visit when in the San Diego area. The beach in the foreground and further south were beaches I worked back in my college days as a lifeguard. Dan Fouts and the Charger team used to cool off in the water body surfing at Torrey Pines when their practice field was on campus at UCSD. I had to throw in some local north county trivia. I have seen some Torrey's planted a couple of miles further inland, but don't know how far away from the coastal fog zone they will survive. Obviously the grove at Torrey Pines survives without any supplemental rain in an area where we average about 10" of rainfall per year with some years significantly below that. The grove right along the edge of the bluff are all windswept and look spectacular while specimens further back are balanced in their growth and foliage.

I’m gonna be in the same boat soon.. i need like 50 acres lol While I’m thinking about it I’d love to see a recent photo of that giant aloe you had out front when my dad and I came by there a couple years back, if you get the time!

No real estate left for a tree Adam. I have to stick to the little stuff to plug in these days. Good luck and show photos when you do try. I will get to enjoy it vicariously.

iNat page: Chloroleucon tortum in January 2025 by captainjoan · iNaturalist

They're extremely common in the bonsai trade and you see the real deal for sale all over the place as bonsai starters, but from what I can tell none of these bonsai growers seem to stick them in their yards and see what happens. There are a few wholesalers in South Florida that sell this as well, and Eric at Leu said they've got a couple. I don't know of any big ones in botanic collections but the photos of them in habitat show they get these bizarre square trunks Chloroleucon tinuiflorum does great here in Brownsville so I am thinking about branching out into other Chloroleucons, but I don't know anything about the culture on this one in particular. I'll try one if you do! lol

Hello @StAug772: I had one that got wobbly after a hurricane and never stabilized. I moved it and it predictably died. In your case, you'll probably do better than I did. Mine couldn't be strapped as well since it hugged the corner of the house and I had mixed a lot of stone in the planting hole, which made the ground a little too loose for the large roots to grab.

@StAug772 welcome to PalmTalk! I have succesfully strapped up Beccariophoenix Alfredii and Pindos (Butia) due to weak roots or hurricane leans. Just make sure that each strap just goes out, around, and back. You don't want to go from the anchor, around the tree one-and-a-half loops, then back to the anchor. A simple loop shouldn't constrict the growing point too much as it grows bigger, but a bunch of double loops sure could. Hopefully that makes sense. It looks like you have a simple loop in the pictures. I would also brush away the mulch from the base and make sure it isn't "air girdled." That can happen if it is a bit too high in the ground. If it is, adding a bit more dirt would help. See this page by an IPS Director: http://www.marriedtoplants.com/palms/palm-tree-growing-tips-mounding/

@Jim in Los Altos, how long has this plant been in the ground & from what size? Looks awesome!! well done. -dale

Are you? I had to.look it up and learned that it is critically endangered. Do you have a seed source or have you seen any in botanical collections Adam?

Hello @Rand, Welcome to PalmTalk! We all wish it was under better circumstances. As far as replacement palms, it will depend on a few criteria: Roystonea regia: if you want the bulk and wide crown you had with the Phoenix canariensis. Livistona decora: Hard to beat in terms of combined Lethal Bronzing and Cold tolerance. With Phoenix species, they're all a risk, but the Phoenix reclinata mutts seem to fare better from anecdotal observations. If you're inside of the Orlando UHI, you'll have a variety of other choices that might not fare as well once you get outside the FL-429 and FL-417 boundaries, choices begin to pare down a little.

It's only 20 minutes by car from my home but apart from Palm Shows, I haven't been there for years. Too many creepy little vermin for my liking. (including other people's children) Peachy

My garage is brick and part of the house. My Bourke's and Rosa Bourke parrots are in the lounge room along side with the lorikeet. Just the budgies in the garage but there is a double width glass access door so they can see me moving around in the house. It's the tiny double bar finches who live in the garden that I am worried about. I am putting seed and water on the back patio for them. Peachy

A rare surviving Robusta in Austin with volunteers.

Awakenings ...and small things.. - Progress - Bonellia * Formally Jacquinia * macrocarpa ssp. pungens specimen in recovery ..Gettin' there.. - Small Stuff - Portulaca suffrutescens Asclepias subulata ..and Acaciella angustissima ...Who will win the " it's getting crowded " game.. - More Plumeria waking up - JJ Chablis Kimo Mardi Gras, the big one.. ** Not Pictured ** Need another week or two to be sure but very possible Divine will flower on at least 2 of her tips this year.. Desert Willow ...Speaking of which.. W/ the successful germination of seed, ..Yes, even one is a win.. it is confirmed that any seed produced on X Chitalpa aren't always sterile.. Will try more later.. Uncarina peltata ..stirring.. Adenium are also showing their first signs of waking up.. Reverse of fall color, new leaves on Coulteria ** Formally Caesalpinia ** platyloba seedlings showing off some color as they emerge.. ...Same idea on Erythrostemon ( Formally Caesalpinia ) palmeri.. Since the leaves on it are much smaller, tougher to notice the color of emergent foliage.. Like clock work, Echinocereus reichenbachii v. albispinus budding up.. Will this be the year -any- of the Stoney Creek Echinoceri start flowering??

I'm a bit skeptical here. Doesn't cold wind pull away heat from the palm?

That's a nice old one!

I recall that one now that you mention it. I had one eons ago.

Looks like a great job on the straps. I have had palms snap over in wind storms and only had a couple roots remaining on the one side. I have had some success using a similar strapping method. I feel like your solution has a good chance of success although I have not had any Bismarck palms to try this.

I have missed this open house the last two years due to work, but will be attending this year for the first time. Very excited!

Hope you stay safe Peachy...but I'm worried about the parrots. I love parrots, what sort have you got other than budgies?

Long time forum reader, first time post. In February 2023, I planted a Silver Bismarck palm and two Silver Saw Palmettos in a new bed in my front yard. This was intended to be the final touch (or so I thought!) for my curb appeal project, following the completion of a Chicago brick-and-mortar walkway. When I planted them, I amended the coastal Northeast Florida sand/soil with compost to give the Bismarck a strong start. Over the past two years, watching the Bismarck grow has been amazing. I’ve been fertilizing it quarterly and watering it during our drier months when rain is scarce. In the fall of 2024, we had two close passes of hurricanes. While nothing major, the storms brought gusts of 60-70mph on two separate occasions. Up until that point, the Bismarck had been rock solid, but after the second storm, I started noticing it "wobbling" at the base even on a normal breezy day. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but as time went on, the wobble persisted and became more noticeable, eventually leaning to one side. I decided to take action this spring. I’ve attached pictures below showing the palm’s current state. To address the wobble, I strapped the Bismarck in hopes it will stabilize and regain its sturdiness. Here are a few questions I have: Is strapping the best course of action? Give it a year or two and then remove the straps. The straps are snug, preventing any wobble, but not overly tight. Could this cause damage to the crown? Has anyone else experienced this issue, and if so, do you have any advice or feedback? Thanks in advance for any insight! Kyle Z St. Augustine, FL Planted in February 2023

We just discovered our beautiful Phoenix Canariensis has LB, we are devastated. I have been consulting UF-IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center. We are deciding on the best method of removal. Saw and grind or dig out with a crane. What can we replace such a stately specimen canary with? I was thinking a Rostonia regia Royal Palm perhaps two being they are not in the Phoenix palm family. UF-IFAS says quote: ”As of now there are no palms resistant to the phytoplasma that causes LB” They say treat new growth, and I assume new palms with imidicloprid insecticide to keep the insect from transmitting the phytoplasma to other palms. I see in this thread a hybrid phoenix? Thank you Rand in Orlando

Thanks for the responses guys. So the conclusion I've derived from your answers is that I should only look at the actual temp regardless of the wind when it comes to strictly palm survival of cold. If I'm worried about potential frond damage, it could be something to consider because of increased transpiration. Sounds like what this means for me is that maybe I should move some of the slower-growing palms like sabals inside during this windy/cold event to avoid setting them back too much for the growing season.