Washingtonia Robusta Survive Temps in the Teens?

[MRB1192]

I was in Sedona, AZ recently and was surprised to find several mature (what I thought to be) Washingtonia Robusta. Where I saw the specimens in the photo was technically Zone 8a per the USDA Map. Sedona typically sees a dozen or so freezes per year and the occasional freeze down into the upper teens. I'm curious how these palms have managed to survive these temps for this long.  Can anyone tell by the photo if these are actually Washingtonia Filibusta? 

I'm also curious if there are any members of this forum from Texas or Louisiana who had Washingtonia Robusta that survived the deep freeze of February, 2021 unprotected. 

[Jtee]

There are plenty of robustas in Alamogordo New Mexico zone 8a. They have survived some pretty cold temps. 
And there are plenty of people on here from Texas that dealt with the freeze. 

[Xenon]

Those palms look like mutts. There are similar looking palms in College Station, Texas that survived low-mid single digits. 

As far as "pure" (ultra thin-curved/tapering trunk-bright lime green-tight crown) robusta, there is widespread survival (>40-50%) along the 14-16F+ line in the Houston Area with much lower survival (10-20%) at 12-13F and pretty much eradication at 10F or below out in the far north and west suburbs. 

Edited June 24, 2022 by Xenon

[Collectorpalms]

2 hours ago, MRB1192 said:

I was in Sedona, AZ recently and was surprised to find several mature (what I thought to be) Washingtonia Robusta. Where I saw the specimens in the photo was technically Zone 8a per the USDA Map. Sedona typically sees a dozen or so freezes per year and the occasional freeze down into the upper teens. I'm curious how these palms have managed to survive these temps for this long.  Can anyone tell by the photo if these are actually Washingtonia Filibusta? 

I'm also curious if there are any members of this forum from Texas or Louisiana who had Washingtonia Robusta that survived the deep freeze of February, 2021 unprotected. 

Placement up against buildings can add a zone especially in arid locations of the southwest.  They look fairly mixed genetics between Robusta and Filifera.

[JohnAndSancho]

My potted Washy did fine in 2021........ Inside my apartment.

 

It did suffer cold damage earlier this year though. 

 

[BeyondTheGarden]

@JohnAndSancho how cold did your apartment get!?  You should really pay your electric bill!

[NBTX11]

There's some purish Robusta in downtown San Antonio and a smattering around town that survived around 10-12F.  Robusta surviving mid - upper teens is no big deal.

Edited June 24, 2022 by NBTX11

[NBTX11]

4 hours ago, MRB1192 said:

I was in Sedona, AZ recently and was surprised to find several mature (what I thought to be) Washingtonia Robusta. Where I saw the specimens in the photo was technically Zone 8a per the USDA Map. Sedona typically sees a dozen or so freezes per year and the occasional freeze down into the upper teens. I'm curious how these palms have managed to survive these temps for this long.  Can anyone tell by the photo if these are actually Washingtonia Filibusta? 

I'm also curious if there are any members of this forum from Texas or Louisiana who had Washingtonia Robusta that survived the deep freeze of February, 2021 unprotected. 

These are not pure Robusta.

[Collectorpalms]

41 minutes ago, Jesse PNW said:

@JohnAndSancho how cold did your apartment get!?  You should really pay your electric bill!

No Joke, people died in 2021. I had no power at 4F in Texas, The garage was 19F with plants that I tried to save. Go back to 1989, there was no power then either in parts of Texas. So the idea of protecting plants in central Texas with heating cables etc... is really a Gamble in the next event. Politicians and officials have not changed anything. It is easy to forget about when you have total control and people have no long term memory.

Edited June 24, 2022 by Collectorpalms

[Xerarch]

Robusta can recover from surprisingly low temps in the deserts, there are quite a few of them in places like these street view pics below in 8a/b St. George Utah. You can see some of these are a little toasted in the photos. These are very common in St. George even though filifera is a better choice for the area. 
 

[jwitt]

Phenomenal survival rate at this locale after seeing -5f officially measured mere blocks away (NMSU) on 2/3/2011. Zone 8a Las Cruces NM.

This is 2017. Comparing using streetveiw, survival greater than 90% at this location. 

 

The pic of palms in Sedona are those skinny trunk with filifera leaves palms.  Hybrid.

 

These are robusta.

Edited June 24, 2022 by jwitt
Added pic

[DreaminAboutPalms]

In desert climates robusta are pretty much bulletproof when facing temps in teens. Even a Good amount in Texas that saw wet low teens and came back. Big difference if they are a weaker specimen however, ore in wet climates.
 

And in more marginal climates having them close to a building makes a BIG difference. 

 

Edited June 24, 2022 by DreaminAboutPalms

[mnorell]

I can add that in Natchez, Mississippi, the leaves brown-out right around 23F and in 2018, when temps dipped to 13F, it was about a 50-60% survival rate for W. robusta (it was a relatively brief drop). In New Orleans, I believe all Washingtonia robusta were wiped out in the 1962 and 1989 freezes (both about 11F). Of course duration and wetness (both characteristic of Southern/Southeastern freezes) no doubt have a factor in the outcome, hence out west the much cheerier outlook for that species.

[JohnAndSancho]

My Washie is in a pot on my patio. Obviously I brought inside last winter, but didn't this year. It took some cold damage and was throwing lots of short, deformed new fronds. I don't recall exactly how cold it got earlier this year, but we did still get snow - I'm guessing high teens/low 20s, and being in a pot on an upstairs balcony left it a lot more vulnerable than in the ground. 

 

I let it dry out and then started watering the crap out of it and now he's recovering and looking like he did last year. Search "Dirty Sanchez" on here for pics.