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Help! Windmill palm zone pushing question

Maximum

By Maximum
in COLD HARDY PALMS

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Maximum Enthusiast

Maximum

Posted
Posted

Hi 👋 

FYI This is kinda long. You can skip down to the end to see the actual question. I included some additional info you may not find necessary. 

I recently moved from SW Florida to SW Michigan
 it’s not that the cold bothers me all that much but I miss the palm trees 😞 

Forgive me if this question has already been answered but I’ve searched this site and others and haven’t found my exact question
 

In SW Michigan, zone 6A, I know I can grow windmill palms if I protect them SUPER WELL WITH EXTENSIVE WINTER PREP like spraying them with a fungicide, tying up the fronds, wrapping the entire palm with heat tape, using a thermocube, wrapping a layer of burlap around it, putting an insulation box around it with an insulated lid to keep the temps around 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit (with the thermocube), and heavily mulching the ground on the outside of the insulation box


I can provide all those winter protections if necessary, but only for the windmill palms I plant close to the house and here in SW Michigan I have a large piece of land and I’d love to plant some windmill palms a bit closer to the road so people driving by might enjoy them spring-fall (my house is way far back off the road). I don’t know of a way to power a heat source if I plant them closer to the road (far away from the house). 

So here’s the question


Do windmill palms grown in SW Michigan zone 6A specifically need to be protected in the winter months with a HEAT SOURCE or should insulating them from rapid temperature changes without adding a heat source be enough??? 

- Max 

 

 

 

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  • Maximum changed the title to Help! Windmill palm zone pushing question
Allen Grand Master

Allen

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You will need to run electric to them with a heat source.   Foam box method and Christmas lights inside

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YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@tntropics - 60+ In-ground 7A palms - (Sabal) minor(8 large + 27 seedling size, 3 dwarf),  brazoria(1) , birmingham(3), etonia (1) louisiana(4), palmetto (1), riverside (1),  tamaulipas (1), (Trachycarpus) fortunei(7+), wagnerianus(1+),  Rhapidophyllum hystrix(7),  22'  Mule-Butia x Syagrus(1),  Blue Butia odorata (1), Serenoa repens (1) +Tons of tropical plants.  Recent Yearly Lows -6F, -1F, 12F, 11F, 18F, 16F, 3F, 3F, 6F, 3F, 1F, 16F, 17F, 6F, 8F

 

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Maximum Enthusiast

Maximum

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4 minutes ago, SeanK said:

Build a conservatory

Yeah, that’d be cool. I’ve always dreamed of having one, but I can’t imagine the cost to build one is reasonable. But you never know, maybe someday! 

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Maximum Enthusiast

Maximum

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3 minutes ago, Allen said:

You will need to run electric to them with a heat source.   Foam box method and Christmas lights inside

Darn. I can’t say I’m surprised but I was hoping since windmill palm are one of the cold hardiest that they’d be able to adapt so long as they’re protected from wind and big temp fluctuations in an unheated insulated box
 Sounds like I’ll have to be sure to plant them close to the house then so I can heat them up! I appreciate it!

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Maximum Enthusiast

Maximum

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2 minutes ago, CascadiaPalms said:

insulation can only do so much, especially in your zone.  Heat source will be needed.

Thank you 😊 

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CascadiaPalms Apprentice

CascadiaPalms

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2 minutes ago, Maximum said:

Thank you 😊 

No prob.  Don't get me wrong I LOVE Trachy's!  But have you tried a Needle Palm?  These guys are extremely tough from the cold.  I ranked them number #1 on my YT video for most cold harder palm.

Cascadia Palms YouTube Channel 🌮

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Maximum Enthusiast

Maximum

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This may be impossible, but in the slim chance that anyone’s had success in zone 6A winterizing windmill palms without supplying a heat source, let me know. I’d love to hear about it! I know, I know I’m really stretching it here. Too bad I don’t live in Macatawa, Michigan where it’s zone 7A 😔 

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Maximum Enthusiast

Maximum

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1 minute ago, CascadiaPalms said:

No prob.  Don't get me wrong I LOVE Trachy's!  But have you tried a Needle Palm?  These guys are extremely tough from the cold.  I ranked them number #1 on my YT video for most cold harder palm.

Yes I’m considering having needle palms and sabal minors as well AND Musa basjoos. Great, I’ll check out your YouTube channel! 

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Las Palmas Norte Grand Master

Las Palmas Norte

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Posted
1 hour ago, Maximum said:

... Sounds like I’ll have to be sure to plant them close to the house then so I can heat them up! ...

Just how warm do you plan on heating your house as to "heat them up" ?

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DTS Mentor

DTS

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Maximum said:

Hi 👋 

FYI This is kinda long. You can skip down to the end to see the actual question. I included some additional info you may not find necessary. 

I recently moved from SW Florida to SW Michigan
 it’s not that the cold bothers me all that much but I miss the palm trees 😞 

Forgive me if this question has already been answered but I’ve searched this site and others and haven’t found my exact question
 

In SW Michigan, zone 6A, I know I can grow windmill palms if I protect them SUPER WELL WITH EXTENSIVE WINTER PREP like spraying them with a fungicide, tying up the fronds, wrapping the entire palm with heat tape, using a thermocube, wrapping a layer of burlap around it, putting an insulation box around it with an insulated lid to keep the temps around 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit (with the thermocube), and heavily mulching the ground on the outside of the insulation box


I can provide all those winter protections if necessary, but only for the windmill palms I plant close to the house and here in SW Michigan I have a large piece of land and I’d love to plant some windmill palms a bit closer to the road so people driving by might enjoy them spring-fall (my house is way far back off the road). I don’t know of a way to power a heat source if I plant them closer to the road (far away from the house). 

So here’s the question


Do windmill palms grown in SW Michigan zone 6A specifically need to be protected in the winter months with a HEAT SOURCE or should insulating them from rapid temperature changes without adding a heat source be enough??? 

- Max 

 

 

 

I don't grow Trachycarpus here in MI, but I would say they definitely would need a heat source for the winter.

My Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dts_3
Palms in Ground Currently: Rhapidophyllum Hystrix (x1), Butia Odorata (x1), Sabal Causiarum (x2), Sabal Louisiana (x1).

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DTS Mentor

DTS

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Posted
6 minutes ago, Maximum said:

Beautiful! Do you protect it during the coldest months? 

Yeah, usually is covered from mid November to maybe late February early March

My Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dts_3
Palms in Ground Currently: Rhapidophyllum Hystrix (x1), Butia Odorata (x1), Sabal Causiarum (x2), Sabal Louisiana (x1).

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DTS Mentor

DTS

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4 minutes ago, Maximum said:

You tie the fronds up? A burlap wrap or an insulated box? No heat source I assume? 

I use frost cloth with cristmas lights, and a pop up greenhouse to keeep snow/water/ice out. I doubt it would be very happy after 7 days below 30 degrees in January. That's what I'm doing to my other palms.

My Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dts_3
Palms in Ground Currently: Rhapidophyllum Hystrix (x1), Butia Odorata (x1), Sabal Causiarum (x2), Sabal Louisiana (x1).

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DTS Mentor

DTS

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Posted
43 minutes ago, Maximum said:

Very nice! What other palms are you growing in the same way? 

Butia Odorata, Sabal Louisiana and Causiarum, and a Cycad

My Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dts_3
Palms in Ground Currently: Rhapidophyllum Hystrix (x1), Butia Odorata (x1), Sabal Causiarum (x2), Sabal Louisiana (x1).

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