Hardy Palm and Subtropical Board

Hardy Palm and Subtropical Board
[ Hardy Palm and Subtropical Board ]

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Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by Ken-Charlotte <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=Ken-Charlotte' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/14/2020, 10:09 pm

I have been growing Windmill Palms for 28 years and have never seen the rate of growth (both trunk and fronds) that I have observed this year. I mean, I have a Windmill that went from 2’ of clear trunk to 5’ of clear trunk this year. That is not supposed to happen. We have had a lot of rain. My approach to fertilizing is unchanged.

What the heck is going on?

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by Jim Wilmington DE 7a <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=Jim+Wilmington+DE+7a' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/15/2020, 11:23 am, in reply to "Trachy growth in 2020"

My Trachy did really well this year. Maybe its best year ever. I chalk it up to my region having a Zone 8 winter followed by a summer and fall of no droughts. So, the palm went into the 2020 growing season with no dieback from the mass it put on in 2019. That was a huge factor. As soon as spring came, it was off to the races. In past years, July/August droughts could stop the Trachy in its tracks, but rainfall was consistent all year. Lawns never browned out.

Fate being what it is, I fully expect this coming winter to be cold enough to wipe out all those gains. I could, like some years, head into next spring with my Trachy having little green on it outside its spear. I'm just amazed that in 13 years of Delaware winters it's still ticking. In the 80s in Southeast Pennsylvania - about 20 miles north of here - winter exposure killed 2 of my Windmill Palms.

Jim, Wilmington, DE, 7a
Last 30 Years Avg. Winter Low: 7.50F
Last 20 Years Avg. Winter Low: 8.35F
Last 10 Years Avg. Winter Low: 8.40F
Favorite Palms: Species: Phoenix Canariensis / Genus: Sabal

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by WSimpson NC <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=WSimpson+NC' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/15/2020, 12:18 pm, in reply to "Trachy growth in 2020"

I too have had some impressive growth . I have some Trachys putting on 2+ feet of trunk this season .
Any pictures of your growth ?
Will

Check out the growth above the male inflorescences from last spring . That's about 2' of new fiber and still growing . Last year it looks like it grew about 8" of new trunk , if you look at the distance between the 2 seasons of inflorescences .
.

Winston-Salem
Ten year lows: 20F 5F 4F 15F 7F 8F 14F 19F 16F 16F(2022)
10 Year Average Winter Lowest Low 12.4F ; 30 Year 12.3F
Profession:Trachy Defiberer and Palm Spear Puller (free estimates)

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by Ken-Charlotte <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=Ken-Charlotte' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/15/2020, 12:21 pm, in reply to "Trachy growth in 2020"

I believe you nailed it, Jim! Our Winter low was 20 degrees F. (About 8 degrees over our average). Shoot, even my normally-marginal Pindo and Med Palms have grown exponentially this year (and were never stunted this past Spring).

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Here’s a Pindo that has increased in size 30% this year.

And this juvenile Windmill has doubled in size in 2020:

The Trachy beyond the house has been in the ground since 1999 and is now practically majestic.

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by WSimpson NC <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=WSimpson+NC' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/16/2020, 10:51 am, in reply to "Re: Trachy growth in 2020"

Beauties Ken .
Are you going to leave the skirt on that tall Trachy ?
Will

Winston-Salem
Ten year lows: 20F 5F 4F 15F 7F 8F 14F 19F 16F 16F(2022)
10 Year Average Winter Lowest Low 12.4F ; 30 Year 12.3F
Profession:Trachy Defiberer and Palm Spear Puller (free estimates)

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by Ken-Charlotte <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=Ken-Charlotte' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/16/2020, 11:09 am, in reply to "Re: Trachy growth in 2020"

Yes, Will - mostly because I don’t have a ladder tall enough to trim it!

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by Ken-Charlotte <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=Ken-Charlotte' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/16/2020, 11:37 am, in reply to "Re: Trachy growth in 2020"

Will: here are 2 photos of that Trachy (t’s too tall to capture in a single photo 😂

It’s loaded with seeds, but they’re too high up to collect them!

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by Jim Wilmington DE 7a <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=Jim+Wilmington+DE+7a' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/16/2020, 3:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Trachy growth in 2020"

If it's been there since 1999, my guess is it's seen some serious cold and some serious wind if your location is the Charlotte area.

Jim, Wilmington, DE, 7a
Last 30 Years Avg. Winter Low: 7.50F
Last 20 Years Avg. Winter Low: 8.35F
Last 10 Years Avg. Winter Low: 8.40F
Favorite Palms: Species: Phoenix Canariensis / Genus: Sabal

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by Ken-Charlotte <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=Ken-Charlotte' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/16/2020, 5:03 pm, in reply to "Re: Trachy growth in 2020"

Yes, we’ve lived in the heart of the City of Charlotte since 1986.

And yes, since 1999, we’ve seen single-digit temps (F.) 5 times, and several wind gusts exceeding 50 mph. Plus plenty of ice storms (before we moved here, the City had a -5 degree low in 1984-5). I have never had a Trachy defoliate.

As I like to say, respected palm guru Tamar Myers has gone on record as saying that the Charlotte-Rock Hill area is THE best area in the world for Windmill Palms (even better than their native Asian habitat). Tamar attributes her conclusion to our typical winters, our typical summers, and our clay soil.

Re: Trachy growth in 2020

Posted by Jim Wilmington DE 7a <iframe src='https://members3.boardhost.com/HardyPalm/info/user=Jim+Wilmington+DE+7a' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on 10/18/2020, 8:21 pm, in reply to "Re: Trachy growth in 2020"

Here, I'll get cosmetic frond damage at 9F, moderate frond damage at 7F, 80% defoliation at 5F, and spear loss between 3F and 0F, depending on how those temperatures are experienced. Duration. Was it windy or still? Did it follow a snowfall, or dry weather?

Over the last 13 years, I only recall TWO where my Trachy entered spring with no visible damage. 2012 and this year.

Like you, though, my Trachy is in clay.

As for Tamar's feelings about Charlotte being ideal for Trachies, I'm not gonna say she's wrong, but I would go with the West Coast. Really anywhere from Vancouver to San Diego.

Jim, Wilmington, DE, 7a
Last 30 Years Avg. Winter Low: 7.50F
Last 20 Years Avg. Winter Low: 8.35F
Last 10 Years Avg. Winter Low: 8.40F
Favorite Palms: Species: Phoenix Canariensis / Genus: Sabal

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