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I wrapped my coconut trunk with 5w heating cables and christmas lights. Wrapped it with burlap amd frost cloth and did end up building a frame. I run a 30,000 BTU heat thrower into the frame with hope that the heat rises through the crown. With anticipated winds, I'm gonna need lots of blocking of the winds from neighbor's homes. Still worth a try!

First hard freeze tonight on the space coast barrier iskand since 1989. Hundreds of coconut and other tropical palms in the neighborhood are going to die. Need to get out this morning and wrap my 4 coconut trees in pipe-warming wire, moving blankets and tarps this before the gale-force winds start after noon, hoping the 60 inch zip ties I bought are sufficient to secure everything in the expected high winds. My mangos and pembana palm are on their own. Ordered a wireless temperature recording station on recommendation here to monitor temperatures tonight.

The cold is really digging in this winter across the northern hemisphere. All 3 continents - North America, Europe and Asia have seen record cold now. First Asia with the record breaking Siberian cold in Nov/Dec. This January it has been Canada and USA with record breaking cold. Scandinavia has had it as well in late December / early January. Now a new record cold wave is about to begin in Eastern Europe as well.

I took this pic of a friend Vai Nu'usa in western Samoa on the island of Upolo. I thought it was a different species, but Dr. Hodel said it was B. insularis. They were quite prolific there up by Stevenson's place on the mountain. in deep jungle

For those of you cutting off palm leaves, or branches of trees/shrubs : Don't forget that the leaves you cut off the palms can be reused to protect the plant. You can pile the big leaves over other small plants to act as a barrier to wind. Or use them to weigh down tarps, etc. I always try to reuse them in some way to help cover some plants. - Matt

I made a 13 hour drive home last night in time for the cold but besides wrapping up the bismarkias and bringing the potted bottle and foxtails inside I’m letting everything ride. Forecast for last night was 27 but only got to 31 here. Good sign perhaps. Tomorrow morning my phone and TWC agree on 21 degrees. I think I already have some mild damage to my livistona and washingtonias from last weekends 22 degrees. with this freeze I’m interested to see how my dioon edule does. It hasn’t seen these temps before. Actually looks fine for now. good luck to all tonight.

"Before" pictures after heavy pruning. "Jamaican tall" leaned over by Irma: Sprouted from a tall neighborhood tree that survived the >50% mortality of 2010: Sprouted from a neighborhood of maypans that all survived 2010: Sprouted from a tall nursery tree later struck by lightening , possible pacific tall:

It's going to be a depressing topic. Ryan

@idontknowhatnametuse took the initiative to create a thread for all of us to post photos and observations of the damage of various species of palms in our gardens. After the event, we'll probably all give it a little since the damage will get progressively worse for anything left alive. You can check out the initial post here: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/92659-2026-florida-palmageddon-observations-and-damage-photo-thread/ On a separate note, there's been speculation that this would change the USDA Hardiness Map back to the 2012 or 1990 version. This is largely incorrect, and may potentially be a misunderstanding on what a USDA Hardiness Zone represents. A USDA Hardiness Zone is the Average Annual Low for 30 years (AAL). If we use a theoretical location where the average annual low for 30 years was 31.8F, rounded down to 31F to produce a more conservative map, and as an example, updated the map after that theoretical location went down to 25F this year. This means the first year of the range would come off the rolls and be replaced by this year's minimum temperature. The math would look like this (after rounding): 31F x 29 years = 899 25F x 1 year = 25 ===================== TOTAL: 924 AVERAGE: 924 / 30 = 30.8 ROUND USING FLOOR() FUNCTION: 30F = 10a Even using a more conservative algorithm than the USDA uses, this location would still be a zone 10a climate. The landscape may not look like it, but that's not a fault of the algorithm. Assuming that any climate will always default to an average is the issue. There was even a discussion about this some time back: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/26687-usda-hardiness-zone-is-not-a-good-way-to-have-a-abstract-view-on-minimum-temperatures/ If you would like to base your plantings on a more reliable number, the record lows as well as other calculations like zones for 50 and 100 year averages are available in the almanac on the next to last post on the second page of this thread: https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/66320-florida-freeze-and-weather-station-data/?page=2 SPOILER: The theoretical location was Orlando International Airport (KMCO)

My students and I have been landscaping our school for 40 years and we have a long-tested collection of Sabal palms. I thought that people in zone 8* would be interested in what can be grown long term. The coldest temps these palms have experienced is low teens. I will add more pics if people are interested. The list: S. causiarum, S. minor, S. tamaulipensis, S. rosei, S. x texensis, S. uresana (green and silver), S. pumos, S. bermudana, S. mexicana, S. etonia, S. palmetto Lisa. (4 years old). Added last summer: S. blackburniana, S. miamiensis. In our area, S. palmetto reseeds like crazy. S. minor is native and common in low lying areas. Rhapidophyllum and Serenoa are native about 1 hour south of town. Pictures in order top to bottom: S. causiarum, S. uresana (silver), S. tamaulipensis, S. Lisa, S. Riverside, S. palmetto

When building my coconut frame, several old husks fell. Great insulators! I lined my young Christmas palm with them and set the C9 on them before wrapping.

Ok let me please share an impression regarding the very similar rpw. I think that its activity and/or reproduction rate decreases considerably with increased air moisture combined with high temps. I have witnessed countless times palms growing side by side one exposed to full sun and the other under canopy and former being infested and killed, while latter was remaining at laest seemingly healthy. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that tropics are still full of palms.

I have no clue where these Orlando temps are coming from but those are not official or even correct. There was no freeze in Nov and there is no way Bay Lake was 28 when MCO was 37. The airport his 32 in Jan and about 6 to 8 more nights in mid to upper 30s. I've had no freeze yet in Belle Isle but my coconut has lower frond damage like Eric. The biggest hit was the 37 in Nov because it was a shock as there had been no cool down coming out of summer. I saw damage show up soon after that.

For smaller palms, etc I will use reflective bubble roll insulation., pots, and mulch I usually wrap it around the entire palm, in a cylindrical shape, somtimes 2-4 layers. Or I cut it to wrap it around the inside of a large pot, say 25 G pot. Then I also make sure that the bottom of the pot is coveted by this insulation. Then on the outside I use weather resistant duct tape to cover the pot drain holes I usually will bury the palm in mulch up to the bottom portion of the spear. Then I cover the plant with the pot, and pile more mulch around the base of the overturned pot. Stick some rocks on top to hold it down from strong winds. For me this seems to work well for temps down into the low teens. Never had any damage to leaves, etc. when I cover the entire plant. I'll take some pics tomorrow morning of a few palms that I currently have covered this way. - Matt

So they are predicting 24-25 Sat nite for Altamonte Springs. I have about 100 different palms in my yard. Most of my tender specimens are in the back under good Southern Live Oak canopy. I'm leaving most things uncovered but protecting a few things; Cyrtostachys elegans x renda Chrysalidocarpus lutescens 'Nana' Clinostigma savoryanum Heterospathe negrosensis Licuala kunsteri Sabinaria magnifica (this is its 2nd winter, last year took 33f unprotected with minimal damage) Also several rare Pandanus will get covered The only palms that have any burn so far is my Cocos nucifera 'Green Malayan' (some slight burn) and my Aiphanes horrida x minima (light burn on 2 lower leaves, its always been foliage tender but grows back quickly)

I was last at Epcot about 2 weeks ago and no damage on any tender foliage or palms. This past week we had a couple nights at 32-34 with frost one morning. I am in Altamonte Springs about 12 miles north of downtown Orlando and I hadn't had any damage until this week but only my bananas in open area and some light burn on a couple Travelers Tree leaves. My neighbors Tropical Almond dropped most of its leaves and my other neighbors mango trees has some foliage burn and the flowers are wilted. But my Ficus lyrata hasnt damaged yet nor Monstera in an open location. But thats gonna change.

Isaac Dawley home in Santa Paula. House and Palms still standing or they where when my grandmother showed me where it was. She was born there but it has long since been someone else’s farm.

Found this on that street in Santa Paula which probably is the wrong street number but those Phoenix canariensis would be about the same age as the ones in your black and white photo.

Anything that directly touches the box or bucket has a good chance of burn. But my testing with a plain cardboard box over a palm showed 5 or so degrees warmer in the box than outside. That was using an optical thermometer outside and inside. It might be even more useful with a windy night. It works, even if it's not perfect.

Some nice colour on this Butia odorata inflorescence.

Here’s B seemannii at Singapore Botanic Hardens, photo taken last year. Like many others in the Prychospermatinae family they have those wide praemorse leaflets that just give off the tropical vibe.

I'll let you know how this beccariophoenix does in Orlando. Current forecast is 25F. Way too big to protect so I'll just water the soil well

There will be damage but I bet most will recover.

There are the nematodes already, which are both outrageously expensive and difficult to storage and application.

Those are totally Magnolia grandiflora. Many times older specimens get spindly and sparse. I thnk it's our nutrient poor sandy soil. The only cultivar that really holds a good shape and dense growth as they get older is 'D.D. Blanchard'.

Thought I would check on one of my Fayetteville sourced Washingtonia today. All appears good. Post any you have and want to share.

There's been 2 or 3 overnight lows down to 29°F. Daytime temps have been mostly in the 40°s & 50°s.

Those Canaries are super tall now I’m sure! Do you have the street address so we can view on Google Street View?

I wrapped all my king palms up then covered them in incandescent chrostmas lights and then wrapped them with frost cloth. My mangos, sapadilla etc I built enclosures cicered them and have heat lamps under them. I did thsi to 10 or so fruit trees and palms on top of the kings. We have already been into the upper 20s many times this year.

I am planning for upper 20sF wind chill and mid-30sF cold here in Pembroke Pines, S. Central Broward. I am also planning to water thoroughly on the mid-sized palms and smaller stuff in the ground. I brought in everything. If it can be moved I moved it. My wheelbarrow got a workout. I have some containerized items, like Sabal minor variants and Encephalaros sp. that could prolly take the cold, but they are in pots and have never seen this cold and wind chill before. Taking no chances. For the orchids I have in trees I have been wrapping them with pillowcases and taping or pinning them together after wrapping. Larger ones get bed sheets. I have a few crotons but they are small. They are getting pvc-pipe frames and more bed sheets, small tarps. The sheets are taped on, the pvc-pipe is taped to trunks, walls, etc. As for which Croton cultivars should be protected before others, I do not know them well enough. Your tarp at a 45-degree angle idea is a good one and should be a lot of protection compared to nothing. The key is to make it strong enough for the 30-mph gusts we may get. Any blockage of the wind counts for a lot. Try to avoid having any plastic sheeting make contact with plant surfaces as they may cause damage. Everything on your list needs to be protected if possible, but for an order of most urgent to less... A. Licuala cordata - Hydriastele beguinii 'Obi Island' - Licuala grandis - Areca vestiaria B. Licuala lauterbachii and the var. bougainvillensis - Licuala ferruginea C. Ptychosperma elegans 'Lisa' - Caryota mitis variegated - Chamaedorea deckeriana - Chambeyronia macrocarpa - C. hookeri - Ptychosperma schefferi If the 12 ft. tall Hydriastele beguinii 'Obi Island' is in addition to the one on the list, it should be a priority. Start with tying the leaves up, then wrap the crown and the crownshaft with blankets and sheets. Wrap the trunk last. Tying those bifid leaves might be tricky. Start at the petioles while holding them together, squeeze upwards and wrap with twine, etc. Adding bundles of Xmas lights or other corded lights, individual incandescent bulbs could help under any covered structure. I may do this for some smaller things in-ground, but I haven't decided yet. Most of my sensitive stuff is too large to cover. Keep the bulbs away from anything that can burn. Ryan

I took some pics before the storm today. I think the worst cold is mostly over here. Hope so anyways. Sabal ‘Alabama” has been sitting in frozen pine straw for a week.

Let the digging begin! Soil is soft, did this in about 10 mins and the palm is loose and ready to be popped onto a tarp tomorrow morning.

This is a Butia x Jubaea hybrid that I purchased years ago from Dr. Merrill Wilcox. It has held its silver color beautifully. The picture doesn't do it justice. Augusta, GA

Oh my! What a display. Harry

Large Palm 8-15 feet palm protection method https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xXYReAkuZLmpBR1afOfRRK-8iBWnPhoK/view?usp=sharing

I Made these with AI but using my knowledge of basics of how to build these. Some have a few minor flaws but best I could get. PDF https://drive.google.com/file/d/12f8trXTYwQmtlZc45rHfeTRD5k8pf1dm/view?usp=drive_link

A visit to the gardens to check in on the palm project and everything is looking good, a couple of palms never made it, but all in all they have tucked in quite well and are starting to get a move on. I will be going back in autumn to get some more palms in the ground that have been donated, along with a few more from my collection. It is a long term project that iam determined to see through for future generations. It’s a great opportunity for the palms of world both rare and endangered species to be catalogued and go into the Hortis data bank linked with Kew gardens. A fantastic project that iam proud to be part off. The world needs more palm nuts such as myself and others to ensure the survival of endangered plant species for all humankind!

I haven’t had any luck growing them in my area so far, they keep telling they will grow but so far nothing has lived for me, they do have a swampy area in the garden though might have to try one there!

I agree, it must be some sort of corrupted data or there is some miscalculation in their programming. I didn’t recall the temps going below the mid thirties, I was taken aback by the supposed revelation. I just checked it against weather underground. This is why you can’t trust data. https://www.wunderground.com/calendar/us/fl/kissimmee/KISM/date/2025-11

I’ve only protected them from the recent hard freeze . They have been exposed to upper 20s about 2-3X this winter already no issues. I’m gambling a bit more with them this weekend (26-27°) expected Sunday night. I imagine they should be fine 🙌🤞

Yes, fair enough. It got very cold here last week as well, but I was in the Philippines so everything in the ground is definitely toast and not coming back. For my little greenhouse, I made a terracotta heater with some vegetable shortening, candle wicks, and terracotta pots to at least keep it from freezing if the power goes out and my little electric heater stops running.

There’s a ton of stuff at Disney and Universal that will be seriously damaged if this event pans out the way it’s forecast. I know Eric in Orlando is more up to speed on what’s there at Disney especially but this is what I can think of off the top of my head. -Coconut palms and a lot of warm zone 10 tropical vegetation at Volcano bay at Universal. I had heard from employees who worked there in Jan 2018 that they had heaters on the Cocos. Not sure how that will work with 35 mph winds and these temps -I recall at the new hotel they built at Disneys Polynesian Resort some good sized Satakentia planted on the backside facing the lake. And of course there’s just so many tender tropicals at the Polynesian already. -Numerous Pandanus around the Disney Parks: one notable one in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom and a few in Avatar land at Animal Kingdom. -Plants like Shefflera arboricola, Copperleaf/Acalypha, Duranta erecta are used as a standard shrub hedges all around the parks and Orlando in general. They will for sure come back from larger branches or the base of the plant if dieback occurs but wow that would be a lot of brown foliage to look at for a little while. -The common stuff like Bottle/Spindle Palms, Croton, Adonidia, Ficus, Wodyetia, Philodendron, and Monstera will probably be quite a sore sight. -Heliconia and Gingers, and Strelitzia are practically used as foundation plants in the Orlando area nowadays. Many will probably have to start from the ground up after this. -I’m curious how Royal Poincianas will do. I don’t recall reports of high damage in these from Jan 2018 but maybe I forget. I know I’ve seen some good sized ones in the Orlando area that didn’t seem to show evidence of significant past damage. -One of the saving graces though is that it’s been so long since freezes like this in the Orlando and other areas that some of these plants are so large their size is in their favor to better withstand this freeze event.

You're not kidding. Ive had them eating the apple chunks fully submerged. In my area they took out a CIDP and now there is a queen and a washy that have collapsed crowns that are no more than 5o yards from the CIDP stump. It may be a coincidence but it's awfully fishy and concerning if true.

Unfortunately they are on the way. one of my shops is in Mission Viejo and I have seen the evil weevil damage as far up as san Clemente and that's without actively looking around. You can see some damaged CIDP in the Cristianitos creek by trestles. in hindsight the freezer is. a bit of a stupid test as those temps would kill a palm outright anyway. The 26-28f falls inline with what my yard has seen as its record low so im a bit upset that there wasn't death. Im sure the weevils nuzzle into a warmer area too.

Things are ridiculously resilient. In some of my traps, then I forget to put a killing agent in the water they swim for seven plus days before finally dying and drowning.

HI All, long time lurker, first time poster. Thought I'd post some new growth to keep you going through your quiet season. Cycas Thouarsii Emerging leaf on a Ferox I removed the old leaves when the new leaves started flushing on this Lehmanii as they were 3 seasons old and a bit shabby. Plant had coned 3 seasons in a row and only put flushes on puppies which I removed this past winter. More puppies already showing again can be seen on the caudex. Cycas Petraea coming along.

Jungle Music has the silver form listed off and on in their discount special. If you scroll down to the Monday list they have it for $170 plus shipping for a 15 gallon . https://www.junglemusic.net/Discounted_Plants/Discounted_Palm_Trees_and_Cycads.html

More Coconut palm

A bit of colour on the new sallaca leaf, and a nice pic of the garden git my attention!