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They are mostly rain forest palms, from places like Madagascar, Australia and central America, so can handle hot summers. A couple like Ceroxylen and Parajubea are from South/Central American highland climates, so don't do well in hot climates.
There are a few Bangalow palms around, but I haven't seen any Kings. Palms really aren't that popular here, with gardening tending towards more English style gardens. Despite the big range of palms that can be grown here, There was only two types of palms grown in any number until about 10 years ago, when there was a brief trend to planting them. There were literally no other species before that. Even Nikaus which grow in huge numbers a short distance away, were rare in gardens. Last time I went looking in stores for palms, I found a grand total of 4 different palms (including the main two + Nikau) There isn't demand for them. The best collection of Queen palms in town (Motueka) , a row of very healthy 10 year old 25 footers, were pulled out a few days ago and thrown on a burn pile- that sums up the general attitude to other palms here.
Northern half of the North Island is generic plant nursery talk and while it is relevant, there are areas in the upper North that get colder than places further south and southern areas, which get much less frost. My region ranges between 120 and 0 air frosts a year, so you would have to pick your place for some of the species. Inland North Island is little different in climate to here, but would get worse combinations of cold and wet.
Nikau palms don't do well in the UK. They may grow for a few seasons (even then, most seem to die within a year or two)in the very warmest parts, but once they get an exceptional cold snap, will get killed outright or don't get the recovery temperatures to bounce back. Even the Scilly Isles lost all their mature ones a few years back. Nikaus and Archontophoenix, don't have any chance of surviving in Sochi. That was my earlier point about palms highlighting differences within the same hardiness zone -Sochi doesn't look like the same winter as here. Weather which would be common in winter there, would be a 1 in 100 year event here. That's the difference.
I should have said "some" of those palms prefer cooler summers. Both Nikau and the Umbrella Palm seem mostly grown in coastal CA around here. And the posters growing them claim they prefer cool summers. The Umbrealla Palm comes elevated areas. Those Nikau are almost soley grown in California coastal areas in the US due to the cool summers. People growing them state exactly that.
Nikau thrives on cool temperatures but is not subject to freezing weather in its natural habitat. It can survive a few degrees of frost, but it is damaged even more severely by sudden large drops in temperature even above freezing. It does well in areas with a mild Mediterranean climate.
As far as you stating they do not grow well in the UK, on the gardening forum there are people from Torquay and other south coast places growing them. One guy has been growing them for 9 years. I can't be sure whether they are still alive. We need FlamingG to weigh in on this.
On Apr 17, 2004, Dave_in_Devon from Torquay United Kingdom (Zone 9b) wrote: So far, young plants appear to be perfectly happy here in coastal south-west England and need no protection. Our temperature range from minus 2C to 34C appears to suit the species well and the only problem is its vulnerability to scale.
Update 06/06/2008 - plants now 9 years old
These palms continue to thrive albeit very slowly. As the seedlings become semi-mature, the base of thhe plant 'shifts' sideways leaving a visible 'rhizome' several inches long. The base is pulled down into the soil and only when this happens does basal thickening and trunk formation start to develop. My 'seedlings' have withstood our worst, one-in-twenty-year winters (2006/07) when temps fell to near minus 4C for short periods on 2 occasions. No damage was sustained despite several week-long periods of severely biting winds and temps in the 0C - 5C range.
They seem to do better in full sun now they are acclimatised and are becoming very stout, sturdy plants. Rhopalostylis are reputed to dislike being moved when mature and because I've not yet decided upon final planting sites, mine are still being pot-grown (although they are kept outside throughout the year). This is a palm for the very patient because in our climate at least, it needs up to 10 years from seed before significant basal thickening, with the accompanying large, typically 'shuttlecock'-style frond arrangement starts to take place. I have no doubt that growth rates would be faster if planted out although I suspect they would still have needed 7 years from seed to reach this stage.
Do they grow coconut palms on the North Island? Seems to be zone 10a or 10b at the very northernmost coastal areas.
The best collection of Queen palms in town (Motueka) , a row of very healthy 10 year old 25 footers, were pulled out a few days ago and thrown on a burn pile- that sums up the general attitude to other palms here.
According to the subtropical forum here in the US, that sums up the attitude of the Southeaster US, except for touristy coastal beach communities. In Mobile they have removed palms that were native and planted oaks. Maybe they want more shade. There is also a cultural bias towards trying to get New England Fall color into your garden. Personally I don't get this obsession with Fall leaf color when it only last a few weeks anyway. Then you are stuck with a dead tree for months until Spring.
Yes I totally agree. Maybe you would like my dream climate as it has characteristics of both Meditterranean and humid subtropical climates. In the winter it recieves the bulk of the rainfall but in the summer it's quite steamy and tropical like, and there's frequent convectional showers and thundershowers. The driest month has 87mm.
But Gordo are you really in NB Canada ?...better get that Green Card and head south.....Maybe Charleston South Carolina could be for you ???
I should have said "some" of those palms prefer cooler summers. Both Nikau and the Umbrella Palm seem mostly grown in coastal CA around here. And the posters growing them claim they prefer cool summers. The Umbrealla Palm comes elevated areas. Those Nikau are almost soley grown in California coastal areas in the US due to the cool summers. People growing them state exactly that.
Nikau thrives on cool temperatures but is not subject to freezing weather in its natural habitat. It can survive a few degrees of frost, but it is damaged even more severely by sudden large drops in temperature even above freezing. It does well in areas with a mild Mediterranean climate.
As far as you stating they do not grow well in the UK, on the gardening forum there are people from Torquay and other south coast places growing them. One guy has been growing them for 9 years. I can't be sure whether they are still alive. We need FlamingG to weigh in on this.
On Apr 17, 2004, Dave_in_Devon from Torquay United Kingdom (Zone 9b) wrote: So far, young plants appear to be perfectly happy here in coastal south-west England and need no protection. Our temperature range from minus 2C to 34C appears to suit the species well and the only problem is its vulnerability to scale.
Update 06/06/2008 - plants now 9 years old
These palms continue to thrive albeit very slowly. As the seedlings become semi-mature, the base of thhe plant 'shifts' sideways leaving a visible 'rhizome' several inches long. The base is pulled down into the soil and only when this happens does basal thickening and trunk formation start to develop. My 'seedlings' have withstood our worst, one-in-twenty-year winters (2006/07) when temps fell to near minus 4C for short periods on 2 occasions. No damage was sustained despite several week-long periods of severely biting winds and temps in the 0C - 5C range.
They seem to do better in full sun now they are acclimatised and are becoming very stout, sturdy plants. Rhopalostylis are reputed to dislike being moved when mature and because I've not yet decided upon final planting sites, mine are still being pot-grown (although they are kept outside throughout the year). This is a palm for the very patient because in our climate at least, it needs up to 10 years from seed before significant basal thickening, with the accompanying large, typically 'shuttlecock'-style frond arrangement starts to take place. I have no doubt that growth rates would be faster if planted out although I suspect they would still have needed 7 years from seed to reach this stage.
Do they grow coconut palms on the North Island? Seems to be zone 10a or 10b at the very northernmost coastal areas.
Yep, the best Nikaus in NZ are those from areas with the coolest summers.
The winters of 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 killed almost all Nikaus that were growing in the most favourable situations in the south of England. I did see an picture of one growing right in the south of Ireland, that was looking well. The fact remains that they aren't an easy grow for that climate, and would be unlikely to ever naturalise there (the true test of suitability). At my last place, I could grow Ravena rivularis for a few years before a particularly cold wet spell got them, they grew well, but I wouldn't say they were successful here.
I think the ones growing in pots, must have been under some sort of cover or protection. I don't think a small plant in a pot could handle -4C and with no damage, without protection. I've never heard of scale on them either, which is generally associated with a dry environment (under cover)
Coconuts can't grow in NZ, as it's too cold for too long.
This is pretty difficult to found the lowest daily max for more long period, but according to weatheronline.co.uk Sochi has avg 0.4 days in a year with even the highest temperature below freezing level (1982-2012).
Here is record lows for the coldest months by days (1874-2013)
I would think there would be many years that Canary Island Date Palms would be killed in Sochi with low temps of -9.5C or below. The main reason being the combination of 15F (-9.5C) with such high winter rainfall amounts. This would cause rot after the hard freeze had passed and the palm was burnt. I'm sure CIDP's have died in Sochi in the past.
I wish I could but that's just not gonna happen. The best thing I could do is go to the Carribean or somewhere's warm in mid winter.
I thought your dream winter is temps like Sochi? Carib is far warmer than Sochi in winter. 49F avg max temps with a majority of days being rainy hardly sounds anywhere near the average winter in the Carib.
Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas has a winter January Average Temperature Lower than 9.5 Degrees C, and still there are a surprising number of Palm Trees, mainly of the Palmetto Variety, nevertheless, a few more cold sensitive types of palm such as Mexican Fan Palm and Mediterranean palms have been planted, owing to overall milder winters the last 15+years. The Main types of Palm I have seen in that area of Texas have been the Windmill Palm and the Louisiana Palmetto, and maybe a couple of other types of "Cold Tolerant" Palm trees That I can't think of/name off the top of my head.
According to the subtropical forum here in the US, that sums up the attitude of the Southeaster US, except for touristy coastal beach communities. In Mobile they have removed palms that were native and planted oaks. Maybe they want more shade. There is also a cultural bias towards trying to get New England Fall color into your garden. Personally I don't get this obsession with Fall leaf color when it only last a few weeks anyway. Then you are stuck with a dead tree for months until Spring.
I thought of this post this morning, when I saw that the only Senegal Date Palm (Phoenix reclinata) I've ever seen around here, had been cut down. It was a real beauty, about 25 ft tall and with multiple trunks. It wasn't even close to anything or didn't obstruct views.
When I drove past this morning, there were just a bunch of stumps right at ground level. I was horrified - and I must admit to some serious cussing/name calling.
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