You must have dreamed at least once about those beautiful and exotic looking plants you see in the movies. But these beauties are so far away, and we, we are stuck in our cold and wet climate. Me for instance, I live in Belgium, zone 8, which means that temperatures can drop to -15°C in a really cold winter. And now, you probably think: 'Yeah right, another crazy dreamer...' No!!!! Why don't we bring these plants to our garden!! Why should the warmer climates be priviliged with so much floral beauty? I can tell you, it's possbible to grow your own tropical plants here outside! Palm trees, bananas, tree ferns, ... there's so much you can grow here. But you just have to know what you're doing. And don't worry, it doesn't necessarily mean more work. You'll find a lot of plants here that you can try in your garden. I'll first introduce myself. My name is Michael. I'm 22 years old. I have a master's degree in interpreting (Dutch, French, Spanish) and translation. I've always been fascinated by plants. This started with the usual annuals and has been evolving gradualy to exotic plants when I saw some big palm trees here in a garden. Now I'm a real addict, and since about 5 years, I collect exotic plants (hardy and non hardy ones). Butia capitata Here's what you'll find on the site: - Climate - Palm trees: - Bananas Ensete glaucum Ensete glaucum Ensete ventricosum Ensete ventricosum Maurellii Musa acuminata Dwarf Cavendish Musa acuminata Super Dwarf Cavendish Musa balbisiana Musa basjoo Musa Goldfinger Musa 'Orinoco' Musa Dwarf Orinoco Musa 'Rajapuri' Musa sikkimensis Musa velutina Musa Yunnan Musella lasiocarpa - Tree ferns: Cyathea australis Cyathea Brentwood Cyathea cooperii Cyathea dealbata Cyathea dregei Cyathea medullaris Cyathea smitthii Cyathea tomentosissima Dicksonia antarctica Dicksonia fibrosa Dicksonia herbertii Dicksonia sellowiana Dicksonia squarrosa Dicksonia youngiae - Overwintering your treasures Musa velutina - My collection (not only palms and bananas) - Losses Good luck when you try to grow some exotics of your own!!!! Climate The climate is very important of course for your plants. Do you live in a wet climate, or a very dry one... . The colder the climate, the drier it should be for the plants. And that's often a problem. But a good drainage for your plants can already solve this problem. You might think that it's impossible to grow exotic plants here in your garden? On the contrary!! There's a vast choice. The only thing you have to be aware of is this: frost isn't your worst enemy, moist is!!!! All those cold resistant exotics can take sometimes severe frost, but preferably in dry conditions. So once again: a good drainage is very important. I give you here the data on the Belgian climate in °F (precipitation in inches). So you can have an idea of what our climate's like. But once again: if you have winters that are a bit colder but drier, than you'll have no problem in planting these exotics either! Month Average Average Warmest Coldes Average Average high low ever ever dew point precipitation JAN 42 34 59 1 34 3.2 FEB 42 33 64 8 32 2.0 MAR 49 38 71 19 37 3.2 APR 55 40 82 26 39 2.1 MAY 63 47 86 30 46 2.9 JUN 67 52 93 38 52 2.9 JUL 72 56 95 41 55 2.3 AUG 72 55 96 45 55 1.7 SEP 66 52 88 36 52 2.7 OCT 58 46 78 28 46 3.3 NOV 48 39 65 18 39 2.4 DEC 44 36 62 7 36 2.7 The minimum temperatures that are indicated in the plant descriptions give you an idea. Some plants of a species may be hardier than other plants of the same species. It's possible that some palms tolerate even more frost, but it's up to you to discover that and to let the world know about your experiences. Palm trees Who hasn't dreamt at least once about those beautiful and tropical looking palm trees? Well, guess what, your dream can come true!!!!!!!!! Here, I list the best suited species for our climate and also some more tender ones. But once again, I have to warn you: a good drainage is very important for most species!! Special requirements depend on the species of course. 1. Brahea Brahea armata The Mexican Blue Palm is just fantastic. It's perhaps not so well suited for our climate, but the colour of the leaves is just incredible!! And even when you don't want to plant it outside, it makes a great tub plant. This palm requires an excellent drainage and can withstand then -12°C, perhaps a bit more. You can read in literature that it's a very slow grower. Though, many people have already reported that it can grow quite fast, especially when its planted into full ground. It can get 15m, high under the right conditions of course. The inflorescence is very big and impressing. Brahea edulis This species is a bit less hardy perhaps than B. armata, but is nevertheless worth a try here. It gets to about 12m high. The leaves have 40-50 segments. In the wild, it's very endangered because of the goats who eat the young seedlings. Of course, a good drainage for this one also is essential for success. The first ten years, it is very slow growing, just like B. armata. Brahea decumbens This is let's say the little brother of Brahea armata. And I can say that it's even more beautiful. The leaves are one of the bluest among palm trees. And it's suited for small gardens too as it gets only to about 1m tall. It's a pity it's rare, even seeds are quite difficult sometimes to obtain. This one also comes from Mexico (the Sierra Madre), up to 2000m in the mountains. The plants need a lot of water, but don't forget that the winters in our climates are a lot wetter (you can say soaked!) in comparison to the ones in Mexico. The water combined with frost will kill the plant, although it should be capable of surviving about -10 to -12°C according Tobias Spanner. When you have such a beauty, take good care of it!! Brahea dulcis This one is not hardy enough for our climate, but it can make a very nice tub plant. It can take about -5°C, but be careful: plants in tubs are far more vulnerable than their partners in full ground!! An adult plant can get to 12m. 2. Butia Butia capitata This is a very beautiful feather palm, and also one of the hardiest! It can take -12°C, perhaps more. There's one disadvantage, it's a slow grower. Older plants are of course rather expensive then. It forms a thick trunk of 6m high. When you want to sow these, you'll have to wait for germinaiont for about 6-10 months and cracking the seeds is recommended. When you plant one into full ground, be careful!!! It hates its heart getting too wet in winter, it starts to rotten then. That doesn't mean the end of the palm, but it's very dangerous then and you have to take some special measures when this happens to your plant. I know of several people who have planted plants of about 2m high, and some lost the plants, even with rain protection, other plants had no damage at all. I planted one of about 5 feet tall last summer, and the winter has been very bad this far: extremely wet, and then frost for days and days, non stop. My Phoenix canariensis died in that frost, and even my 2 Sabal minor don't look good anymore. But my Butia capitata is just looking great still, no damage at all. So this might be a very strong palm tree for cool climates. Butia capitata 'Bonnetti' This is a subspecies of the one above. It should be a bit hardier too. It's reported that a plant survived -13°C with only very little damage to the crown. Unfortunately it grows even slower than the species, so you'll have to be very patient. It doesn't get as big either. Butia eriospatha This one is very similar to Butia capitata. It's as hardy too. The inflorescence of eriospatha is very beautiful and bigger and woolier then the one of Butia capitata. It grows a bit faster than the capitata. When temperatures don't drop below -10°C regularly, it's worth a try in your garden. It's still pretty rare in cultivation. Butia paraguayensis This is a rare species, even in the wild It's much smaller than B. capitata. Some of the plants don't even form a trunk. They grow in pure sand and get to 2m. The seeds are said to be difficult to germinate. It' should not be as hardy as the other species: to only +/- -5°C. Butia yatay This is said to be the most beautiful one of the genus, and it's also the biggest one: it gets to +/- 12m. The hardiness is not a problem: it's like the capitata (-12°C). He's pretty rare in Europe, a bit more common in America. These last few months, I have seen it more often here in Europe too however. 3. Butia x Jubaea This is a hybrid between, of course, Butia capitata and Jubaea chilensis. It's still very rare in cultivation, especially in Europe. It does not exist in the wild. It was created by Merrill Wilcox. It's a very nice species and should be hardy enough to try here as both of the parents can take severe frosts. But as both parents don't like wet winters combined with frost, you'd better be careful with your plant. Because this one is really extremely rare! Note also that Butia x Jubaea is not the same as Jubaea x Butia. These names mean that the mother plant was the first one mentionned. So in Butia x Jubaea the female plant was a Butia and the male plant that was used for the crossing was Jubaea. 4. x Butiagrus x Butiagrus nabbonandii This is a hybrid between Syagrus and Butia capitata. As Syagrus isn't as hardy as Butia, this crossing may not be as hardy either. But it could perhaps prove quite suited for our wet climate. It's very rare, and you'll have to look very hard to find even seeds. The problem is that the seeds produced by this palm are sterile. So when you want to multiply, you have to start all over with Butia and Syagrus crossing. This is not so for Butia x Jubaea, which produces viable seeds. Note that Butia x Syagrus is not the same as Syagrus x Butia. Normally we put the female plant first and the male comes after that. So in Butia x Syagrus, there was a female Butia and a male Syagrus used for the crossing. 5. Butia x Syagrus x Jubaea This is another hybrid. I don't know much about it, but I'm trying to find more information on it. I will add the info as soon as possible. There's one thing I know for sure, i's extremely extremely rare. 6. Ceroxylon Ceroxylon alpinum This won't be the hardiest Ceroxylon, but it's a fast grower and can take some warmer conditions than the others. Sowing is very easy; germination in about 3 months. Bottom heat is for this species perhaps best. Ceroxylon alpinum in habitat Ceroxylon quindiuense This is very big palm tree from the Andes. There's only very little known of all the Cerloxylon species when it comes to hardiness. They grow up to an amazing altitude of 3000m, so they can survive at least some frost, but it's not known how much exactly. The palm can get up to 60m!!!! The trunk is covered in wax. This palm tree hates hot conditions. Seeds have become available, but plants are very hard to find. The seeds germinate quite easily in 3 months. They don't need high temperatures to do so. Seedlings are terribly slow though:-( Ceroxylon ventricosum This is another big palm tree from the Andes. It requires the same conditions as C. quindiuense and is also found at those high elevations. Seeds germinate quite easily after 3 months. But some take a lot longer, so don't throw everything away after 3 months!! Ceroxylon vogelianum This is another beautiful Ceroxylon, and again a pretty big one too. It requires the same growing conditions as the other species. Sowing is again not so hard. This is, in my opinion, one of the Ceroxylon that can take most frost. But experience will tell. An adult specimen of Ceroxylon vogelianum 7. Chamaedorea Chamaedorea microspadix This is a clump forming palm, a bamboo palm. It gets to about 2.5m and likes to be in a shady position. Soil must be moist at all times. It's not the most hardy palm, but even juvenile plants can get unharmed through -8°C, so you can give it a try perhaps. Chamaedorea radicalis This should be quite an easy plant to grow and will do just fine in most soil types. It can take -10°C quite easily, but I don't know what'll happen when it has to take more than that. This one is non suckering and doesn't make a stem either, but gets to 3m. On the foreground: Chamaedorea radicalis in a garden in Belgium of Marc Vissers Chamaedorea radicalis x microspadix I met this species on the Internet. I have no information available at the moment. What I can say is that hybrids are common among palms. So when you put Chamaedorea microspadix and C. radicalis right next to each other and you get a cross polination, then you'll probably have this hybrid. 7. Chamaerops Chamaerops humilis This is the only European species (with only a couple of plants of Phoenix theoprastii). It's a clustering palm and doesn't get as big as most other palm trees. In cultivation, they can get to 8m, but it's not likely that you will ever see that here. Drainage is very important for this plant. It can take -15°C, but when the soil is soaked, you can have a drama in your garden. So put it on a drier and well drained spot, and protect it in winter against most rainfall. There are growing some nice larger specimens in Belgian gardens. I have heard that in the cooler parts of France Chamaerops humilis has survived better than Trachycarpus fortunei. So it could be worth a try here, but only on a drier and hot spot, because it'll need very warm weather to recover from eventual winter damage. Chamaerops humilis (source: www.dipbot.unict.it/orto/0060-1.html) Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera This is is subspecies from Moroco. It's fans are of a beautiful blue color. It's growing at very high altitudes, and has to take severe cold in winter. It should be a bit more cold resistant even than the species. But of course, don't drown the plant!! I have heard from people here in Belgium that this one is even a bigger drought lover than the species. Chamaerops humilis var. eliator This one is like the species, but it doesn't cluster. It only forms one trunk, and that's it. Chamaerops humilis var. Volcano This is botanically speaking of no significance. It comes from the island of Vulcano north of Sicily and should be more compact than the species. The correct name is here Chamaerops humilis, and nothing else. But it's possible that you'll meet this name, so that's why I mentioned it. 8. Dypsis Dypsis decipiens This palm is certainly not hardy in cool climates. It can take -7°C, but certainly not more. It should make a good tub plant though because of its tolerance for some frost. It's a species from Madagascar and again, it is threatened with extinction. It can get to 20m in the wild, but I don't think you'll see that in our climate. It is drought tolerant but slow growing. 8. Jubaea Jubaea chilensis This is the biggest of the biggest, the giant amongst the palm trees. In the wild, this Chilean wine palm again is endangered. It's one of the hardiest feather palms (to -16°C), but it's also one of the slowest growing palms on earth. Actually, when you plant one, it'll be for the next generations because growth is so slow. It gets to 'only' about 15m, but it's the stem that is so impressive. This palm comes from the mountains, so it doesn't really like much summer heat (so don't put it in a hot greenhouse either!) Just keep it warm and plant it on a well drained spot. 9. Jubaea x Syagrus I have no idea whether this one exists. But when somebody would try it, it would succeed quite easily as both of the palms are Butiinae and thus genetically alike. 10. Livistona Livistona australis This one is easy to find in the local garden centre as it is often offered as a houseplant. But it is also pretty cold hardy. It is said that it can take -10°C, but I guess it won't be healthy when the plant has to take that much frost every year. It's an easy grower when you water and fertilize it sufficiently. So when you need a palm tree for a tub, you couldtry this one without taking a big risk. Livistona chinensis This is a beautiful fan palm from with a trunk up to 10m. Reported as hardy to about -10°C. They will be severely damaged then, but they will recover from it. Perhaps not so suited for our climate. An excellent and easy tub plant though. I have sown them, and I'm planning on experimenting so I can tell a bit more about the hardiness of this species. Livistona decipiens This one is quite a graceful palm tree. And surprisingly hardy. It is worth a try in zone 8b. it is reported to survive those winters, so -10°C should be not a problem. But when it gets that cold, you should protect the bud. It can get to about 9m high and is absolutely marvellous. But plant it in a sheltered spot, cause the leaves are pretty weak when it comes to wind. Don't buy plants, sow them yourself. They are easy, fast in germination and you will have lots of plants to try then!!! 11. Nannorrhops Nannorrhops ritchiana This is a very beautiful and very hardy palm. It's actually one of the hardiest together with Rapidophyllum hystrix. It's a very slow grower though. There are plants with silver leaves and plants with green leaves. But as this species comes from very dry regions, it can only survive when it's not drowned by our wet winters, so remember the drainage. The plants are monocarpic. This means that the crown dies after having flowered. Though it's not so that the entire plant dies then, new leaves will emerge from the old stem. There's a green and a silver form. The latter should be the hardiest. But it's not the first palm tree I recommend to plant in colder and wet climates. Many people have already told me that they tried it, and that it just stands there, looking miserable. One leaf a year, and every single winter, that new leaf is dead too. So a tub, or a greenhouse I'd say. 12. Phoenix Phoenix canariensis The Canarian date palm is one of the most common palms in the world, even as a houseplant. But it's not so hardy though. It can take -10°C in dry conditions, but it'll be severely damaged and will need a lot of summer heat to recover. Even old specimens should have problems growing here. It's a nicer palm than the real date palm P. dactylifera as it is much more graceful. It's easyily grown from seed, but young plants are very cheap too, so you can experiment with it as much as you want. It makes an excellent tub plant though. My plant survived -5°C in a tub without leaf damage, and it's still a very young one, so there's still some hope perhaps? Phoenix dactylifera This is the real date palm. It's also very easy to grow from seeds, even from the dried dates you buy in the store. In my opinion, it's not as beautiful as P. canariensis as its leaves are much stiffer and also shorter. But it can take -10°C and thus it's perhaps worth a try. But do take care of the drainage!! Moist combined with frost will be very dangerous to all Phoenix. And especially the heart should be protected from rain and snow. When the heart is dead, your palm probably will be too. It's not always so that when the newest spear is dead, that the palm is dead too. It's sometimes possible that the palm produces a new spear. It should make an excellent tub plant that can take some frost even, but I don't think it'll be a winner in full ground. But as the seeds germinate quite easily, you can experiment a lot. Phoenix theoprastii This is the Cretan date palm. It's only found in one place on Crete in a remote area that is pretty difficult to reach. The palms never spread out either. It is said that there's also a place in Turkey where these grow. As the other Phoenix, it's easy to make the seeds germinate. It can take -12°C when you protect the plant in winter. So that means that you protect the heart from precipitation. But it's also best when you wrap the leaves together and protect those against cold too, because palms don't like to be defoliated every year. That will make them weak and eventually even old specimens will die then, completely exhausted. But I know somebody who has it in his garden, and it has already survived two winters very well, so worth a try I'd say. Remark: Phoenix need a lot of summer heat to grow well. That's perhaps the biggest problem with these plants. Our summers are often not warm enough to provide the necessary heat, and too short too. In warm summers, the plants make more sugar, and this means that the plants will be stronger for winter. So when you try it, do it in one of the warmest spots of your garden. 13. Rhapidophyllum Rhapidophyllum hystrix This is a small palm from SE-USA. It doesn't get very big: -+/ 1.5m. It's a very slow grower too!! Older specimens make sometimes a trunk, but it never becomes a tree. It's one of the hardiest palms we have on earth. In its habitat, it must take severe frost too, but in dry conditions. It can take to -23°C, so frost won't be a problem in a climate like the Belgian one. But the biggest danger is rain. It comes from desert areas, and thus prefers dry conditions. That doesn't mean you have to let the soil dry out completely! Just don't put it in soaking conditions and you'll succeed. I keep my plant still in a pot as it is only 20 cm high and only has 5 leaves. But I keep it moist at all times and it seems to grow just fine like that. A very old specimen of Rhapidophyllum hystrix Photo: M. Gibbons and Tobias Spanner 14. Sabal Sabal bermudana This is a very beautiful palm tree from Bermuda that can get to 10m high. I don't think it's suited for the full ground in cooler climates although it should be able to take -10°C. I think it'll make an excellent tub plant (for a rather big tub!) for our climate. It can grow in dry and wet conditions. But when you try it here outside, I advise you to go for the dry conditions. The leaves can get pretty big: to 2m, and they have about 80 segments. The major problem you'll have is that this plant, when damaged by frost, will need a lot of summer heat to recover. It's possible perhaps to keep it a couple of years outside when there are a lot of very mild winters, but it won't last long I think. But don't let me stop you from experimenting!! Sabal etonia This is another dwarf palm tree. It only gets to a maximum height of 1,5m. It could prove hardy to about -10°C. But it's a heat lover and it adores dry conditions, so that's perhaps not really what we can give. But perhaps worth an experiment. Nice to know is that the palm tree can survive fire. Two days after the disaster, new leaves will already be emerging. Sabal mexicana This big guy is a native of Texas and is a very promising species. It can get to about 15m. The good thing about this one is that it tolerates wet feet in its natural habitat. So in summer he won't be drowned by our usual rain fall. But in winter, it's best to keep it dry, like all of the other "hardy" palm trees. It should be able to survive -11°C without much leaf damage according to some growers. A seedling survived here -8°C in my garden and just the oldest leaf is damaged, the new emerging leaf was ok. So perhaps very promising!! An adult specimen of Sabal mexicana Sabal minor This is a very hardy palm tree, although it doesn't really become a "tree". It's one of the hardiest in fact, but the dark side is slow growth. I can say even extremely slow growth, especially in our cold climates. Two leaves per season is not exceptional. It gets to about 3 m, but that's really a biggy than already! It likes plenty of moisture, but of course not in winter. It should be capable of surviving heavy frost to even -18°C. But it will have leaf damage then, and as it's such a slow grower recovery will be extremely slow. Defoliation doesn't kill it though, it will grow back. But I have a four year old seedling, and it makes only 2 leaves per year in a hot greenhouse. This year it made it's first segmented leaf. I know some people who have planted it outside, and it's surviving. It's just a terribly slow grower. And watch it when it gets serious leaf damage. Sabal minor var. louisiana This is a natural subspecies of Sabal minor. It's about the same looking as the species, but it's slightly faster in growth. The leaves seem to be damaged sooner than the ones of the usual S. minor. Hardiness is the same. Sabal minor var. McCurtain This should be a particularly hardy subspecies. Reportedly, it has survived -28°C in the US, in McCurtain county. It doesn't need the extreme summer heat to start growing. 20°C is already sufficient for some slow growth. Perhaps the best one to try when you really want a Sabal minor. Sabal palmetto This is a big guy again. With it's final 20m it could be a nice palm tree for our garden. But again, it's such a slow grower in our climate, that's it's terrible. They can have severe frost too, to about -14°C, but once they have severe leaf damage, it will be very difficult to make them recover. Like all the Sabals that are listed here, it needs lots of summer heat to grow well. A five year old seedling of mine only produces 2 leaves per year. So you get an idea on how slow they actually can be! Sabal 'Riverside' The latest results on this one are encouraging. It is remarkably hardy. It should be easily capable of surviving -10°C. It's the fastest growing "hardy" Sabal. It resembles Washingtonia robusta when older. But of course, it doesn't have the same amazing growth speed as Washingtonia. That would be too good to be true. Sabal rosei This is a nice one, but pretty rare in cultivation. It should make a good house plant too for a bright spot. For a change this one should be a pretty fast grower. I haven't tried it yet in our climate, but I guess slower than S. minor is impossible:-) It can reach to about 15m high and can tolerate quite severe frost, to about -12(?)°C. Summer heat is always appreciated of course. Sabal x texensis This is a hybrid between S. minor and S. mexicana. It has inherited the hardiness of the S. minor. It can take about -15°C. It's a bit faster than Sabal minor and makes a short and thick trunk. Perhaps better in our climates than Sabal minor. Sabal uresana This is another Mexican beauty. It gets pretty big too, about 20m when mature, with very long graceful leaves. I'm not sure about the hardiness of this one. Some say it can take quite some frost, others say it won't survive more than -5°C. I tend to believe those that say it can take more frost. There have been several reports that this species has survived more than -10°C without lethal damage, so i suggest you just give it a try and let me know how things work out;-) 15. Serenoa Serenoa repens The maximum height of this small and very frost hardy palm tree is about 2m. It comes from the Eastern part of the US where it can survive even pretty bad bush fires. It is very frost hardy (especially when it has to face extreme frost for a very short period), but actually not very suited for our climate. In its natural habitat, it can take at least -15°C without much damage. But in ours, it's too wet in winter. It's a drought loving plant, so when you wanna try it, put it under a shelter or something, cause it hates a lot of precipitation. I have heard already some negative reactions when it comes to this one. After one night of quite heavy frost, all the leaves were already damaged. And as it's a very slow grower too, that is not very encouraging. But it's a beautiful species. There's a form with green and a form with silvery leaves. It really needs hot summers to grow well too. It's a suckering palm. 16. Syagrus Syagrus romanzoffianum This is a very beautiful palm tree, but not suited for our climate unfortunately. It can only take about -7°C and nothing more. It can get to +/- 18m when mature. It needs a lot of water in summer to grow well. When you try it in full ground, keep it on the dry side in winter, or you will have lost the combat before you even started. It's easy to grow your own plants from seeds and they're fast growing too. It's a heavy feeder. It will eventually die when the soil is too poor. Starting to fertilize when the plant has suffered already will not always save it. But you just have to try it. Look at the picture, it's gorgeous, isn't it?:-) Syagrus romanzoffianum (source: www.plantapalm.com) 17. Trachycarpus This is the most famous genus for our climate. It was formarly known as Chamaerops (read more at www.plantapalm.com/vpe/genera/key/vpe_keys1.htm ). There are 8 species, but one of them ( T. oreophilus) is commercially not available though. Seeds of these species germinate quite easily in 1-2 months. Trachycarpus fortunei This one is now very common all over the world I can say. It's one of the hardiest palms ( to about -18°C) and can get to 12m high. The leaves have 40-50 irregularly splitted segments. This is a palm that can grow in a soil that is not so wel drained, but it prefers a good drainage though! When it's still a young plant, it grows rather slowly, but after about 3-5 years, growth accelarates considerably. Mine made 50 cm of trunk in only two years once it was well established, and the plant is only 5 years old. You can fertilize, but don't overdo it. Best is once in spring and once begin July. This is a palm that doesn't need summer heat to grow (unlike many other hardy palms). It actually prefers cooler weather to grow, so it doesn't do very well in extremely hot climates. It grows best when soil is not too dry. The plants can be damaged by hard winds and snow/ice during winter. It's certainly one of the safest to try in your garden. So do try it!! There has been some confusion with Trachycarpus takil, another species. The difference is not clear at all. The difference between fortunei and takil is subject to controversy. Some believe it is one species, others still defend takil as being clearly distinct. The twisted hastula has long been thought to be a good reference. But both takil and fortunei can have it, and some takil don't at all. Both species can have that. Another problem is that, through time, Trachycarpus fortunei and takil have been crossed because the takil didn't like the Mediterranean heat when it was introduced in Europe. So people crossed the two species, and now it's possible that you get a palm tree with lots of genes of the fortunei and only a small part of takil, or the contrary of course. Pictures and some more explanation at: www.chez.com/palmiers/contrib/tak_/tak_.php (French site) Trachycarpus under snow (source: www.penninckx.com) Trachycarpus latisectus This is a very promissing species. It's still pretty rare in cultivation, but it soon will be available all over the world I think. It was formarly known as Trachycarpus sikkimensis, but this name is wrong. It prefers a rich and loamy soil, but well drained. It gets to about 12 m. There's only very little known about this palm as Martin Gibbons and Tobias Spanner have discovered it only recently. When you get a plant, you'll have something quite special. It can grow quite fast when a bit older. Recent experiences have proven unfortunately that this is a very difficult species to grow and it's not so hardy as the other Trachycarpus. The limite is said to be -8°C, but leaves can be already damaged with very little frost. As most of the Trachycarpus, It's an endangered species in the wild. Trachycarpus martianus This species is not so hardy either, like T. latisectus. Probably only to about -10°C. But it's beautiful!!!! It can certainly compete with tropical species. The leaves can have 80 segments, and the plant gets to about 12m. The leaves are split very regularly. The treatment is as for T. fortunei. Except for this: martianus is found growing in higly acidic soil. So when you had a plant that didn't grow very well, try to adapt the pH of the soil. This species shouldn't be more difficult to grow than the others. Trachycarpus nanus Still very rare but oh so special. It doesn't form a trunk (or a very small one) and looks like a miniature fortunei. In the wild, they are, unfortunately, extremely endangered. The goats love the young leaves of seedlings:-( Leaves ressemble much those of Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera. There's not so much known about this beautiful palm. Don't let that stop you and be one of the first to have it in your garden. Hardy to about -15°C. Trachycarpus x takagii This is a hybrid. The parents are Trachycarpus wagnerianus and Trachcarpus fortunei. These are a bit variable: sometimes they look more like a fortunei, sometimes more like a wagnerianus. But most of the time, it's more like a wagnerianus. These are hardy to -16°C. Trachycarpus takil We can call this one the giant of the genus. It's bigger in all parts than the fortunei. At least, that is what the defenders of this species say. It's a fast grower too, ánd it's very hardy (probably more than -18°C!). So why don't you try it? The maximum height is about 12m, but the leaves are big: to 1.2m! The leves are divided into +/- 60 fragments. Doesn't want the dry winters like many other palm trees do. How can you recognize this species? Some people say that the leaves of this one have a twisted hastula, and that other species don't have that. This is wrong. Even Trachycarpus fortunei can have that. You can recognize T. takil on the way of growth. Pure Trachycarpus fortunei grows straight up. T. takil seems to 'run away' from it's own old growth when young. More information and pictures: www.chez.com/palmiers/contrib/tak_/tak_.php (French) However, it has to be said that many amateurs observed a "creeping" trunk on fortunei too. Trachycarpus takil 'Beccari'. The only adult specimen of T. takil outside of its natural habitat, planted there by Beccari, 140 years ago. (Source: www.penninckx.com) Leaf detail of Trachycarpus takil 'Nepal' Note the twisted hastula. This does not prove that it's takil! (source: www.penninckx.com) Trachycarpus wagnerianus This is the little sister of T. fortunei. The leaves are very beautiful. And as they are smaller, they are more resistant to hard winds. It's as hardy as all the other species, so about -17°C. It gets 10m tall. This species is never found in the wild, only in cultivation. Remark: From T. martianus and T. takil are 'Nepal' forms available. These are said to be slightly hadier than the species itself as they grow at very high altitudes in the Himalayas and have to bear severe cold in winter. 18. Trithrinax Thrithrinax acanthacoma This is a less known genus, and not really the best suited palm tree for our climate either, but, like all palms, they're so beautiful. They are all hardy to about -10°C, under dry winter conditions that is of course. It's possible to grow them in colder climates. In summer, it'll need lots of water, but in winter, the drought again. That always will be the main problem with our palm trees I'm afraid. Trithrinax brasiliensis The brasiliensis is not the hardiest at all. But it tolerates frost to some degree, so that's why I mention it. It is said to be hardy to -9°C. I haven't tested it, but that will have to be under very dry conditions, that's for sure. 4-5m for an adult plant. Trithrinax campestris This is probably the most hardy one of the genus. It can take -12°C. It's pretty rare in cultivation though. It's a slow grower, so that means that it's even slower in our cold climates. It can have a lot of drought in summer too. So better plant it on the driest spot you have, cause wet winters will kill it. It gets to about 6m and suckers, just like Chamaerops humilis. Plants are pretty expensive, and germination is difficult too. But it's a beautiful palm tree of course. So take good care of it when you have one. Large adult specimens in Argentine (source: www.plantapalm.com) 19. Washingtonia Washingtonia filifera This are fun palm trees to grow. Not because of their exceptional hardiness, but because of their legendary fast growth!! I have tried them myself, it's amazing! These beautiful palm trees germinate even after a couple of weeks already! They grow very fast, and in four years you can have a plant of 1m tall under good conditions. What are those good conditions: lots of water in summer, drier in winter, really hot summers and fertilizer. The plants do the rest. The leaves have numerous threads hanging between the segments. They grow to about 30m in warm climates. But don't worry, it'll get big here too as even in our climates it's fast growing. Cold hardiness is a problem though. It is said to be hardy to about -13°C, but only when the conditions are desert-like. Seedlings are certainly too weak to survive frost. I know of people with big specimens in their garden in Belgium, but it's only their first year, so it still needs to be seen. My 1,5m tall specimen has lost all of its leaves with 8 degrees of frost, the conditions were not so dry though. The heart still is fine, but it won't recover well because of our relatively cool summers. So this one needs hot summers too, like all other palm trees (except from Trachycarpus; those dislike extreme heat). Washingtonia filifera (source: www.plantapalm.com) Washingtonia robusta The name is saying it all. It's really a robust giant. It can get easily 30m tall. But unfortunately it's even less hardy than the W. filifera. In the South of England, where they experience only light freezes, they manage to survive, but temperatures colder than -5°C for more than a couple of days will kill this one I think. It likes hot summers, so it can recover from frost damage. It's very easy to sow too though, and is an extremely fast grower. So you can always experiment. Seeds are very cheap and widely available. Washingtonia filifera x robusta This is, of course, the hybrid of W. filifera and W. robusta. It's as fast growing as the species themselves and needs the same conditions. Links to interesting sites: Nurseries and seed suppliers www.penninckx.com (wholesale) www.sementes.de/index.htm : exotics seeds (Germany) www.plantdelights.com (USA) www.the-banana.com (USA) www.exoterra.nl (the Netherlands) Information sites Site on Musaceae (bananas; excellent!!) www.xeri.com/xeriscape/palms/palm22.htm : site on "hardy" palm trees www.france-palmier.com : French site on palm trees palmsnorth.com : Cold hardy palm and subtropical forum |
This page was last updated on: September 22, 2004
Exotic plants in cool climates Hardy palm trees Hardy bananas - (Hardy) tree ferns |
You must have dreamed at least once about those beautiful and exotic looking plants you see in the movies. But these beauties are so far away, and we, we are stuck in our cold and wet climate. Me for instance, I live in Belgium, zone 8, which means that temperatures can drop to -15°C in a really cold winter. And now, you probably think: 'Yeah right, another crazy dreamer...' No!!!! Why don't we bring these plants to our garden!! Why should the warmer climates be priviliged with so much floral beauty? I can tell you, it's possbible to grow your own tropical plants here outside! Palm trees, bananas, tree ferns, ... there's so much you can grow here. But you just have to know what you're doing. And don't worry, it doesn't necessarily mean more work. You'll find a lot of plants here that you can try in your garden. I'll first introduce myself. My name is Michael. I'm 22 years old. I have a master's degree in interpreting (Dutch, French, Spanish) and translation. I've always been fascinated by plants. This started with the usual annuals and has been evolving gradualy to exotic plants when I saw some big palm trees here in a garden. Now I'm a real addict, and since about 5 years, I collect exotic plants (hardy and non hardy ones). Butia capitata Here's what you'll find on the site: - Climate - Palm trees: - Bananas Ensete glaucum Ensete glaucum Ensete ventricosum Ensete ventricosum Maurellii Musa acuminata Dwarf Cavendish Musa acuminata Super Dwarf Cavendish Musa balbisiana Musa basjoo Musa Goldfinger Musa 'Orinoco' Musa Dwarf Orinoco Musa 'Rajapuri' Musa sikkimensis Musa velutina Musa Yunnan Musella lasiocarpa - Tree ferns: Cyathea australis Cyathea Brentwood Cyathea cooperii Cyathea dealbata Cyathea dregei Cyathea medullaris Cyathea smitthii Cyathea tomentosissima Dicksonia antarctica Dicksonia fibrosa Dicksonia herbertii Dicksonia sellowiana Dicksonia squarrosa Dicksonia youngiae - Overwintering your treasures Musa velutina - My collection (not only palms and bananas) - Losses Good luck when you try to grow some exotics of your own!!!! Climate The climate is very important of course for your plants. Do you live in a wet climate, or a very dry one... . The colder the climate, the drier it should be for the plants. And that's often a problem. But a good drainage for your plants can already solve this problem. You might think that it's impossible to grow exotic plants here in your garden? On the contrary!! There's a vast choice. The only thing you have to be aware of is this: frost isn't your worst enemy, moist is!!!! All those cold resistant exotics can take sometimes severe frost, but preferably in dry conditions. So once again: a good drainage is very important. I give you here the data on the Belgian climate in °F (precipitation in inches). So you can have an idea of what our climate's like. But once again: if you have winters that are a bit colder but drier, than you'll have no problem in planting these exotics either! Month Average Average Warmest Coldes Average Average high low ever ever dew point precipitation JAN 42 34 59 1 34 3.2 FEB 42 33 64 8 32 2.0 MAR 49 38 71 19 37 3.2 APR 55 40 82 26 39 2.1 MAY 63 47 86 30 46 2.9 JUN 67 52 93 38 52 2.9 JUL 72 56 95 41 55 2.3 AUG 72 55 96 45 55 1.7 SEP 66 52 88 36 52 2.7 OCT 58 46 78 28 46 3.3 NOV 48 39 65 18 39 2.4 DEC 44 36 62 7 36 2.7 The minimum temperatures that are indicated in the plant descriptions give you an idea. Some plants of a species may be hardier than other plants of the same species. It's possible that some palms tolerate even more frost, but it's up to you to discover that and to let the world know about your experiences. Palm trees Who hasn't dreamt at least once about those beautiful and tropical looking palm trees? Well, guess what, your dream can come true!!!!!!!!! Here, I list the best suited species for our climate and also some more tender ones. But once again, I have to warn you: a good drainage is very important for most species!! Special requirements depend on the species of course. 1. Brahea Brahea armata The Mexican Blue Palm is just fantastic. It's perhaps not so well suited for our climate, but the colour of the leaves is just incredible!! And even when you don't want to plant it outside, it makes a great tub plant. This palm requires an excellent drainage and can withstand then -12°C, perhaps a bit more. You can read in literature that it's a very slow grower. Though, many people have already reported that it can grow quite fast, especially when its planted into full ground. It can get 15m, high under the right conditions of course. The inflorescence is very big and impressing. Brahea edulis This species is a bit less hardy perhaps than B. armata, but is nevertheless worth a try here. It gets to about 12m high. The leaves have 40-50 segments. In the wild, it's very endangered because of the goats who eat the young seedlings. Of course, a good drainage for this one also is essential for success. The first ten years, it is very slow growing, just like B. armata. Brahea decumbens This is let's say the little brother of Brahea armata. And I can say that it's even more beautiful. The leaves are one of the bluest among palm trees. And it's suited for small gardens too as it gets only to about 1m tall. It's a pity it's rare, even seeds are quite difficult sometimes to obtain. This one also comes from Mexico (the Sierra Madre), up to 2000m in the mountains. The plants need a lot of water, but don't forget that the winters in our climates are a lot wetter (you can say soaked!) in comparison to the ones in Mexico. The water combined with frost will kill the plant, although it should be capable of surviving about -10 to -12°C according Tobias Spanner. When you have such a beauty, take good care of it!! Brahea dulcis This one is not hardy enough for our climate, but it can make a very nice tub plant. It can take about -5°C, but be careful: plants in tubs are far more vulnerable than their partners in full ground!! An adult plant can get to 12m. 2. Butia Butia capitata This is a very beautiful feather palm, and also one of the hardiest! It can take -12°C, perhaps more. There's one disadvantage, it's a slow grower. Older plants are of course rather expensive then. It forms a thick trunk of 6m high. When you want to sow these, you'll have to wait for germinaiont for about 6-10 months and cracking the seeds is recommended. When you plant one into full ground, be careful!!! It hates its heart getting too wet in winter, it starts to rotten then. That doesn't mean the end of the palm, but it's very dangerous then and you have to take some special measures when this happens to your plant. I know of several people who have planted plants of about 2m high, and some lost the plants, even with rain protection, other plants had no damage at all. I planted one of about 5 feet tall last summer, and the winter has been very bad this far: extremely wet, and then frost for days and days, non stop. My Phoenix canariensis died in that frost, and even my 2 Sabal minor don't look good anymore. But my Butia capitata is just looking great still, no damage at all. So this might be a very strong palm tree for cool climates. Butia capitata 'Bonnetti' This is a subspecies of the one above. It should be a bit hardier too. It's reported that a plant survived -13°C with only very little damage to the crown. Unfortunately it grows even slower than the species, so you'll have to be very patient. It doesn't get as big either. Butia eriospatha This one is very similar to Butia capitata. It's as hardy too. The inflorescence of eriospatha is very beautiful and bigger and woolier then the one of Butia capitata. It grows a bit faster than the capitata. When temperatures don't drop below -10°C regularly, it's worth a try in your garden. It's still pretty rare in cultivation. Butia paraguayensis This is a rare species, even in the wild It's much smaller than B. capitata. Some of the plants don't even form a trunk. They grow in pure sand and get to 2m. The seeds are said to be difficult to germinate. It' should not be as hardy as the other species: to only +/- -5°C. Butia yatay This is said to be the most beautiful one of the genus, and it's also the biggest one: it gets to +/- 12m. The hardiness is not a problem: it's like the capitata (-12°C). He's pretty rare in Europe, a bit more common in America. These last few months, I have seen it more often here in Europe too however. 3. Butia x Jubaea This is a hybrid between, of course, Butia capitata and Jubaea chilensis. It's still very rare in cultivation, especially in Europe. It does not exist in the wild. It was created by Merrill Wilcox. It's a very nice species and should be hardy enough to try here as both of the parents can take severe frosts. But as both parents don't like wet winters combined with frost, you'd better be careful with your plant. Because this one is really extremely rare! Note also that Butia x Jubaea is not the same as Jubaea x Butia. These names mean that the mother plant was the first one mentionned. So in Butia x Jubaea the female plant was a Butia and the male plant that was used for the crossing was Jubaea. 4. x Butiagrus x Butiagrus nabbonandii This is a hybrid between Syagrus and Butia capitata. As Syagrus isn't as hardy as Butia, this crossing may not be as hardy either. But it could perhaps prove quite suited for our wet climate. It's very rare, and you'll have to look very hard to find even seeds. The problem is that the seeds produced by this palm are sterile. So when you want to multiply, you have to start all over with Butia and Syagrus crossing. This is not so for Butia x Jubaea, which produces viable seeds. Note that Butia x Syagrus is not the same as Syagrus x Butia. Normally we put the female plant first and the male comes after that. So in Butia x Syagrus, there was a female Butia and a male Syagrus used for the crossing. 5. Butia x Syagrus x Jubaea This is another hybrid. I don't know much about it, but I'm trying to find more information on it. I will add the info as soon as possible. There's one thing I know for sure, i's extremely extremely rare. 6. Ceroxylon Ceroxylon alpinum This won't be the hardiest Ceroxylon, but it's a fast grower and can take some warmer conditions than the others. Sowing is very easy; germination in about 3 months. Bottom heat is for this species perhaps best. Ceroxylon alpinum in habitat Ceroxylon quindiuense This is very big palm tree from the Andes. There's only very little known of all the Cerloxylon species when it comes to hardiness. They grow up to an amazing altitude of 3000m, so they can survive at least some frost, but it's not known how much exactly. The palm can get up to 60m!!!! The trunk is covered in wax. This palm tree hates hot conditions. Seeds have become available, but plants are very hard to find. The seeds germinate quite easily in 3 months. They don't need high temperatures to do so. Seedlings are terribly slow though:-( Ceroxylon ventricosum This is another big palm tree from the Andes. It requires the same conditions as C. quindiuense and is also found at those high elevations. Seeds germinate quite easily after 3 months. But some take a lot longer, so don't throw everything away after 3 months!! Ceroxylon vogelianum This is another beautiful Ceroxylon, and again a pretty big one too. It requires the same growing conditions as the other species. Sowing is again not so hard. This is, in my opinion, one of the Ceroxylon that can take most frost. But experience will tell. An adult specimen of Ceroxylon vogelianum 7. Chamaedorea Chamaedorea microspadix This is a clump forming palm, a bamboo palm. It gets to about 2.5m and likes to be in a shady position. Soil must be moist at all times. It's not the most hardy palm, but even juvenile plants can get unharmed through -8°C, so you can give it a try perhaps. Chamaedorea radicalis This should be quite an easy plant to grow and will do just fine in most soil types. It can take -10°C quite easily, but I don't know what'll happen when it has to take more than that. This one is non suckering and doesn't make a stem either, but gets to 3m. On the foreground: Chamaedorea radicalis in a garden in Belgium of Marc Vissers Chamaedorea radicalis x microspadix I met this species on the Internet. I have no information available at the moment. What I can say is that hybrids are common among palms. So when you put Chamaedorea microspadix and C. radicalis right next to each other and you get a cross polination, then you'll probably have this hybrid. 7. Chamaerops Chamaerops humilis This is the only European species (with only a couple of plants of Phoenix theoprastii). It's a clustering palm and doesn't get as big as most other palm trees. In cultivation, they can get to 8m, but it's not likely that you will ever see that here. Drainage is very important for this plant. It can take -15°C, but when the soil is soaked, you can have a drama in your garden. So put it on a drier and well drained spot, and protect it in winter against most rainfall. There are growing some nice larger specimens in Belgian gardens. I have heard that in the cooler parts of France Chamaerops humilis has survived better than Trachycarpus fortunei. So it could be worth a try here, but only on a drier and hot spot, because it'll need very warm weather to recover from eventual winter damage. Chamaerops humilis (source: www.dipbot.unict.it/orto/0060-1.html) Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera This is is subspecies from Moroco. It's fans are of a beautiful blue color. It's growing at very high altitudes, and has to take severe cold in winter. It should be a bit more cold resistant even than the species. But of course, don't drown the plant!! I have heard from people here in Belgium that this one is even a bigger drought lover than the species. Chamaerops humilis var. eliator This one is like the species, but it doesn't cluster. It only forms one trunk, and that's it. Chamaerops humilis var. Volcano This is botanically speaking of no significance. It comes from the island of Vulcano north of Sicily and should be more compact than the species. The correct name is here Chamaerops humilis, and nothing else. But it's possible that you'll meet this name, so that's why I mentioned it. 8. Dypsis Dypsis decipiens This palm is certainly not hardy in cool climates. It can take -7°C, but certainly not more. It should make a good tub plant though because of its tolerance for some frost. It's a species from Madagascar and again, it is threatened with extinction. It can get to 20m in the wild, but I don't think you'll see that in our climate. It is drought tolerant but slow growing. 8. Jubaea Jubaea chilensis This is the biggest of the biggest, the giant amongst the palm trees. In the wild, this Chilean wine palm again is endangered. It's one of the hardiest feather palms (to -16°C), but it's also one of the slowest growing palms on earth. Actually, when you plant one, it'll be for the next generations because growth is so slow. It gets to 'only' about 15m, but it's the stem that is so impressive. This palm comes from the mountains, so it doesn't really like much summer heat (so don't put it in a hot greenhouse either!) Just keep it warm and plant it on a well drained spot. 9. Jubaea x Syagrus I have no idea whether this one exists. But when somebody would try it, it would succeed quite easily as both of the palms are Butiinae and thus genetically alike. 10. Livistona Livistona australis This one is easy to find in the local garden centre as it is often offered as a houseplant. But it is also pretty cold hardy. It is said that it can take -10°C, but I guess it won't be healthy when the plant has to take that much frost every year. It's an easy grower when you water and fertilize it sufficiently. So when you need a palm tree for a tub, you couldtry this one without taking a big risk. Livistona chinensis This is a beautiful fan palm from with a trunk up to 10m. Reported as hardy to about -10°C. They will be severely damaged then, but they will recover from it. Perhaps not so suited for our climate. An excellent and easy tub plant though. I have sown them, and I'm planning on experimenting so I can tell a bit more about the hardiness of this species. Livistona decipiens This one is quite a graceful palm tree. And surprisingly hardy. It is worth a try in zone 8b. it is reported to survive those winters, so -10°C should be not a problem. But when it gets that cold, you should protect the bud. It can get to about 9m high and is absolutely marvellous. But plant it in a sheltered spot, cause the leaves are pretty weak when it comes to wind. Don't buy plants, sow them yourself. They are easy, fast in germination and you will have lots of plants to try then!!! 11. Nannorrhops Nannorrhops ritchiana This is a very beautiful and very hardy palm. It's actually one of the hardiest together with Rapidophyllum hystrix. It's a very slow grower though. There are plants with silver leaves and plants with green leaves. But as this species comes from very dry regions, it can only survive when it's not drowned by our wet winters, so remember the drainage. The plants are monocarpic. This means that the crown dies after having flowered. Though it's not so that the entire plant dies then, new leaves will emerge from the old stem. There's a green and a silver form. The latter should be the hardiest. But it's not the first palm tree I recommend to plant in colder and wet climates. Many people have already told me that they tried it, and that it just stands there, looking miserable. One leaf a year, and every single winter, that new leaf is dead too. So a tub, or a greenhouse I'd say. 12. Phoenix Phoenix canariensis The Canarian date palm is one of the most common palms in the world, even as a houseplant. But it's not so hardy though. It can take -10°C in dry conditions, but it'll be severely damaged and will need a lot of summer heat to recover. Even old specimens should have problems growing here. It's a nicer palm than the real date palm P. dactylifera as it is much more graceful. It's easyily grown from seed, but young plants are very cheap too, so you can experiment with it as much as you want. It makes an excellent tub plant though. My plant survived -5°C in a tub without leaf damage, and it's still a very young one, so there's still some hope perhaps? Phoenix dactylifera This is the real date palm. It's also very easy to grow from seeds, even from the dried dates you buy in the store. In my opinion, it's not as beautiful as P. canariensis as its leaves are much stiffer and also shorter. But it can take -10°C and thus it's perhaps worth a try. But do take care of the drainage!! Moist combined with frost will be very dangerous to all Phoenix. And especially the heart should be protected from rain and snow. When the heart is dead, your palm probably will be too. It's not always so that when the newest spear is dead, that the palm is dead too. It's sometimes possible that the palm produces a new spear. It should make an excellent tub plant that can take some frost even, but I don't think it'll be a winner in full ground. But as the seeds germinate quite easily, you can experiment a lot. Phoenix theoprastii This is the Cretan date palm. It's only found in one place on Crete in a remote area that is pretty difficult to reach. The palms never spread out either. It is said that there's also a place in Turkey where these grow. As the other Phoenix, it's easy to make the seeds germinate. It can take -12°C when you protect the plant in winter. So that means that you protect the heart from precipitation. But it's also best when you wrap the leaves together and protect those against cold too, because palms don't like to be defoliated every year. That will make them weak and eventually even old specimens will die then, completely exhausted. But I know somebody who has it in his garden, and it has already survived two winters very well, so worth a try I'd say. Remark: Phoenix need a lot of summer heat to grow well. That's perhaps the biggest problem with these plants. Our summers are often not warm enough to provide the necessary heat, and too short too. In warm summers, the plants make more sugar, and this means that the plants will be stronger for winter. So when you try it, do it in one of the warmest spots of your garden. 13. Rhapidophyllum Rhapidophyllum hystrix This is a small palm from SE-USA. It doesn't get very big: -+/ 1.5m. It's a very slow grower too!! Older specimens make sometimes a trunk, but it never becomes a tree. It's one of the hardiest palms we have on earth. In its habitat, it must take severe frost too, but in dry conditions. It can take to -23°C, so frost won't be a problem in a climate like the Belgian one. But the biggest danger is rain. It comes from desert areas, and thus prefers dry conditions. That doesn't mean you have to let the soil dry out completely! Just don't put it in soaking conditions and you'll succeed. I keep my plant still in a pot as it is only 20 cm high and only has 5 leaves. But I keep it moist at all times and it seems to grow just fine like that. A very old specimen of Rhapidophyllum hystrix Photo: M. Gibbons and Tobias Spanner 14. Sabal Sabal bermudana This is a very beautiful palm tree from Bermuda that can get to 10m high. I don't think it's suited for the full ground in cooler climates although it should be able to take -10°C. I think it'll make an excellent tub plant (for a rather big tub!) for our climate. It can grow in dry and wet conditions. But when you try it here outside, I advise you to go for the dry conditions. The leaves can get pretty big: to 2m, and they have about 80 segments. The major problem you'll have is that this plant, when damaged by frost, will need a lot of summer heat to recover. It's possible perhaps to keep it a couple of years outside when there are a lot of very mild winters, but it won't last long I think. But don't let me stop you from experimenting!! Sabal etonia This is another dwarf palm tree. It only gets to a maximum height of 1,5m. It could prove hardy to about -10°C. But it's a heat lover and it adores dry conditions, so that's perhaps not really what we can give. But perhaps worth an experiment. Nice to know is that the palm tree can survive fire. Two days after the disaster, new leaves will already be emerging. Sabal mexicana This big guy is a native of Texas and is a very promising species. It can get to about 15m. The good thing about this one is that it tolerates wet feet in its natural habitat. So in summer he won't be drowned by our usual rain fall. But in winter, it's best to keep it dry, like all of the other "hardy" palm trees. It should be able to survive -11°C without much leaf damage according to some growers. A seedling survived here -8°C in my garden and just the oldest leaf is damaged, the new emerging leaf was ok. So perhaps very promising!! An adult specimen of Sabal mexicana Sabal minor This is a very hardy palm tree, although it doesn't really become a "tree". It's one of the hardiest in fact, but the dark side is slow growth. I can say even extremely slow growth, especially in our cold climates. Two leaves per season is not exceptional. It gets to about 3 m, but that's really a biggy than already! It likes plenty of moisture, but of course not in winter. It should be capable of surviving heavy frost to even -18°C. But it will have leaf damage then, and as it's such a slow grower recovery will be extremely slow. Defoliation doesn't kill it though, it will grow back. But I have a four year old seedling, and it makes only 2 leaves per year in a hot greenhouse. This year it made it's first segmented leaf. I know some people who have planted it outside, and it's surviving. It's just a terribly slow grower. And watch it when it gets serious leaf damage. Sabal minor var. louisiana This is a natural subspecies of Sabal minor. It's about the same looking as the species, but it's slightly faster in growth. The leaves seem to be damaged sooner than the ones of the usual S. minor. Hardiness is the same. Sabal minor var. McCurtain This should be a particularly hardy subspecies. Reportedly, it has survived -28°C in the US, in McCurtain county. It doesn't need the extreme summer heat to start growing. 20°C is already sufficient for some slow growth. Perhaps the best one to try when you really want a Sabal minor. Sabal palmetto This is a big guy again. With it's final 20m it could be a nice palm tree for our garden. But again, it's such a slow grower in our climate, that's it's terrible. They can have severe frost too, to about -14°C, but once they have severe leaf damage, it will be very difficult to make them recover. Like all the Sabals that are listed here, it needs lots of summer heat to grow well. A five year old seedling of mine only produces 2 leaves per year. So you get an idea on how slow they actually can be! Sabal 'Riverside' The latest results on this one are encouraging. It is remarkably hardy. It should be easily capable of surviving -10°C. It's the fastest growing "hardy" Sabal. It resembles Washingtonia robusta when older. But of course, it doesn't have the same amazing growth speed as Washingtonia. That would be too good to be true. Sabal rosei This is a nice one, but pretty rare in cultivation. It should make a good house plant too for a bright spot. For a change this one should be a pretty fast grower. I haven't tried it yet in our climate, but I guess slower than S. minor is impossible:-) It can reach to about 15m high and can tolerate quite severe frost, to about -12(?)°C. Summer heat is always appreciated of course. Sabal x texensis This is a hybrid between S. minor and S. mexicana. It has inherited the hardiness of the S. minor. It can take about -15°C. It's a bit faster than Sabal minor and makes a short and thick trunk. Perhaps better in our climates than Sabal minor. Sabal uresana This is another Mexican beauty. It gets pretty big too, about 20m when mature, with very long graceful leaves. I'm not sure about the hardiness of this one. Some say it can take quite some frost, others say it won't survive more than -5°C. I tend to believe those that say it can take more frost. There have been several reports that this species has survived more than -10°C without lethal damage, so i suggest you just give it a try and let me know how things work out;-) 15. Serenoa Serenoa repens The maximum height of this small and very frost hardy palm tree is about 2m. It comes from the Eastern part of the US where it can survive even pretty bad bush fires. It is very frost hardy (especially when it has to face extreme frost for a very short period), but actually not very suited for our climate. In its natural habitat, it can take at least -15°C without much damage. But in ours, it's too wet in winter. It's a drought loving plant, so when you wanna try it, put it under a shelter or something, cause it hates a lot of precipitation. I have heard already some negative reactions when it comes to this one. After one night of quite heavy frost, all the leaves were already damaged. And as it's a very slow grower too, that is not very encouraging. But it's a beautiful species. There's a form with green and a form with silvery leaves. It really needs hot summers to grow well too. It's a suckering palm. 16. Syagrus Syagrus romanzoffianum This is a very beautiful palm tree, but not suited for our climate unfortunately. It can only take about -7°C and nothing more. It can get to +/- 18m when mature. It needs a lot of water in summer to grow well. When you try it in full ground, keep it on the dry side in winter, or you will have lost the combat before you even started. It's easy to grow your own plants from seeds and they're fast growing too. It's a heavy feeder. It will eventually die when the soil is too poor. Starting to fertilize when the plant has suffered already will not always save it. But you just have to try it. Look at the picture, it's gorgeous, isn't it?:-) Syagrus romanzoffianum (source: www.plantapalm.com) 17. Trachycarpus This is the most famous genus for our climate. It was formarly known as Chamaerops (read more at www.plantapalm.com/vpe/genera/key/vpe_keys1.htm ). There are 8 species, but one of them ( T. oreophilus) is commercially not available though. Seeds of these species germinate quite easily in 1-2 months. Trachycarpus fortunei This one is now very common all over the world I can say. It's one of the hardiest palms ( to about -18°C) and can get to 12m high. The leaves have 40-50 irregularly splitted segments. This is a palm that can grow in a soil that is not so wel drained, but it prefers a good drainage though! When it's still a young plant, it grows rather slowly, but after about 3-5 years, growth accelarates considerably. Mine made 50 cm of trunk in only two years once it was well established, and the plant is only 5 years old. You can fertilize, but don't overdo it. Best is once in spring and once begin July. This is a palm that doesn't need summer heat to grow (unlike many other hardy palms). It actually prefers cooler weather to grow, so it doesn't do very well in extremely hot climates. It grows best when soil is not too dry. The plants can be damaged by hard winds and snow/ice during winter. It's certainly one of the safest to try in your garden. So do try it!! There has been some confusion with Trachycarpus takil, another species. The difference is not clear at all. The difference between fortunei and takil is subject to controversy. Some believe it is one species, others still defend takil as being clearly distinct. The twisted hastula has long been thought to be a good reference. But both takil and fortunei can have it, and some takil don't at all. Both species can have that. Another problem is that, through time, Trachycarpus fortunei and takil have been crossed because the takil didn't like the Mediterranean heat when it was introduced in Europe. So people crossed the two species, and now it's possible that you get a palm tree with lots of genes of the fortunei and only a small part of takil, or the contrary of course. Pictures and some more explanation at: www.chez.com/palmiers/contrib/tak_/tak_.php (French site) Trachycarpus under snow (source: www.penninckx.com) Trachycarpus latisectus This is a very promissing species. It's still pretty rare in cultivation, but it soon will be available all over the world I think. It was formarly known as Trachycarpus sikkimensis, but this name is wrong. It prefers a rich and loamy soil, but well drained. It gets to about 12 m. There's only very little known about this palm as Martin Gibbons and Tobias Spanner have discovered it only recently. When you get a plant, you'll have something quite special. It can grow quite fast when a bit older. Recent experiences have proven unfortunately that this is a very difficult species to grow and it's not so hardy as the other Trachycarpus. The limite is said to be -8°C, but leaves can be already damaged with very little frost. As most of the Trachycarpus, It's an endangered species in the wild. Trachycarpus martianus This species is not so hardy either, like T. latisectus. Probably only to about -10°C. But it's beautiful!!!! It can certainly compete with tropical species. The leaves can have 80 segments, and the plant gets to about 12m. The leaves are split very regularly. The treatment is as for T. fortunei. Except for this: martianus is found growing in higly acidic soil. So when you had a plant that didn't grow very well, try to adapt the pH of the soil. This species shouldn't be more difficult to grow than the others. Trachycarpus nanus Still very rare but oh so special. It doesn't form a trunk (or a very small one) and looks like a miniature fortunei. In the wild, they are, unfortunately, extremely endangered. The goats love the young leaves of seedlings:-( Leaves ressemble much those of Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera. There's not so much known about this beautiful palm. Don't let that stop you and be one of the first to have it in your garden. Hardy to about -15°C. Trachycarpus x takagii This is a hybrid. The parents are Trachycarpus wagnerianus and Trachcarpus fortunei. These are a bit variable: sometimes they look more like a fortunei, sometimes more like a wagnerianus. But most of the time, it's more like a wagnerianus. These are hardy to -16°C. Trachycarpus takil We can call this one the giant of the genus. It's bigger in all parts than the fortunei. At least, that is what the defenders of this species say. It's a fast grower too, ánd it's very hardy (probably more than -18°C!). So why don't you try it? The maximum height is about 12m, but the leaves are big: to 1.2m! The leves are divided into +/- 60 fragments. Doesn't want the dry winters like many other palm trees do. How can you recognize this species? Some people say that the leaves of this one have a twisted hastula, and that other species don't have that. This is wrong. Even Trachycarpus fortunei can have that. You can recognize T. takil on the way of growth. Pure Trachycarpus fortunei grows straight up. T. takil seems to 'run away' from it's own old growth when young. More information and pictures: www.chez.com/palmiers/contrib/tak_/tak_.php (French) However, it has to be said that many amateurs observed a "creeping" trunk on fortunei too. Trachycarpus takil 'Beccari'. The only adult specimen of T. takil outside of its natural habitat, planted there by Beccari, 140 years ago. (Source: www.penninckx.com) Leaf detail of Trachycarpus takil 'Nepal' Note the twisted hastula. This does not prove that it's takil! (source: www.penninckx.com) Trachycarpus wagnerianus This is the little sister of T. fortunei. The leaves are very beautiful. And as they are smaller, they are more resistant to hard winds. It's as hardy as all the other species, so about -17°C. It gets 10m tall. This species is never found in the wild, only in cultivation. Remark: From T. martianus and T. takil are 'Nepal' forms available. These are said to be slightly hadier than the species itself as they grow at very high altitudes in the Himalayas and have to bear severe cold in winter. 18. Trithrinax Thrithrinax acanthacoma This is a less known genus, and not really the best suited palm tree for our climate either, but, like all palms, they're so beautiful. They are all hardy to about -10°C, under dry winter conditions that is of course. It's possible to grow them in colder climates. In summer, it'll need lots of water, but in winter, the drought again. That always will be the main problem with our palm trees I'm afraid. Trithrinax brasiliensis The brasiliensis is not the hardiest at all. But it tolerates frost to some degree, so that's why I mention it. It is said to be hardy to -9°C. I haven't tested it, but that will have to be under very dry conditions, that's for sure. 4-5m for an adult plant. Trithrinax campestris This is probably the most hardy one of the genus. It can take -12°C. It's pretty rare in cultivation though. It's a slow grower, so that means that it's even slower in our cold climates. It can have a lot of drought in summer too. So better plant it on the driest spot you have, cause wet winters will kill it. It gets to about 6m and suckers, just like Chamaerops humilis. Plants are pretty expensive, and germination is difficult too. But it's a beautiful palm tree of course. So take good care of it when you have one. Large adult specimens in Argentine (source: www.plantapalm.com) 19. Washingtonia Washingtonia filifera This are fun palm trees to grow. Not because of their exceptional hardiness, but because of their legendary fast growth!! I have tried them myself, it's amazing! These beautiful palm trees germinate even after a couple of weeks already! They grow very fast, and in four years you can have a plant of 1m tall under good conditions. What are those good conditions: lots of water in summer, drier in winter, really hot summers and fertilizer. The plants do the rest. The leaves have numerous threads hanging between the segments. They grow to about 30m in warm climates. But don't worry, it'll get big here too as even in our climates it's fast growing. Cold hardiness is a problem though. It is said to be hardy to about -13°C, but only when the conditions are desert-like. Seedlings are certainly too weak to survive frost. I know of people with big specimens in their garden in Belgium, but it's only their first year, so it still needs to be seen. My 1,5m tall specimen has lost all of its leaves with 8 degrees of frost, the conditions were not so dry though. The heart still is fine, but it won't recover well because of our relatively cool summers. So this one needs hot summers too, like all other palm trees (except from Trachycarpus; those dislike extreme heat). Washingtonia filifera (source: www.plantapalm.com) Washingtonia robusta The name is saying it all. It's really a robust giant. It can get easily 30m tall. But unfortunately it's even less hardy than the W. filifera. In the South of England, where they experience only light freezes, they manage to survive, but temperatures colder than -5°C for more than a couple of days will kill this one I think. It likes hot summers, so it can recover from frost damage. It's very easy to sow too though, and is an extremely fast grower. So you can always experiment. Seeds are very cheap and widely available. Washingtonia filifera x robusta This is, of course, the hybrid of W. filifera and W. robusta. It's as fast growing as the species themselves and needs the same conditions. Links to interesting sites: Nurseries and seed suppliers www.penninckx.com (wholesale) www.sementes.de/index.htm : exotics seeds (Germany) www.plantdelights.com (USA) www.the-banana.com (USA) www.exoterra.nl (the Netherlands) Information sites Site on Musaceae (bananas; excellent!!) www.xeri.com/xeriscape/palms/palm22.htm : site on "hardy" palm trees www.france-palmier.com : French site on palm trees palmsnorth.com : Cold hardy palm and subtropical forum |
