Growing Patterns of Palms in the Winter

This Winter has pretty much passed by now. I monitored the growing behaviour of my palms during the Winter. I noted a low of -6c and about a dozen nights of -4 or below. Not bad really! However out of the various palms I have I can only say that there were 3 which continued to push out new leaves.

Nope, it wasn't the Trachys, not the Butias... it was the two Brahea (Armata and Edulis) and the New Zealand palms Rhopalostylis Sapida. I kind of expected R. Sapida to grow as they originate from temperate rain forest areas. I was surprised by the Brahea continuing to grow however!!!

Brahea are dry climate palms, used to hot dry conditions. NW Winters are very wet and very cool. The Armata pushed out 2 new leaves during Winter and the Edulis gave me 4 !!! It would therefore seem that these guys don't go dormant like most palms. The more I see the what the Brahea can do the more I like them. Waaaaay better than Butia and Trachys it would seem !!!!

Brahea Edulis

A little looked at fan palm which is really beautiful when young. Pure shiny green in colour and although ‘officially’ is supposed to be damaged at -5 in a dry Winter I have found this not to be the case. It is also said not to like humidity... again I have not found this to be true either.

Mine spent all last Summer in a cool, damp, shaded area of the garden, primarily due to the fact that i had nowhere else to store it. To my amazement it didn't seem to care? It pushed out 4 leaves that Summer (2007, which was a really naff Summer in the NW by the way). I then moved it to the patio this Winter and it has endured a constant beating of rain and temperatures down to -5 while being drenched with water (both soil and foliage). It has even pushed two more leaves out during this Winter !!!!

I am amazed at this palm’s perseverance contrary to common perceptions and hope, should we get worse negative temperatures, it will muscle through them too. I’ll keep you posted!!!