Henderson TN Palms

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

As I am presently living in Nashville, I wanted to get the scoop on palms in the area. On a FB palm group (NAPA I believe) I found a guy who lived in Henderson (20 minutes north of East Nashville) Tennessee who offered to show me some of the palms in the area.  I was very surprised that there were any unprotected palms besides Needles and Sabal minor, and was more surprised at how many I saw in a relatively small area.  Ill add he knew of more but It had gotten late, and we plan on doing another palm "hunt" in the future.

First this large windmill palm near Old Hickory Lake.  According to the owner he bought two windmill palms about 15 - 17 years ago (this being one) while in Orlando around a 5 gallon size after asking about palms to grow in cold hardy climates.   Sadly the other one died (visible in photo) a few years ago after a winter, it simply declined and died.  The guy who was showing me around was pretty sure it wasn't cold damage as it was apparently a mild winter.  This palm has never been protected, and the trunk was about 17 feet tall.  

Notice all these volunteers too.

he also had a smaller one he planted around 8 years ago.  very fat trunk. More volunteers too.

Few other Windmills around the area. This one on a property right on the lake.

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Two more by a pool.

The guy who I went with also had a very impressive garden.   He had some non palms that were still impressive But i will add those at the bottom of this post.

Sabal palmetto, never protected, under a small roof area, planted 15 years ago.

Another palmetto, this one's first winter.  Not bad damage considering this winter was colder then most, apparently duration wise.

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Needle clump around 20 years old.

Not sure the age on this one.

Lots of nice Sabal Minor, some of these he believes aren't fully sabal because they have outgrown some other Sabal Minor he planted much earlier.  Either way he has around 20 - 25 planted around and had a literal bucket full of fresh seeds.

These some of the self ID'd Lousiana, sold as Minor. He also said these would sometimes get very mild burn while the full minor didn't.  All were purchased as minor.  

One in back right is Sabal Birmingham.  Two others are minor.

These are apparently full Sabal Minor.  These were older then the others.

Windmills too, planted around 8 years ago dont fully remember.  None of these palms have ever been protected I should add.

Back near the lake, We also stopped at a place with two Sabal Palmetto palms. He apparently had never stopped here to ask so we did.  The owner said he dug up the "palm" in Jacksonville around 15 years ago.  He did not think It was a palmetto, though when we looked we decided it was, and told him as such.  apparently its slower then usual growth rate is due to the owner having a habit of cutting off all fronds with noticeable burn, and ice damage.  We also figured he thought it was a single palm and probably dug up several of them in the same place at once.  Also never protected.   

At the Henderson Memorial park, apparently there used to be a Sabal Minor and Birmingham (the latter donated by my "guide"). The Birmingham died somehow, and the Minor was pulled out after over a decade to put in a trash can (yeah I know).  But down the peninsula, into the woods a little, were many Sabal Minor naturalizing littering the ground, near some swampy areas.  There was easily over 100 mixed in spread out over 100/100 feet 

There were some other houses we passed by with palms,  he knew a person who owned this place, and apparently this a Sabal Birmingham. No other palms on the property

Another windmill. Some of the plants looked like they had been wrapped including this, so we assume some fronds were cooked by Christmas lights. He intends to going back to warn them about it.

Also 

also a needle at the same place.

Another home with large Sabal Minor.

They also had a needle and a smaller Minor too.

Now for some of his other rare non palms. Yucca aloifolia for starters. This area really seems like a 7b despite its zone designation.

Sago Cycads, been there at least 5 years, come back every year as perenials. both have green here,

Two live oaks laden with Spanish Moss.

Some kind of Eucalyptus I forgot which one.

I ended up getting one of the Large Windmill palms offspring while we visited.  I have since cleaned it and potted it better, this was the only photo I have.  

Edited March 31, 2021 by Mr.SamuraiSword

[Reyes Vargas]

That trachycarpus in the first picture looks beautiful and flawless.  I'm not a big fan of trachys but that one looks amazing.

[Allen]

Looks great you were just about a hour from me.  Nice photos

 

 

[Tennessee Palms]

Alright before people get confused, he's Referring to Hendersonville Tennessee not Henderson, Henderson is nowhere near Nashville which actually got me excited that someone 20 minutes away from me was growing palms but now I'm kinda Disappointed lol. Anyway those are amazing plants! 

Edit: there are people growing palms 20 minutes away from me but non of these people are on these forums. 

Edited March 31, 2021 by Tennessee Palms

[JLM]

I think you mean Hendersonville, i use to live in Lafayette, Gallatin, and Hendersonville. Did not know of many palms that existed in that area, a good eye opener for sure! I did know of some nice and tall trachies at The Streets of Indian Lake in Hendersonville, but they have since removed those palms for a renovation. That is really all i knew of though in that area. I had lived near Vol State in Gallatin for a year, then moved out near 386 at the Station Camp exit. 

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

34 minutes ago, Tennessee Palms said:

Alright before people get confused, he's Referring to Hendersonville Tennessee not Henderson, Henderson is nowhere near Nashville which actually got me excited that someone 20 minutes away from me was growing palms but now I'm kinda Disappointed lol. Anyway those are amazing plants! 

Edit: there are people growing palms 20 minutes away from me but non of these people are on these forums. 

Sorry all, still new to the area, lol.  Yeah it was Hendersonville.. Shame i cant edit it now

[JLM]

1 hour ago, Mr.SamuraiSword said:

Sorry all, still new to the area, lol.  Yeah it was Hendersonville.. Shame i cant edit it now

Completely understand! I was the same way when i moved down here, couldnt pronounce half of the city/town names correctly. In your situation its better because it's not 110% wrong lol

[Palmaceae]

Great pictures of some nice looking palms! Just moved to TN and starting my palm collection.

[Collectorpalms]

Where these pictures from this spring, and if so how cold was the February Freeze for that city? Is it the city near Jackson, TN.

only ask cause they still look better than anything out of zone 8 in Texas.

[Allen]

55 minutes ago, Collectorpalms said:

Where these pictures from this spring, and if so how cold was the February Freeze for that city? Is it the city near Jackson, TN.

only ask cause they still look better than anything out of zone 8 in Texas.

This is basically down the road from me.  8F-10F this year, 18F last year and 16F the year before that.  Zone 7a.  Just barely outside Nashville.  We had a lot of ice but no real damage.  Those pics all look current this spring

Edited April 1, 2021 by Allen

[WSimpson]

Some nice looking palms there , and especially some of those Trachys .

Will

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

On 4/1/2021 at 9:32 AM, Collectorpalms said:

Where these pictures from this spring, and if so how cold was the February Freeze for that city? Is it the city near Jackson, TN.

only ask cause they still look better than anything out of zone 8 in Texas.

Yes, Hendersonville TN, got the town name wrong.  20 minutes north of Nashville near the old Hickory Lake

[Fusca]

22 minutes ago, Mr.SamuraiSword said:

Yes, Hendersonville TN, got the town name wrong.  20 minutes north of Nashville near the old Hickory Lake

Just make sure you pronounce it "Hendersonvl" and "Nashvl".  Also if you travel east, Maryville = "Murvl".  

On 3/31/2021 at 7:37 PM, JLM said:

I was the same way when i moved down here, couldnt pronounce half of the city/town names correctly.

 

[JLM]

3 hours ago, Fusca said:

Just make sure you pronounce it "Hendersonvl" and "Nashvl".  Also if you travel east, Maryville = "Murvl".  

 

YES!

[teddytn]

What do the experts have to say about that palmetto being in the ground for 15 years? With no winter damage....just saw different thread where everyone was nervous to give the green light on a palmetto 30 miles south of Birmingham zone 8a. 

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Didn't realise Nashville area was quite this warm.   Im sure someone "planted" that Spanish moss on those trees as its not native to TN, but it sure looks like it has naturalised well.  Any idea how long that Spanish moss has been there?    To me DC seems warmer than Nashville as its much closer to the coast, but I was never able to get Spanish moss to survive there through a winter. Very interesting in deed.   Beautiful cold hardy palms there.  If these can be grown successfully there id imagine that you'll see a lot more of them in and around  Nashville.   Anyone tried Pindos there? 

[Landasaw]

This is an old topic. I live in Hendersonville and I have a pindo palm it nearly died the winter before last. An ice storm and 11°, it had spear Pull but somehow came back. Spanish moss definitely survived the winter and was blooming. Eventually I believe birds grabbed it all but it survived for maybe a year and a half.

Edited April 7, 2022 by Landasaw
More to add

[Landasaw]

Also I moved here about 5 years ago and I remember the trackies at Indian lake. By about 3 years ago only one was still alive. There were needle palms underneath them and they tore it all down. Then they put in pindo palms in the spring or summer yet tore them down a few weeks later.

[Bigfish]

I see you met Tommy!  I've known him since around 2003 or so, and can attest to seeing some of those palms at his place back then.  Hendersonville is on a peninsula, so there's a bit of a moderating effect from the lake.

I remember those palms in the Streets of Indian Lake.  The Trachys looked rough a few years ago, but some of those Needles were really nice.  Shame they tore them all out. 

There used to be a Serenoa next to that giant Needle of his that survived for a very long time, but the Needle choked it out over time.  He also had a Livistona planted up next to the house that would come back every spring after being completely defoliated every year.

[Landasaw]

Also I moved here about 5 years ago and I remember the trackies at Indian lake. By about 3 years ago only one was still alive. There were needle palms underneath them and they tore it all down. Then they put in pindo palms in the spring or summer yet tore them down a few weeks later.

[Landasaw]

Yeah those needles looked flawless that were there. The same cold that killed the windmills didn't even touch them. It was a shame they ripped them out. But putting in pindos and then ripping them out it makes me wonder who's mismanaging things. I see a few windmills at different spots but only in protected locations. There is a sabal Minor at a store on main Street. I had to do the Christmas lights in a cage last winter but my pindo survived unscathed. In Madison there was a liquor store that had a nice windmill right up against the wall but they cut it down. There are needles nearby that are still standing and looking great. Sometimes I feel like a stalker (of palms).

[Allen]

22 hours ago, Landasaw said:

Yeah those needles looked flawless that were there. The same cold that killed the windmills didn't even touch them. It was a shame they ripped them out. But putting in pindos and then ripping them out it makes me wonder who's mismanaging things. I see a few windmills at different spots but only in protected locations. There is a sabal Minor at a store on main Street. I had to do the Christmas lights in a cage last winter but my pindo survived unscathed. In Madison there was a liquor store that had a nice windmill right up against the wall but they cut it down. There are needles nearby that are still standing and looking great. Sometimes I feel like a stalker (of palms).

Hey neighbor.  Glad the pindo pulled thru

[Landasaw]

It just needs some help in the winter.

[WSimpson]

Really like the tall Trachy . 

That Spanish moss is exceptional for that area too . That really makes me want to try it on 2  Crepe Myrtles on the side of my driveway ( really my neighbors plants , but he won't mind ) . 

Will

[NCFM]

5 hours ago, Will Simpson said:

Really like the tall Trachy . 

That Spanish moss is exceptional for that area too . That really makes me want to try it on 2  Crepe Myrtles on the side of my driveway ( really my neighbors plants , but he won't mind ) . 

Will

Ive got some growing on a crepe Myrtle here in the Greensboro area. Does pretty well, only issue I’ve had is birds stealing it to use as nesting material 

[teddytn]

On 3/31/2021 at 3:27 PM, Mr.SamuraiSword said:

Sabal palmetto, never protected, under a small roof area, planted 15 years ago.

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I’ve looked back at these pics a few times. Cool seeing so many palms in TN. That palmetto though peaks my interest. Really good microclimate or not that thing looks amazing to be planted unprotected in TN! 

[WSimpson]

11 hours ago, NCFM said:

Ive got some growing on a crepe Myrtle here in the Greensboro area. Does pretty well, only issue I’ve had is birds stealing it to use as nesting material 

Did you buy a box of florist moss , or take it from naturally growing moss ?

Thanks ,

Will

[NCFM]

7 hours ago, Will Simpson said:

Did you buy a box of florist moss , or take it from naturally growing moss ?

Thanks ,

Will

I just picked it off some trees in Savannah GA while on a trip there. I had tried ordering some online from Florida before then, but it didn’t do nearly as well 

[Leelanau Palms]

Any updates on these palms?

[FireFelixFF]

It’s cool to see a lot of people pushing their growing boundaries in zone 7 and up. I’m also pretty sure that Hendersonville, Nashville, and most of Middle Tennessee have been bumped up to zone 7b from 7a. I’ll have to try some of these new zone qualified palms for myself.