When does Butia odorata start showing cold damage?

[NC_Palms]

For those who've had experience with Butia odorata getting damaged in below average winters, how long did it typically take to show damage? 

[Fusca]

1 hour ago, NC_Palms said:

For those who've had experience with Butia odorata getting damaged in below average winters, how long did it typically take to show damage? 

It really depends - odorata is quite variable.  I lost the first one I ever had at 15°F but it was small 3-gal size when planted and it was the first winter in the ground.  Back then I didn't know to protect it.  During the 2021 Palmageddon I had 3 planted all well established and larger than 15-gal size.  Two spear-pulled after 9°F and the third suffered about 40% leaf burn.  All 3 were unprotected and survived but I had to trunk cut the two that spear-pulled.  Never had any damage from freezes besides those in 25 years.  If I had to guess I'd say around 15°.

[Swolte]

In my experience, I start to see some damage to fronds once temperature hit around 15F in healthy palms. Mostly cosmetic. Single digits usually means losing fronds and serious damage. I noticed about a 50% survival rate after 5F (Mature unprotected plants).   

[kristof p]

the real damage typically start to show when temperatures are high enough for them to grow. When temps are +10°C/+15°C for some time damage start to show up as they want to grow but the damaged cells can not sustain growth and leaves and spears etc. start dying...

[Xenon]

Cosmetic leaf damage at 12-14F but nothing major. Death somewhere around 0-5F. I only have the northwestern suburbs of Houston and College Staton to compare...if there were more Butia inbetween I might be able to describe what happens at 5-10F 😅. This is for mature established palms experiencing a one-off cold event. 

[Mazat]

On 1/25/2025 at 5:18 AM, Fusca said:

It really depends - odorata is quite variable.  I lost the first one I ever had at 15°F but it was small 3-gal size when planted and it was the first winter in the ground.  Back then I didn't know to protect it.  During the 2021 Palmageddon I had 3 planted all well established and larger than 15-gal size.  Two spear-pulled after 9°F and the third suffered about 40% leaf burn.  All 3 were unprotected and survived but I had to trunk cut the two that spear-pulled.  Never had any damage from freezes besides those in 25 years.  If I had to guess I'd say around 15°.

i had the same experience with a slightly larger butia like yours, only i thought i had protected it enough at the time. it made me very sad, as it was planted between other palms. last but not least, it was a present from a friend and therefore all the more stupid ...
my gut feeling actually told me to take it indoors and only plant it out when it was bigger. 

[SeanK]

If you had snow or ice in the bud, I would start a prophylaxis treatment ASAP.

[UK_Palms]

On 1/25/2025 at 6:43 AM, Xenon said:

Cosmetic leaf damage at 12-14F but nothing major. Death somewhere around 0-5F. I only have the northwestern suburbs of Houston and College Staton to compare...if there were more Butia inbetween I might be able to describe what happens at 5-10F 😅. This is for mature established palms experiencing a one-off cold event. 

 

I would say that in most instances, cosmetic damage on Odorata starts at a much higher temp, around -8.5C / 16.5F. That will be enough to cause some notable discolouration to the outer parts of the fronds, especially if it is a 'wet' freeze event as well.

You are looking at rather significant burning (at least 50-75%) of the outer foliage at around -10C / 14F and I would expect a complete defoliation at around -11C / 12F. That is for mature, established specimens as well. All of that is of course completely survivable for bigger specimens.

Smaller specimens however can and will get quite damaged at -7.5C / 18.5F and defoliated at about -9C / 16F, especially if it is a 'wet' freeze. Juveniles will be at least 2C / 4.5F less hardy than bigger specimens and they will also struggle to come back if they do defoliate, or spear pull. Hence why it is imperative to protect them while young (which goes for most palms in general).

Of course having a 'dry' freeze will mitigate the effects somewhat and allow mature and juvenile specimens to withstand slightly colder conditions than mentioned, and take less damage. Obviously a 'dry' freeze down to -10C / 14F in New Mexico isn't the same as a 'wet' freeze down to -10C / 14F in the Carolinas, or say the UK. So it is all relative.