Washingtonia robusta and Butia capitata in Ålesund, Norway, at latitude 62,5!

[norwegian]

Hello everybody! Just wanted to let you know I've planted a Washingtonia robusta and a Butia capitata in my garden in Ålesund Norway, which is situated on latitude 62,5N. Optimism? Yes! It never ends, exotic gardening is all about stretching the limits to the uttermost borders of what is possible!

Scanpalm - Photogallery Ålesund 2008

[Rusty on Pine Is.]

Wow, pretty cool....NG2: No Guts, No Glory!

Hope you keep us posted on your palms progress!

Rusty

[Alicehunter2000]

The Butia has a chance.......the robusta (maybe not).....did you consider W. filifera instead? (is it available there?). Good luck.

[Pivi]

show us pictures

[norwegian]

For photos check out this gallery: Scanpalm - Ålesund photogallery 2008

The place where I bought the new palms had only robusta, not filifera... unfortunately.

I know it is a longshot, but I was eager to try some new palms instead of trachycarpus which I already has 2 of.

[DoomsDave]

WOW!

That's only four degrees south of the Arctic Circle!

THAT's far north.

Hmm. Any polar bears?

[bgl]

Thomas,

That's very impressive! What I also find interesting is the fact that you can buy these palms locally in Ålesund. I assume that also means there are other people in your area buying and planting palms?

Bo-Göran

[norwegian]

Yes, I would suppose other people in Ålesund have palms in their gardens too as the biggest garden centre here has a large selection of hardy palms for a relative low price (see picture below).. I would for sure like to hear from anyone around here with palms, but I havent seen a single garden with palms.

[Alicehunter2000]

Peter Willemsen is in the Netherlands....somewhat in your neck of the woods......but not as far north as you.

[norwegian]

Peter Willemsen is in the Netherlands....somewhat in your neck of the woods......but not as far north as you.

I believe Ålesund is the northernmost place in the world with palm trees outdoor in the ground - I have not heard from anyone further north..

Scanpalm - Everything about palms in Scandinavia

Scanpalm - discussion board

[bgl]

Thomas,

That's an impressive selection of palms in the garden centre! Is this something new (being able to buy palms in the garden centre)?

Bo-Göran

[Tassie_Troy1971]

Bloody amazing and i thought i was a pioneer @ 42 deg south , welcome and the best of luck to you !

[FRITO]

wow that is NORTH! welcome aboard!

[bubba]

The Viking's fear nothing and will stretch limits beyond anyone's imagination.

[deezpalms]

Fearless for sure! Good luck with your palms!!!

[DoomsDave]

So, I'm sure you had a wonderful summer solstice celebration . . . . .

All hail the midnight sun!

[Paul The Palm Doctor!]

What is your usual low temperatures in winter and what has been the lowest temperature ever recorded in your community?

GOOD LUCK TO YOU, BTW!!

[norwegian]

Not sure about the lowest temperature ever recorded, think it's about -10-11C...

There is something I have to add concerning the climate at my location.. it is very diverse due to the landscape. Some places are much better for growing exotics than other places because of the locations of the hills and the fjords. My location is on the south side of a 100metre tall hill (it shelter me againt the everblowing cold winds from the north), and right in front of me I got a fjord that brings a mild wind over my garden during the winter. My location is easily a USDA 9A, while other places only a few kilomtres away could be 8A. Temperature rarely drops below -5 any year.

By the way, 28.5C today 1pm nice and warm, the palms are growing fast! 20C now at midnight

[Aceraceae]

On 6/26/2008 at 1:34 PM, norwegian said:

I know it is a longshot, but I was eager to try some new palms instead of trachycarpus which I already has 2 of.

I wonder if the windmill Palms survived at least a few years. 

Locations up to 60° north latitude in the North Atlantic current are as good as 55° North locations that almost grow windmills but receive too much rain and snow or are just too cold like Southern Alaska (Sitka Ketchikan) and Central southern Scandinavia (Denmark and southern Sweden), or the southern hemisphere. 

[Palmfjord62degressnorth]

On 7/29/2022 at 4:22 AM, Aceraceae said:

I wonder if the windmill Palms survived at least a few years. 

Locations up to 60° north latitude in the North Atlantic current are as good as 55° North locations that almost grow windmills but receive too much rain and snow or are just too cold like Southern Alaska (Sitka Ketchikan) and Central southern Scandinavia (Denmark and southern Sweden), or the southern hemisphere. 

Hi

I think it is my friend Thomas that started this thread. He now has a fortunei that has been in the garden for over 15years and is over 3,5m, unprotected since day one 😀 

Probably the largest unprotected Trachy here in Norway. I know there is one in Bergen (60 degrees north) at almost 5m, but he protects it slitghtly in the winter months to be sure, Even though many of the snakker ones are unprotected. 
 

Ålesund has the mildest winters of any city in Scandinavia, Even though there is Islands that are Even milder in western Norway. Bømlo for example. There are many unprotected Trachys in Ålesund now. 

[AlligatorDave]

There’s a guy growing large canary dates in Pennsylvania, he covers them with heavy duty clear plastic sheets from Home Depot for the coldest cold spells, sometimes even puts in a small heater under the plastic. 10 years later they’re alive. Not sure if this makes them better acclimated to cold. I grew tracycarpus etc near DC. They did well till the spring. Then the hot cold hot cold messed them up. Especially rain followed by a cold spell. I’d try to avoid that scenario.

[PalmsInBaltimore]

2 hours ago, Palmfjord62degressnorth said:

I think it is my friend Thomas that started this thread.

I was thinking, surely this guy must know the other guy from Alesund. Or seen his palms on the horizon across the water... 

For everyone in disbelief, check out @Palmfjord62degressnorth garden. Extraordinary climate:

 

[Las Palmas Norte]

I'd imagine you'd get about 20hrs of daylight at the summer equinox and 4 - 5 hrs of daylight in the dead of winter.

[Palmfjord62degressnorth]

On 7/27/2024 at 10:20 PM, Las Palmas Norte said:

I'd imagine you'd get about 20hrs of daylight at the summer equinox and 4 - 5 hrs of daylight in the dead of winter.

You are close. About 19-20 hours from sunrise til sundown before the sun turns, and 5hours from sunrise til sundown the 21 of december. But only one month later there is 7hours, and about 11 hours by the end of february and at start of spring. So it changes fast. 

[Palmfjord62degressnorth]

On 7/27/2024 at 9:57 PM, PalmsInBaltimore said:

I was thinking, surely this guy must know the other guy from Alesund. Or seen his palms on the horizon across the water... 

For everyone in disbelief, check out @Palmfjord62degressnorth garden. Extraordinary climate:

 

😂😂👍

There is also one more that has had exotic a exotic garden for many years here. He lives further out tomatsaus the atlantic, and temps colder than -5/6 is almost unheard of there. 9a climate zone. He has planted many different exotics. His problem is the wind. He is called Palmekysten at instagram.

[VA Jeff]

Really, jubaea is your best bet.  Plant a dozen now for your grandchildren to enjoy.  For your cool rainy climate, you should grow rhododendron sinogrande, if you can get hold of seeds.  And gunnera manicata.

[Palmfjord62degressnorth]

On 7/27/2024 at 9:57 PM, PalmsInBaltimore said:

I was thinking, surely this guy must know the other guy from Alesund. Or seen his palms on the horizon across the water... 

For everyone in disbelief, check out @Palmfjord62degressnorth garden. Extraordinary climate:

 

Thanks 😀

Thomas who started this thread actually goes under the name norwaypalmtrees on instagram and nordic experience on YouTube. 
He is pushing it now with canary date palms and robustas and much more. 

[Palmfjord62degressnorth]

On 8/2/2024 at 6:12 AM, VA Jeff said:

Really, jubaea is your best bet.  Plant a dozen now for your grandchildren to enjoy.  For your cool rainy climate, you should grow rhododendron sinogrande, if you can get hold of seeds.  And gunnera manicata.

Thanks 👍😀 Aldready have a Jubaea in the garden, which seem to thrive already. We Will see how it takes the wet winter. The temps are probably not a problem, but the wet May be. There is Rhodedendrons everywhere in Ålesund. Huge ones and many diffrent types. I’m no expert, but i guess that one i also there. I only have 3 types in mye garden, and don’t know if that is one of them. I know one near us have huge Gunneras. I’m probably trying Butia eriospatha and canary date palm next year. 

[palmnut-fry]

I am jealous down here in N. Tx!

Years ago my boss got some nursery grade starters of Gunnera but the heat croaked them by July. Fascinating plants!  To grow those here is akin to putting them in a mini air conditioned enclosure as these ninnies do with heaters and "industrial strength" plastic to keep them in Siberia!

I suppose next we'll have Santy Claus' house lined in palms & azaleas🌴🌴🌴😆