Anyone Have Advice / Experience With Florida Thatch Palm?

[orlandozone9b]

I live in zone 9b / 10A and there is a really nice large Florida Thatch Palm for sale at my local Lowe’s in Clermont, FL. It’s $200, but it’s a really nice one. Any issues in 9b? Anything to watch out for? 

[Bill H2DB]

They can wind burn in an actual freeze , so choose your location based on that .  I have one that is about 16' tall here in the Daytona Beach area . It has been somewhat wind burnt 2-3 times , but otherwise no problem .   It has multitudes of seeds each year . 

 

Here it is , about 2- 1/2 years ago .

 

[TampaBayRay]

There's been one in front of the best buy in Brandon for like 20 years it's been through hell n high water I can't believe it's still there I just seen it last month

[SeanK]

..

Edited February 8, 2024 by SeanK
I was thinking of Paurotis (Acoellorapphe) in my original post.

[Hurricanepalms]

Great palm and I concur with what the others have said. Consider planting a Leucothrinax Morrisii too. Another Florida native and it has at least 5 to 7 degrees more cold tolerance than Thrinax Radiata. 
 

@Bill H2DB, beautiful palm. That has to be one of the largest North of Brevard. 

[Merlyn]

I tried two Thrinax Radiata from a local nursery, Green's in Apopka.  They may still have some if you want to try a less expensive route.  I think I paid $15 each for a pair of 2-3 foot tall 3g pots.  I planted one in the front yard and one in the back yard, both around May 2021.  Both died after the January 2022 freeze (25F in the backyard, 27.5F in the front yard) with frost defoliation and then spear pull.  Both were in unprotected locations, so they were recent plantings and took the brunt of the frost.  A more protected spot might have helped.  At Green's they are out in the open, but they might have pulled plastic over the area for the freeze.

Personally I'd suggest trying Leucothrinax Morrisii or Crysosophila Warscewiczii instead.  These were planted in October 2021 and took about 25% burn in the same cold front.  Both are still growing strong today.  Of course they do look different, and I will try the Radiata again when I've got some canopy for frost protection.  If someone nearby is growing 4 or 5 coconuts, then your spot might be perfect for a long-term Radiata.

[Eric in Orlando]

Of the 3 FL native thatch palms, Thrinax radiata is the most sensitive. It seems to grow better with some tree canopy as the foliage is tender to frost. The mature one here at Leu has survived down to 26F (as a young specimen back in 1996) but was defoliated. 

[Looking Glass]

Can’t help with cold advice, but these are great little palms for the right spots.   Look good in groups.  They are tough, and drought and salt tolerant.   They pop up at the big box stores here as 3g singles and multiples for $20.  Under ideal conditions here you get about 6 inches of stem hight per year, give or take.   These are tough palms.  They are starting to put them in as Beach and street palms everywhere here.   They can tolerate all day Florida sun in sand, but get a little ratty sometimes under those conditions.   A lot of sun with a break seems ideal.  

These once baby 3g palms grew big leaves over a few years languishing in pots, but not much stem.  

Leucothrinax is similar, but smaller, slower, spikier, with a hint of wax.  Better cold tolerance as mentioned above.