Post Freeze Impacts to Vegetation? (Houston, Dallas: landscaping, move, yard)

[NBTX11]

One other thing, if your palm is small, pour hydrogen peroxide down the center to kill any fungus and aid recovery. No joke.

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by NBTX11

Y’all need to understand something about palm trees. They can recover from “being smoked”, “crown collapse”, “spear pull”, etc. It’a no guarantee but many of them do. The worst thing you can do is prematurely remove a palm that might recover.

A majority of the Washingtonia palms in Houston and probably San Antonio will probably recover, if given enough time (months). They just will. They’re resilient palms. Water and possibly fertilize them in the spring. Cut off obvious dead fronds if you must. Look for new green in a month or two, but it could be summer before they aggressively put out new fronds.

Washintonia palms survived -5 in El Paso in 2011. Not all but some. Some also survived -11 in Las Cruces New Mexico in 2011. Many with crown collapse. They are alive today.

Some will die, but that won’t be evident until summer. Some Washingtonia Robusta will recover. This is the tall thin palm. ALL Washingtonia Filifera will survive. They are already pushing green leaves. Those are the thicker trunked Washingtonias. ALL. Sabal palms will survive. Virtually all Canary Island Date Palms will survive in Houston and San Antonio but will take an entire year to recover. Maybe more. Most true date palms will recover (Phoenix Dactylifera). Windmill palms (Trachycarpus Fortunei) were hardly touched at all, completely fine.

From Austin north there will likely be massive palm death though, but I expect decent recovery in downtown SA and warm areas of Houston. Queen palms are toast though except in all but the warmest areas of Houston/Galveston. I expect most queen palms to die in San Antonio, they can’t really handle anything below 15-18.

Thanks. That's promising news. I didn't know Washingtonia robusta could come back after crown collapse. Let's hope some do. Given everything going on, we really need something positive.

[NBTX11]

Originally Posted by Htown2013

Thanks. That's promising news. I didn't know Washingtonia robusta could come back after crown collapse. Let's hope some do. Given everything going on, we really need something positive.

Well I don’t want to give false hope. SOME will come back from crown collapse. Some did in El Paso from -5 in 2011. Some will die. My current estimate is that 50-70 percent of Robusta will recover in San Antonio. Many of those are probably hybrids actually. Super thin, older, and weaker ones are more likely to die. But there will be a fair amount of palms the general populace thinks is dead now that will recover if left alone and not cut down. Watch.

Essentially the fatter the trunk of the Robusta and hybrids the more likely it is to live. All fat trunked Washingtonias will live. Guaranteed.

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by NBTX11

Well I don’t want to give false hope. SOME will come back from crown collapse. Some did in El Paso from -5 in 2011. Some will die. My current estimate is that 50-70 percent of Robusta will recover in San Antonio. Many of those are probably hybrids actually. Super thin, older, and weaker ones are more likely to die. But there will be a fair amount of palms the general populace thinks is dead now that will recover if left alone and not cut down. Watch.

Essentially the fatter the trunk of the Robusta and hybrids the more likely it is to live. All fat trunked Washingtonias will live. Guaranteed.

Thanks. You seem to know a lot about palms. What about Houston? What's sad is I looked up the Moody Gardens pyramid cam and saw some Robustas in Moody Gardens with crown collapse - not all but some. Norfolk Island pines in Galveston completely burnt out. That's about as protected as it gets in SETX north of the RGV and Padre Island.

Saw some recent photos where Queens and Norfolks looked more or less OK in South Padre, but Royal and Foxtails all burnt out. Robustas down there looked like Sabals in Houston.

[NBTX11]

Originally Posted by Htown2013

Thanks. You seem to know a lot about palms. What about Houston? What's sad is I looked up the Moody Gardens pyramid cam and saw some Robustas in Moody Gardens with crown collapse - not all but some. Norfolk Island pines in Galveston completely burnt out. That's about as protected as it gets in SETX north of the RGV and Padre Island.

Saw some recent photos where Queens and Norfolks looked more or less OK in South Padre, but Royal and Foxtails all burnt out. Robustas down there looked like Sabals in Houston.

My prediction for Houston (this assumes they are left alone to recover and not prematurely cut down):

Queen palms: 10 percent recovery, 90 percent dead. Protected ones could live otherwise most dead. A surprise here and there might live. I have a report from someone that their queen is pushing new fronds in Houston. Believe he protected it.

Washingtonia Robusta: 70 percent recovery, 30 percent dead. The hybrid Washingtonias should have close to 100 percent survival rates. They can come back from total defoliation. Not guaranteed, but possible.

Washingtonia Filfera: 100 percent recovery

Sabal Palmetto and Mexicana: 100 percent survival. Most have no damage now.

Date Palms, to include Canary island dates. 80-90 percent recovery. 10-20 percent dead. Will take a LONG time to recover though (up to 2 years).

Bismarckia - 10 percent recovery 90 percent dead. Smaller protected ones might pull through.

Anything less hardy than queens (pygmy dates, royals, foxtails) COMPLETELY DEAD. Not a chance.

[flashfearless]

Check the weekend SA Express papers. I can’t remember if it was Saturday or Sunday paper but one of the two had an article from horticulture guy talking about it.

[EIL9]

I have been a little shocked to see the condition to my well established (15+ years) pittosporum trees. Almost total leaf drop. I still see green when I scratch away bark so I guess I will wait a bit longer..

[Htown2013]

Originally Posted by EIL9

I have been a little shocked to see the condition to my well established (15+ years) pittosporum trees. Almost total leaf drop. I still see green when I scratch away bark so I guess I will wait a bit longer..

I've heard we may need to wait several more months to know what will make it and what will not. At least until May or June for many plants and possibly July or August for palms.

If you still see any green anywhere several weeks later, chances are high, but it may take time.

If something is mushy, then it's gone and that part should be removed. If its just brown/yellow, give it time.

While no doubt some things didn't last, my fear is that people will be impatient, giving up too soon, forever changing the Texas landscape unnecessarily, when all that was needed is time.

I'm not touching anything until August at the earliest unless it becomes a hazard.

[rynetwo]

According to Calvin Finch the guest horticulturalist as San Antonio Express News it is likely that 100% of the local Pride of Barbados is dead.

[Azure110]

My pride of barbados are dead for sure.

The palm trees (no idea what type they are) I have don't seem to be too fazed though but again they are pretty big with large trunks. I didn't plant them.