Zone 10 Palms in the Orlando Area Mega Thread

[palmsOrl]

I would like this to be a thread where Palmtalkers post cold sensitive zone 10 palms you come across in the Orlando area.  The ever-increasing effects of the urban heat island are more evident each year.  

The first is an updated photo of the Cocos nucifera growing at Smashburger near downtown.

[palmsOrl]

Dypsis lutescens have been quite common as small clumps for a long time in the Orlando area, but you see many more with noticeable tall trunks now.  This clump is on Colonial Dr. near the Fashion Square Mall.

I also came across these beautiful Adonidia triples, unblemished after this winter.  These are growing at the Bank of America adjacent to the Fashion Square Mall.

 

[palmsOrl]

Finally, I saw this Ficus volunteer growing in the median on Colonial Dr.  You see these all over the place in South Fl but not commonly in the Orlando area.  I suspect various Ficus weeds to become commonplace in the future (it says max upload 8 MB, I assume this is per day?  I guess I will try to upload tomorrow)

[AZPalms]

I quickly looked at Orlando’s weather for the last month or two and boy what a piece of cake you all had!! Interested to see how these do over time!

[palmsOrl]

Me too AZPalms!  I think zone 10 stuff will be a piece of cake going forward most years and then get zapped but most will suvive every 5-10 years.  Then less frequently, a freeze and/or prolonged cold will kill the majority of zone 10 vegetation.  That said, Orlando hasn’t officially been below the mid 20s since 1989, 30 years.  

[Merlyn]

I found these monster Dypsis Lutescens (I think...?) in an inner courtyard on a building on Orange Ave in downtown Orlando.  They must have been planted a long time ago! 

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.5556369,-81.3791981,3a,75y,282.36h,93.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sy0iRHii5ZvOFNJnYTTsJlw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

 

[Matthew92]

Coconut in Dr. Phillips suburb. I watched this one outgrow last year's winter damage throughout this past summer.

[palmsOrl]

5 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

Finally, I saw this Ficus volunteer growing in the median on Colonial Dr.  You see these all over the place in South Fl but not commonly in the Orlando area.  I suspect various Ficus weeds to become commonplace in the future (it says max upload 8 MB, I assume this is per day?  I guess I will try to upload tomorrow)

 

[RedRabbit]

6 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

Finally, I saw this Ficus volunteer growing in the median on Colonial Dr.  You see these all over the place in South Fl but not commonly in the Orlando area.  I suspect various Ficus weeds to become commonplace in the future (it says max upload 8 MB, I assume this is per day?  I guess I will try to upload tomorrow)

Very interesting! I maintain that Ficus aurea is the best natural indicator of Zone 10 in Florida. There are a decent number of them near the water in Tampa and they’re prolific in St. Pete. It is good to see some growing in Orlando now! 

[Matthew92]

Here are a couple more of a Dypsis lutescens clump and Roytonea after last year's January freeze. While that freeze was a little colder than the recent trend (actually closer to a more historically typical winter in the area), it wasn't enough to kill most of them.

Edited February 13, 2019 by Matthew92

[Eric in Orlando]

Almost all of the Adonidia growing around Orlando have been planted since the 2009-10 winter. I wish Ptychosperma elegans were used instead. They handle long cold/cool better than Adonidia. I see lots of tall trunking Dypsis lutescens around. They have done well through the freezes, some clumps had stems killed back. Lots of mature seeding Caryota mitis and also Wodyetia and Hyophorbe. There is a really big Hyophorbe lagenicaulis on the south side of Lake Underhill I have been watching for years. It was planted around 1993/94. Survived the 1995-96 freezes, 2001 freeze and the 2009-10, 2010-11 winters. But there are some others too that have been long term (15 years) that I see.

Also seeing Archontophoenix get planted again. It was occasionally seen around Orlando decades ago but they were wiped out by the 1983 and 1985 megafreezes. Same with Roystonea.

[Eric in Orlando]

8 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

 

 

[Eric in Orlando]

That one is Ficus microcarpa. I find these occasionally here at Leu Gardens. We had one growing as a strangler in an old, hollow cavity Southern Red Cedar. But the SRC split apart in Hurricane Irma and brought the Ficus down too. I also see more Ficus aurea seedlings around. One sprouted on our lakefront at the edge of the seawall and we have left it to grow. I just found one back in the woods yesterday growing on a Southern Live Oak. I am also seeing more Ficus aurea and F. microcarpa seedlings around town in palm crowns, especially Phoenix canariensis. There have been some Ficus aurea seedlings sprouting along I-4 on the walls in the International Dr./ Universal Studios area.

[Eric in Orlando]

11 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

Me too AZPalms!  I think zone 10 stuff will be a piece of cake going forward most years and then get zapped but most will suvive every 5-10 years.  Then less frequently, a freeze and/or prolonged cold will kill the majority of zone 10 vegetation.  That said, Orlando hasn’t officially been below the mid 20s since 1989, 30 years.  

Christmas 1989 had 2 nights around 19-20F. Since then the coldest it has been in Orlando is one night down to 26F in Feb. 1996. Dec. 2000 had a night at 27F and one at 28F. Jan. 2003 had a night at 27F. Then there was the long cool winter of 2009-10. Overall lowest temperature was only 28F one night but there were a dozen other nights between 30-32F.  Winter 2010-11 was also a long, cool one but not as bad as the previous. I can't remember the ultimate low, maybe 29-30F.

[palmsOrl]

Eric, thank you for the in depth info on our local Ficus volunteers.  I also recently saw one, not sure of the species growing on a cypress knee at Rollins about 5 feet from the waters edge in the lake.

Either Orlando International or Orlando Executive got down to 23.9F in February 1996.  I still consider that just barely mid 20s.

[palmsOrl]

Several tall, reproducing Adonidia merrillii at the Sanford-Orlando International Airport.  These are currently dropping ripe seed and there are seedings growing around a couple of them.  Also, there is a large Caryota species with a couple seedlings growing in situ.

[Eric in Orlando]

Those Adonidia at  Sanford Intl Airport are really nice, that is a cold spot buth that is great siting being on the south side of the terminal building, lots of stored heat. I'm not sure id they are pre-2009-10 survivors.

There are also mature fruiting specimens at Orlando Intl Airport, at the B side parking garage. Those have been there at least 15 years.

[Eric in Orlando]

2 hours ago, palmsOrl said:

Eric, thank you for the in depth info on our local Ficus volunteers.  I also recently saw one, not sure of the species growing on a cypress knee at Rollins about 5 feet from the waters edge in the lake.

Either Orlando International or Orlando Executive got down to 23.9F in February 1996.  I still consider that just barely mid 20s.

Probably OIA. They also had an odd 25F reading sometime in the early 2000s but nothing showed damage. I was there a month later and crotons and dwarf heliconia used as bedding plants in open locations showed little damage. Even selloums would have shown damage at 25F.

[Merlyn]

I've seen this Roystonea for a couple of years on Boggy Creek Rd about 5 miles South of the airport.  The lower fronds looked pretty ragged after the 2018 January freezes, but the upper ones were in pretty good shape and the crown came back fairly quickly.  The picture in July 2018 on google maps is pretty accurate and the landscape shop at this location hasn't bothered to cut off the old dead fronds yet.  Maybe that's because there are a few live leaflets near the base on the oldest.  Here's a picture from today and the location:

https://www.google.com/maps/@28.3534748,-81.3096665,3a,90y,90.95h,95.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqElu1nm_eD0P5GwJK6W-qQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The street view goes back to 2015 there, and it's grown a few feet since then.  I have no idea when it was planted, but it could have been after the 2009-2010 freezes, based on the 2015 size.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

The Orlando I-Drive coconut on 2/15/19. In a different thread it was confirmed this was planted about 10-11 years ago. Loaded with fruit right now. Also foxtails and Christmas Palms surrounding it. 

Edited February 15, 2019 by pj_orlando_z9b

[kinzyjr]

I should get to walk past it a few times in May.  Can't wait.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

Here are some of my z10 palms today. Coconut and Christmas palm. 

[Eric in Orlando]

Dozens of Hyophorbe lagenicaulis throughout downtown Orlando in these planters. 

[pj_orlando_z9b]

Brentwood nursery off Lee Vista. Great specimens. 

[ck_in_fla]

I was driving South of Downtown Orlando and noticed a business right on South Orange Avenue (on the West side of the road) has landscaped with a number of young Coconut palms.  With all that concrete, they just may have a chance of long term survival.  I will try to get a picture the next time I am down that way.

[Jimbean]

[Eric in Orlando]

Jim, Are those Beccariophoenix alfredii at UCF?

 

 

[ck_in_fla]

Dr. P. Phillips School of Real Estate has a location in Downtown Orlando (on Robinson Street, I think).  I was wondering if those palms were in Downtown...

[Jimbean]

8 hours ago, Eric in Orlando said:

Jim, Are those Beccariophoenix alfredii at UCF?

 

 

yes, planted six months ago.

[SilverDragon]

Any sightings of R. madigascariensis? I remember Tomorrowland in Disney had some, but that was when I first went there as a child in 2005.

[Eric in Orlando]

There are lots Ravenala around, some getting large. I know the ones at Tomorrowland, they were taken out a while back but the big Pandanus utilis are still there.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

On 2/20/2019 at 5:59 PM, SilverDragon said:

Any sightings of R. madigascariensis? I remember Tomorrowland in Disney had some, but that was when I first went there as a child in 2005.

A house in Belle Isle had a large one but they removed it in 2018.  It took freeze damage in Jan 2018 but was recovering nicely.  Per Google maps, the palm was there in 2007 and here was the last image available from 2014.

[Matthew92]

Even though Ravenea rivularis (majesty) is technically bud hardy into much of zone 9, I'll put this one in here since below zone 10a temps (below 30) can give significant damage. Here's a nice one at an apt. complex off of Kirkman rd. slightly north of Universal studios. I think this streetview picture was from a couple years ago. When I saw it in person recently, it was a little taller, and had a richer green look to it. Btw, did anyone notice any majesties getting damage from the January 2018 freezes in the Orlando area? When I grew one outside just for fun in the FL Panhandle, it got significant damage anytime it got below 30 or with frost.

Edited February 22, 2019 by Matthew92

[pj_orlando_z9b]

On 2/22/2019 at 10:52 AM, Matthew92 said:

Even though Ravenea rivularis (majesty) is technically bud hardy into much of zone 9, I'll put this one in here since below zone 10a temps (below 30) can give significant damage. Here's a nice one at an apt. complex off of Kirkman rd. slightly north of Universal studios. I think this streetview picture was from a couple years ago. When I saw it in person recently, it was a little taller, and had a richer green look to it. Btw, did anyone notice any majesties getting damage from the January 2018 freezes in the Orlando area? When I grew one outside just for fun in the FL Panhandle, it got significant damage anytime it got below 30 or with frost.

Yes, I have 2 smaller palms in my yard that received significant damage in Jan 2018. One did not make it (it was not very healthy before the freeze) and my other took a long time to recover. I was surprised how sensitive they were.  Beautiful specimen you found there. Thanks for sharing. 

Edited February 23, 2019 by pj_orlando_z9b

[Estlander]

I, one the other hand, have found R. Rivularis to be surprisingly hardy. 

I have two planted in ground up here on the costal panhandle. This is their second winter in ground. 

Last winter, after having been in ground for less than three months, they came out fine through the first early January 2018 freeze. Had some slight spotting on older fronds only. The lowest they saw during that episode was somewhere between 27-26F. 

During the second January 2018 freeze they saw 23F one night. Had them covered with a towel and a plastic bag this time. Ooohhh, the smell when I uncovered them the next day. I probably waited too long to uncover them. It was sunny and around 12 pm when I did that. 

Both were defoliated with only the lower half of the spears remaining green. Both survived and are very happy to not have gone through the same this winter.  

Here’s one of them today. 

[ck_in_fla]

On 2/18/2019 at 8:41 PM, ck_in_fla said:

I was driving South of Downtown Orlando and noticed a business right on South Orange Avenue (on the West side of the road) has landscaped with a number of young Coconut palms.  With all that concrete, they just may have a chance of long term survival.  I will try to get a picture the next time I am down that way.

These are at the corner of Kaley and Orange, South of Downtown Orlando.  I think there are five small Coconut palms planted right at the corner.

With all that concrete, it will be interesting to watch them as they get larger.  With that siting, if they get some size to them, there is a better chance they will be around for a while.

[pj_orlando_z9b]

7 hours ago, Estlander said:

I, one the other hand, have found R. Rivularis to be surprisingly hardy. 

I have two planted in ground up here on the costal panhandle. This is their second winter in ground. 

Last winter, after having been in ground for less than three months, they came out fine through the first early January 2018 freeze. Had some slight spotting on older fronds only. The lowest they saw during that episode was somewhere between 27-26F. 

During the second January 2018 freeze they saw 23F one night. Had them covered with a towel and a plastic bag this time. Ooohhh, the smell when I uncovered them the next day. I probably waited too long to uncover them. It was sunny and around 12 pm when I did that. 

Both were defoliated with only the lower half of the spears remaining green. Both survived and are very happy to not have gone through the same this winter.  

Here’s one of them today. 

Nice looking palm. Top pic is my neighbor's after the freeze. It also did fine. 2nd is my majesty palms (on the left) after the freeze and then my largest today. 

[palmsOrl]

Here are a few Dypsis lutescens on Primrose Ave.   The first and third were clearly damaged in January 2018.

I saw a gorgeous large Dypsis clump against a house in full sun back in the neighborhood.  The trunks are really thick and the crowns full and dark green, like the ones you would see in upscale Marco Island or Miami neighborhoods.  I wanted to take a photo but am a bit uneasy taking photos of people’s houses.

Disregard this second photo, didn’t come out at all.  I didn’t want to get right up to the house and take the photo.

Edited February 25, 2019 by palmsOrl

[palmsOrl]

The second photo is of a really gorgeous mature bismarck at a McDonald’s on Colonial Dr. currently setting seed.

[palmsOrl]

This house off of Hampton Ave. has some amazing palms!!!