Hi targui, ~ I suppose anywhere from east cape along the coastline to cape reinga would be frost free, during winter. New Zealands climate zones vary considerably.targui wrote:Rod, I am in Tauranga and have never seen snow, been in it, apart from obswerving it on the mountains in the south
island, and the higher mountains in the north island.
When you got the snow in Christchurch I did not even
have a frost here. Contrary to your post re roystonea, I
have them growing well in my garden at the front of my property, along with several Pritchardia species, Caroyta,
EUTERPE, and Dypsis species and many others of tropical origin. The only ones I have had a problem with are some of the Vetchias although Vetchie Joannis shows
promise.
How big and how old are your roystonea regia's ??? ~ I am very intrigued that you have them growing successfully, as New Zealand is not the ideal climate for them.
Would you be able to post pic's of the roystoneas please - would love to see them.
Just remember with palms - its a very fine line from successfully growing them to not being able to grow them at all.
Here's an example:
Where i live, i cannot successfully grow rhopalostylis sapida. ( They get wiped out whenever we get a hard frost )
Just 8km up the road, still in the same city, they grow outside unprotected successfully.