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Rough Winter Posted by Keith N. IL on March 8, 2025, 4:15 pm I lost my Butia and Jubaea (3 years in the ground) this winter. I had a number of 1 to 3 gallon Trachycarpus and Chamaerops in pots under the same enclosures and they look great. I am done experimenting with less cold hardy species here in Northern Illinois.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Kevin seTN on March 8, 2025, 4:38 pm, in reply to "Rough Winter" Yeah I lost my butia (with minor protection) a few winters ago. It's not worth the headache for me to attempt to grow way out of zone palms. Kevin seTN

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Fred SC on March 8, 2025, 5:36 pm, in reply to "Rough Winter" Keith, sorry your winter was so bad, especially your Jubaea and Butia. I worried about my Butia a few nights that hit 19 . I covered it with frost cloth those nights and it looks good. Weather is so fickle. You just never know what’s coming. Butia are mss as final here but I see a few older ones. Once they get some size , they seeem to do ok.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Keith N. IL on March 8, 2025, 11:19 pm, in reply to "Re: Rough Winter" Thanks Fred. I am happy your Butia pulled through.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Keith N. IL on March 8, 2025, 11:20 pm, in reply to "Re: Rough Winter" I agree Kevin. It was a fun experiment anyway.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Alvin, z6 on March 9, 2025, 12:31 am, in reply to "Rough Winter" Well, Keith, I'm pretty sure you knew, originally, that palm trees were not native, or even naturalized, in Illinois. That said, protection would be necessary, every year. It's discouraging when plants don't make it, because they can be expensive. However, seeing that the Windmills pulled through, in the same enclosure, only shows that they are hardier (able to endure the coldest temp better), than a Jubaea, under the same protection method. I'd bet if the enclosure was warmer, that the Wine Palm would have made it, like it did, after last winter's milder el Nino. Is this as cold as you have been, over the last 3 years? I always protect my plants, as if every winter will be a z5 minimum, even though I'm in z6, because no one really knows, ahead of time, how cold or mild the winter will turn out to be.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by AJ Mid TN on March 9, 2025, 6:55 am, in reply to "Rough Winter" Sorry to hear that everyone losing their butia makes me nervous about mine

Re: Rough Winter Posted by JimHardy on March 9, 2025, 10:58 am, in reply to "Rough Winter" Are you sure its dead? I had one and it always seemed to pull but would come back...any chance to trunk cut it and check for life? or..did you already pluck it out?

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Keith N. IL on March 9, 2025, 2:16 pm, in reply to "Re: Rough Winter" All the leaves are fried and I trunk cut. Rotten down to the heart.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Keith N. IL on March 9, 2025, 2:17 pm, in reply to "Re: Rough Winter" Thanks . At least you were warmer there. I hope your Butia is well.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Keith N. iL on March 9, 2025, 2:21 pm, in reply to "Re: Rough Winter" I believe it's been the coldest of the last three years? The big difference was that the snow cover was absent. I think the additional snow keeps the colder air from seeping into the box since I would always shovel additional snow around the box during extreme cold.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by JimHardy on March 10, 2025, 8:23 am, in reply to "Re: Rough Winter" Bummer...but it just saves you the trouble of covering such a large palm...I though of trying a Bizmarckia palm once but figured I would have to build a greenhouse over it and get rid of every other palm if it got big ( : Would be an amazing palm to have in the yard though!

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Keith N. IL on March 10, 2025, 1:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Rough Winter" A Biz would be spectacular! Yes. Protection as it gets bigger is an issue. I guess where we live it’s temporary. I will probably miss having feather palm.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by JimHardy on March 10, 2025, 5:00 pm, in reply to "Re: Rough Winter" yeah...they are beautiful palms,mine had a nice powder blue color on the leaves,

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Barry Senatobia,MS on March 10, 2025, 9:09 pm, in reply to "Rough Winter" Keith we were hit with numerous z7 lows and a few z8 lows this winter and I lost a small butia palm also. It was much colder than last year as we averaged about 6 degrees above normal in winter 2023-24. I have a queen palm that's potted in winter but that will likely be my last non-hardy palm as well because they can get too large to protect. A queen palm is still attractive as a seasonal because it makes a nice statement in the yard. I think its safe to say winter is over here but expecting a cool morning for a couple or so more weeks. We are in the 70s and 80s this week. Headed your way.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Keith N. IL on March 11, 2025, 2:11 am, in reply to "Re: Rough Winter" Barry Sorry to hear you lost a small one too. Yes protection is difficult when they get large and everything here needs protection although my needle was unprotected and took a beating but should be fine.

Re: Rough Winter Posted by Jason Western PA on March 12, 2025, 8:20 pm, in reply to "Rough Winter" My butia got some burn also but will make it.

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