Winter protection Xmas lights for Royal

[Breaktheory]

Hi again friends

last year around this time as temps dropped, my royals started getting ragged. Now that we’re in the 40s at night things are starting to get that frazzled look. Still looking good but starting to brown up.

Would tying the fronds up and wrapping in incandescent Xmas lights help?

thanks!

jon

 

[mnorell]

I don't think that would help in eliminating brown-tipping in your leaflets, etc. (And I don't think your leaves look that bad, really at all.) And you need the leaves to be exposed to full sunlight in winter so they can adequately photosynthesize to produce more leaves, and for the overall health of the plant. Not to mention the possible burning of the more delicate leaflet tissue (as compared to wrapping a crownshaft) from the heat of incandescent Xmas lights.

Last year was an unnervingly long and chilly winter in California, with sub-normal temps for quite a long time. This year we have been lucky to have a warmer-than-average December, and a mild winter overall is predicted, so I think you may be worrying too much! And temps in the 40s should not faze a Royal. I have seen a brief 39/40F several nights so far, and many nights in the mid-40s this month, and I have young plants of both R. regia and R. oleracea, and both look fine. 

I think you're just seeing normal frond-aging. Even in Florida and Hawai'i, the natural toll of time, weathering, insect nibbling, etc. makes a less-than-perfect leaf in most palms after a while...and the crown of almost any palm, even for stalwarts like Washingtonia and Archontophoenix, will look a bit haggard by late winter, spring, and even into summer in the coolest coastal areas of SoCal. The palm just can't push enough new leaves during the cool season to counteract the natural decline of the existing leaves from the last warm season, so the crown overall may get a little rough around the edges...it's just not something that most of us worry about. Most SoCal palms just look their best in late summer and fall after a good growing season has produced a healthy crown of new leaves.

[James B]

Unless you have a perfect microclimate Royals always look bad in winter in California. They do not see 50-100 days of cloud cover in Florida or Cuba in winter. In their natural climate they will also still see 20 or more days over 80 in winter.

The more mature they get the tougher they get and more fronds they carry. The browning of leaves is a self protection method by focusing its energy on the newest growth/spear and maintaining its root health it is ensuring its survival and will begin growing once day time temps get back over 80 consistently. Of all the palms that will grow in Socal I’m having a hard time thinking of another palm that requires more heat to be happy. 
 

Growers in Socal who have large mature palms (15-25 feet of trunk)are encouraged to show off what theirs usually look like coming out of winter. This will give an idea of improved hardiness once they put on large amounts of biomass.

[Johnny Palmseed]

I agree with the above comments and would like to add that it will be difficult to protect a royal after this stage due to the size. It would probably also be unnecessary as many here grow in much lower temps than the 40s. I grew royals in what would be considered a soft zone push environment and they looked the part compared to ones further south. Mine always looked somewhat frazzled and never as full as the stereotypical ones in southern Florida. I think your environment is also a soft zone push and will exhibit the same characteristics regardless of whether you put lights on them or not. Your best bet is to grow the palms as well as you can in the summer (sun, heat, water, fertilizer) and then hope for the best.

[Breaktheory]

On 12/25/2023 at 8:00 AM, James B said:

Unless you have a perfect microclimate Royals always look bad in winter in California. They do not see 50-100 days of cloud cover in Florida or Cuba in winter. In their natural climate they will also still see 20 or more days over 80 in winter.

The more mature they get the tougher they get and more fronds they carry. The browning of leaves is a self protection method by focusing its energy on the newest growth/spear and maintaining its root health it is ensuring its survival and will begin growing once day time temps get back over 80 consistently. Of all the palms that will grow in Socal I’m having a hard time thinking of another palm that requires more heat to be happy. 
 

Growers in Socal who have large mature palms (15-25 feet of trunk)are encouraged to show off what theirs usually look like coming out of winter. This will give an idea of improved hardiness once they put on large amounts of biomass.

Yah it was really last winter’s cold and rain that killed the foliage…I’m not worried about the 40s but it will drop into the 30s next month at night.
 

Would keeping up heavy watering help in any way?

 

[Johnny Palmseed]

That’s difficult to say because my definition of heavy watering might be different than yours. Generally, I do not water heavily in the cold months to avoid fungal problems but they still need water. Especially if you are in a dry climate. Windy conditions increase the need as well.

[Breaktheory]

3 hours ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

That’s difficult to say because my definition of heavy watering might be different than yours. Generally, I do not water heavily in the cold months to avoid fungal problems but they still need water. Especially if you are in a dry climate. Windy conditions increase the need as well.

So as an example - I have 3 and each gets 60 gallons a week in the summer. At this point in early winter it’s more like 15-20 gallons and down to 10 come Feb.

[Breaktheory]

Just now, Breaktheory said:

So as an example - I have 3 and each gets 60 gallons a week in the summer. At this point in early winter it’s more like 15-20 gallons and down to 10 come Feb. I’m in a bit of a dry area and the planting area is on an area that has no cover from wind - the rains took a toll last winter. Here’s a picture of one from this January - decimated!

 

 

[Johnny Palmseed]

I wouldn’t consider that to be heavy watering. I see that you are in California and can’t just put a hose on and leave it but that’s exactly what I would do for my thirsty palms here. I don’t do it every day but if we are dry and not too cold, I will soak plants deeply. I don’t know what it would equate to in gallons but a royal of that size could easily get 60 gallons in a single day. I think that you will always see the royals with these dry looking tips since it really is more of a swampy palm. The best ones I have seen have been in South Florida and have received significant rain/supplemental watering and are in consistently higher temperatures. These palms not only tolerate daily rain in the summer, they flourish in it. Of course, they are in a sandy soil with swift drainage. If your soil is more clay like, it should allow for less water but I don’t think you can truly overwater these.