Hardy Tropicals UK

As most forum members now know that when i took over looking after a garden full of exotics in the St Denys area of Southampton there was a large Phoenix canariensis_CIDP in the front by a bay window.
Although this palm was unprotected last december it was only slightly damaged by what was the coldest december in Southampton since the winter of 1962-63.
This palm was about 8 feet tall and wide and as i stated earlier seemed totally udamaged, but when growth started in april i noticed that on 5 of the newest softest leaves a dark scorch mark.
As the leaves grew longer they simply collapsed and broke off.
this occured during strong winds in May but since then a new lot of leaves have since grown out and filled the gap so now the palm looks as good as new.
The palm now has grown to a hieght of 12 feet with a similer width so looks really great.
This winter i intend to properly protect this palm with fleece as i cannot take a chance with another hard winter.
The coldest temperature recorded in St Denys last december was -7c on one night only but the ground was covered with 8 inches of snow?
This was the heaviest fall of snow since December 1962.
Here is a picture of the palm taken on Sept 15th 2011.
billdango.
.

If it survived the worst winter for almost 50 years, why start adding fleece, given the risks that could add to it? Adding fleece will certainly increase the humidity (and probably the gumidity too) at a time when it would be better dry and open to ventilation.

Conifers wrote:If it survived the worst winter for almost 50 years, why start adding fleece, given the risks that could add to it? Adding fleece will certainly increase the humidity (and probably the gumidity too) at a time when it would be better dry and open to ventilation.

A good point Conifers' but there was some damage last winter which would have been avoided with a little extra protection.
I will be watching the weather very closely this winter and will not hesitate to use fleece if needs be.
Probably i will just tie up the leaves in December and that should be all it needs but bear in mind that nearly all untied and unprotected CIDPS were lost or badly damaged in this City.
rgds billdango.

Bill, rather than wrapping it with fleece, why not simply tie the leaves up together with some rope? Even if you can't gather up the lowest fronds, these will probably need to be trimmed off next year anyway. Tying the leaves up will stop snow getting into the crown, (& new spears), which is what caused the damage it had this year...

That seems to be the technique used in a lot of regions over this way. It's not unusual to see palms tied up in the off season in cooler parts of California, Arizona, etc.

Cheers, Barrie.

Nathan wrote:Bill, rather than wrapping it with fleece, why not simply tie the leaves up together with some rope? Even if you can't gather up the lowest fronds, these will probably need to be trimmed off next year anyway. Tying the leaves up will stop snow getting into the crown, (& new spears), which is what caused the damage it had this year...

Thanks Nathan for your advice..
After giving it hard thought,i decided the best thing to do was to wrap it only if a severe spell of north easterlys are forcast.
As you say the best thing to do will be to tie it up from about mid November as we rarely get any frost in southampton till then.
I noticed that any damage to these palms always occurs on the new growth formed in the currant year and it always occurs at the point where the new leaves are just emerging from the trunk.
Growth made the previous year never suffers any damage.
rgds billdango.

That's a great looking palm there Bill, let us know how it gets on after this winter, it looks as though it stands a pretty good chance at that size and location.

cracking palm, and what looks like two cracking trachys to the right too

cordyman wrote:cracking palm, and what looks like two cracking trachys to the right too

thanks Cordyman.
although you can,t see them there are two other palms in the front garden?.
Right by the wall is a small but perfect C Humilis and under the T Fortuni on the left is a small T wagnerianus.
Also just under the bay window is a 3 foot P roebellini in mint condition.
rgds billdango.