A true safe bet for zone 7 palm growers?

[Subtropical LIS]

I was taking pictures of my palmetto a few days ago and also snaped a pic of my needle palm. This palm has been in the ground for more than 5 years here on the Connecticut coast of Long Island Sound and is flawless.  It grows like crazy, and after the 2nd winter, very few of the fronds ever show cold damage (maybe a few tips that turn brown) and puts out 5 to 7 fronds a season.  It has taken 4 F (my coldest temp in 6 years) like a champ.  My guess after half a decade is that for those in zone 7 Needle palm is a pretty safe bet.  My only complaint is that when we get snow on occasion here on the coast (normally wet and heavy) some of the fronds get a little beat up. 

A few days ago...

 

[Alex Zone 5]

Yeah, I too wish, they were a little stiffer. Needle palm are bulletproof Have you ever considered a chamaerops?

Even though mine was boxed in, it suffered thru our evil zone 5 winter

 

[SeanK]

You know how big they get?

[Jack Lord]

Agreed. Needle Palms are more or less bullet proof in Zone 7. Two of mine are 6 and 7 feet tall respectively.

[Ben G.]

They are great palms and very tough. I have to protect them and baby them through their first couple of winters in the ground though. For me they are prone to spear pull until well established. Once they are established, they are no fuss. In my neck of the woods, sabal minor are easier though. 

[Subtropical LIS]

On 10/11/2022 at 7:40 PM, Alex Zone 5 said:

Yeah, I too wish, they were a little stiffer. Needle palm are bulletproof Have you ever considered a chamaerops?

Even though mine was boxed in, it suffered thru our evil zone 5 winter

 

Yes, a chamaerops would be nice, yours looks pretty health. I love the look of them, they give a real North African/southern Europe feel to the landsacpe. I saw several of them when I was in France decades ago. I've read they start to suffer (frond die back, etc) around 15 F or so, and I don't really want to have to protect anything (except my palmetto).  My annual lows are still in the single numbers most years, so I'm still too cold for them to grow unprotected. 

Edited October 13, 2022 by Subtropical LIS

[Subtropical LIS]

23 hours ago, SeanK said:

You know how big they get?

As far as the needle palms, I've read they can get 8 to 10 feet tall. 

 

[Subtropical LIS]

Just now, Subtropical LIS said:

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Ben OK said:

They are great palms and very tough. I have to protect them and baby them through their first couple of winters in the ground though. For me they are prone to spear pull until well established. Once they are established, they are no fuss. In my neck of the woods, sabal minor are easier though. 

Same here, I had spear pull first year on the main big spear, and a few spear pulls on the little pups. After the 3rd year, no spear pull. My needle is a little sheltered from precip under my house eave. 

2 hours ago, Jack Lord said:

Agreed. Needle Palms are more or less bullet proof in Zone 7. Two of mine are 6 and 7 feet tall respectively.

6 to 7 feet is really nice, the fronds must be huge at that size. Mine is about 5.5 feet tall or so. I just can't make up my mind if the look of what they call a "bull needle" (meaning all the suckers are removed and there is just one large trunk/leaf sheath) or it looks fuller with all the suckers. But to be honest, I'm too chicken to remove all the pups anyway. lol

[teddytn]

Safe bet- needle palm, Sabal minor, Sabal Louisiana, Sabal Birmingham 

[Alex Zone 5]

Next spring this chamaerops humilis will be planted, these are a tad less hardy.  Bought this one rather cheap... it's spot will be as close to the fondation as possible. It's currently 3 feet tall and pushing new side suckers

[GregVirginia7]

1 hour ago, Alex Zone 5 said:

On 10/10/2022 at 8:40 PM, Subtropical LIS said:

I was taking pictures of my palmetto a few days ago and also snaped a pic of my needle palm. This palm has been in the ground for more than 5 years here on the Connecticut coast of Long Island Sound and is flawless.  It grows like crazy, and after the 2nd winter, very few of the fronds ever show cold damage (maybe a few tips that turn brown) and puts out 5 to 7 fronds a season.  It has taken 4 F (my coldest temp in 6 years) like a champ.  My guess after half a decade is that for those in zone 7 Needle palm is a pretty safe bet.  My only complaint is that when we get snow on occasion here on the coast (normally wet and heavy) some of the fronds get a little beat up. 

A few days ago...

 

Absolutely…and when they get older, they trunk a bit…

I’ve watched mine get flattened with those heavy snows many times and it stands right back up when the snow melts…it does get some brown damage, especially the fronds plastered to the sopping wet ground but otherwise perfect for no protection 7 a/b zone…this one is in a rain runoff basin and gets full sun…it’s about 4.5 feet tall with a 12” main trunk…suckers are catching up to the largest one…

This one is protected under a large holly tree and is very shady…1/2 the size of the other as a result but it is well protected naturally by the tree from heavy snow but fronds remain more perfect…so sun or shade, wet or dry, they do well for us here in NOVA…

[Alex Zone 5]

9 hours ago, teddytn said:

Safe bet- needle palm, Sabal minor, Sabal Louisiana, Sabal Birmingham 

All Sabal minor are safe 👍

[Alex Zone 5]

9 minutes ago, GregVirginia7 said:

Wow those are amazing.  So lush....🌴🌴🌴

[SeanK]

On 10/12/2022 at 8:34 PM, Subtropical LIS said:

As far as the needle palms, I've read they can get 8 to 10 feet tall. 

 

Just so you're prepared. I have a couple big ones at the front of my house. The water line leaked and they got big fast.