2025 January 2025 Cold Damage Florida and SE USA

[Bkue]

So far not much frost. Only thing noticeable is a decent size bottle palm with frosty spotted lower fronds. Anybody else have issues? Arecas, Christmas, bananas, coconuts, royals all look good so far. 

[flplantguy]

Hudson FL, inland a mile from the marshes next to the cold pocket. Low 26.6 with a little under 6 hours below freezing. Covered plants are looking fine so far, uncovered is hit or miss.  Damage seen on some but not others, and its not warm yet, so a full report wont be for another few days.  Many plants wont show any damage or issues for at least a few days, until it warms up.

[Gregor]

Freeze at 26 degrees for 6 hours damaged rebelling. Brown tips. 

[kinzyjr]

The temperature bottomed off at 35F during the cold snap, with ~64 consecutive hours below 50F.  Hopefully that ends up being the minimum for the winter, but we have a few months to go until actual spring.  A comparison of the currently available records - subject to amendment by NOAA and/or Wunderground later:

That temperature shouldn't bother much in a Central Florida garden on the I-4 Corridor.  As such, this post will just be observations on a few cold-tender species. 

Coconuts: These have some burned leaflets and frost-spotting to various degrees throughout the yard.  Most of the damage is on the lower fronds.  No photos at this time.  They take a while to show their true condition after long-cold.

Pritchardia thurstonii: This palm was bought with the understanding that it was probably an annual since it goes below 35F with regularity here.  Thus far, it handled everything really well.

Areca catechu 'Dwarf': These handled the length of cold really well.

Pritchardia (martii?): A little beat up on the lower fronds and outer edges, but it wasn't in the best of health before.

Latania lontaroides: No damage.  Performed as expected.

There could be more reports or an updated report later.  These were the most cold-sensitive species to observe in the area, and most stuff here in town is either bulletproof to 20F or suited for the 9b/10a transition zone winters.

[Bkue]

On 1/25/2025 at 9:32 AM, flplantguy said:

Hudson FL, inland a mile from the marshes next to the cold pocket. Low 26.6 with a little under 6 hours below freezing. Covered plants are looking fine so far, uncovered is hit or miss.  Damage seen on some but not others, and its not warm yet, so a full report wont be for another few days.  Many plants wont show any damage or issues for at least a few days, until it warms up.

How far from coast? I got whacked on the coast in Hudson. Waiting to see if bismarcks and others make it. 

[flplantguy]

6 hours ago, Bkue said:

How far from coast? I got whacked on the coast in Hudson. Waiting to see if bismarcks and others make it. 

Im right off highway 19 by aripeka but considered hudson.  No urban influence on temps for me here.  I was looking at the temps in the county and it was definately a rare event. NPR on the water was even at or below freezing since the water temps dropped so low.  I think the large urban areas are starting to have a greater effect on low temps.  There were a few Pinellas stations near freezing too and thats not easy to accomplish anymore.  We were just closer to the dollop of bitterly cold air and it sucked the heat right out.  Now that temps have been up near 80 i have even more damage as expected. Some plants are surprises one way of the other and inexpect no deaths as of now.  I think your bismark will be ok unless your in Shady Hills where it was 22, that would likely do damage, or kill it as a seedling.

[Bkue]

On 2/1/2025 at 9:07 AM, flplantguy said:

Im right off highway 19 by aripeka but considered hudson.  No urban influence on temps for me here.  I was looking at the temps in the county and it was definately a rare event. NPR on the water was even at or below freezing since the water temps dropped so low.  I think the large urban areas are starting to have a greater effect on low temps.  There were a few Pinellas stations near freezing too and thats not easy to accomplish anymore.  We were just closer to the dollop of bitterly cold air and it sucked the heat right out.  Now that temps have been up near 80 i have even more damage as expected. Some plants are surprises one way of the other and inexpect no deaths as of now.  I think your bismark will be ok unless your in Shady Hills where it was 22, that would likely do damage, or kill it as a seedling.

I’m right on the gulf so thinking most damage is still Milton. Spring will tell. 

[Bkue]

4 minutes ago, Bkue said:

I’m right on the gulf so thinking most damage is still Milton. Spring will tell. 

Damage in Oviedo is limited to bottle and slight frost on Christmas palms. No damage to areca’s surprisingly. No signs on royals either. 

[Bkue]

Christmas palms are taking a beating. Most around here have shed 50%. I’ve seen worse but appreciable. 

[kinzyjr]

16 hours ago, Bkue said:

Christmas palms are taking a beating. Most around here have shed 50%. I’ve seen worse but appreciable. 

I've started seeing some damaged fronds on Adonidia merrillii (Christmas Palm) plantings after crossing under I-4 on US-98N here.  Mine are pretty well unmarked.  The Veitchia arecina plantings have some leaf burn up where there are planted.  Coconuts are variable in their damage. 

The worst damage of my plantings is a coconut that was sold as a Fiji Dwarf.  That palm's true identity has been questioned, but one thing for sure, it doesn't handle cold well at all.  It's actively growing and replacing its crown, but down the road, it will likely be the first to go.

Hopefully, everyone's plantings will have a long, warm, rainy stretch to recover from the damage before we roll the dice again next winter.

[flplantguy]

After two weeks of heat my palms are all fully revealed in any damage.  Foxtails no damage on petioles and rachis but any exposed leaflet is fried.  Majesty in the ditch that has decent moisture but catches the cold is defoliated down to the spears, and the largest spear is about a quarter fried too but recovering.  Bucaneer took way more damage than expected with a heavy blanket over it but still minimal, however the internal issues from the nursery in the 2022 freeze are starting to show and are a bit of a concern. New spear is good though so hopefully the meristem is unharmed. Spindles have shown more damage but spears are moving and leaves are still mostly green. Arecas all good still, chambeyronias and others under trees are good and all spears are pushing.  Odd result is the surviving adonidia, with significant chill damage and spotting, but pushing spears after a very chilly winter.  A good learning experience and no deaths i can live, with just need to watch for issues later too.

[Bkue]

Bottles took a beating. Lost all bottom fronds . Will see long term. Areca’s were good. Adonidias have shed a ton of lowers but uppers look good and no frost spotting. No damage to Roystonea. None to bismarcks. Bananas are fine. Coconuts don’t look great but shall see. Surprised I didn’t have more issues. I left for Dominican for the worst of it and appreciated the warmth. I do have a dozen alexandra cunninghamiana small and protected that have no adverse signs. Livistona decipiens are all good.  

[CJ Arnold]

Very sad in Orlando.  We have a beautiful 5 cluster Christmas Palm that just in the last 2 weeks has dropped multiple frons.  I looked a the trunk and it had black powder all around the base. 

Several searches said the black powder was mildew caused by cold temps and to treat with detergent and water, let stand 15 min and rinse

This cluster was planted approx 1.5 years ago and has done so well.  I don't want to lose her! 

Pictures of overall cluster and trunk base showing black powder.

What Can I Do?    I just joined this page to seek help...

 

[kinzyjr]

34 minutes ago, CJ Arnold said:

What Can I Do?    I just joined this page to seek help...

I wouldn't use any more detergent on it.  A few things that might help: 

• Get some hydrogen peroxide and pour it into the crown of each palm.  You'll probably want to wait until Saturday to do this since we have a cold snap coming.  If it fizzes up, you will probably have to do this a few more times to ensure that the frond loss is not due to crown rot.
• Gently scrape whatever that is at the base away from the trunk.  If the trunk is soft, it might be some kind of trunk rot.  If it is, you're better off removing the palms.
• If they receive irrigation, turn off the irrigation in that area for a week or so until it warms back up.  Cold, wet, roots sometimes lead to root rot and will cause the palms to shed fronds. 

Hopefully others will weigh in momentarily.  This is more of a general questions/discussion topic, but since it relates to the cold snap, we'll call it a cold hardiness observation of Adonidia merrillii at 38F