Hibernating Palms – Caring for Hardy Palms

Before buying a palm tree, every hobby gardener should be aware of the effort required to ensure that the plant gets through the winter healthy. The size and age of the palm tree, as well as the moisture sensitivity and frost tolerance of the leaf cells are essential. The timing of planting is also important. When buying a palm tree, it makes sense to choose a frost-resistant species that is at least half a meter tall and four years old.

Small young plants often survive extremely low temperatures, some of which are below their frost tolerance, without damage. This is because the young plants are protected by the snow cover or the heart of the palm tree (meristem) is still in the protective soil during the winter. In addition, there is the warming protection of neighboring plants, which already accounts for a temperature difference of a few degrees Celsius.

If the palm tree is already so big that it is no longer protected by the snow cover in the frosty season, the biggest problems arise. At this age, the palms do not yet have a sufficient root system to penetrate warmer layers of soil when there is frost, or the heart of the palm can no longer be supplied with nutrients due to the cold.

Indoor palms overwinter

There are palm species that survive the winter with all its conditions and can even be planted out when the temperature is below zero. On the other hand, there are also species that do not tolerate frost and cold at all and are more suitable as indoor plants. These include, among other things:

• Fire Palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae)
• Fishtail Palm (Caryota mitis)
• Goldfruchtpalme (Dypsis lutescens)
• Cocos nucifera
• Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffianum)
• Livistonie (Livistona rotundifolia)
• Christmas palm (Veitchia merillii)

These palm species need in winter:

• a moderately bright to bright location where the temperatures should not fall below 10 degrees Celsius all year round.
• Watering of indoor palm trees should be limited during the winter months. It is enough if the earth is moderately moistened.
• If you lower the temperature in the room in winter, you should further reduce the watering, because indoor palms enjoy their rest in the cold season.
• Fertilize regularly in summer. However, you should avoid it during the resting phase in winter. Because during this time the plant does not grow and does not consume any nutrients.
• Since palm trees need high humidity for ideal growth, it is advisable to spray them regularly with lukewarm water during the cold season.

Overwinter palms in tubs

Palm trees in pots do not survive frost and should be allowed to grow in winter. The difference to outdoor palms is that the small volume in the tubs causes the root balls to freeze and cool down considerably. Depending on how frost-resistant the palm tree is in the bucket, the following places are suitable for overwintering:

• The conservatory has the best lighting conditions for potted plants. In addition, you can adjust the temperatures to the needs of the palm trees.
• Temperature and light are usually sufficient in the stairwell. Any drafts would be a disadvantage in this location.
• A greenhouse is also suitable for overwintering palm trees in tubs. However, here in the frosty time a heater is necessary.
• The basement room, on the other hand, offers optimal temperatures as a winter quarters, but requires artificial lighting for ideal lighting conditions, which can be controlled via a timer. The lighting should last about twelve hours.

The tubs of the tub palms should be well insulated in late autumn. For this, the entire tub and the lower part of the trunk can be wrapped in bubble wrap. As a further measure, the bucket can be placed on an insulating layer (polystyrene board).

Outdoor palms that tolerate frost well

Planted palm trees have the advantage over pot cultures that their roots are several meters underground and are therefore protected from the cold winter. If you want to plant your palm tree in the garden, you can place hard foam panels on the walls of the planting hole as a preventative measure for the cold season. The floor remains free. A gutter heating cable can also be attached before planting the palm tree. The following palm species can overwinter outdoors:

Hardy species down to about -8 degrees Celsius

• Erythea Palme (Brahea Edulis)
• Königspalme Madagaskar (Dypsis Decipiens)
• Washington Palme (Washingtonia filifera)
• Hanfpalme (Trachycarpus martianus)

Hardy species down to about -10 degrees Celsius

• Gelee Palme (Butia Capitata)
• Mazaripalme (Nannorrhops ritchiana)
• Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
• Horizontal Palme (Butia horizontal)

Hardy species to a maximum of -15 degrees Celsius

• European Dwarf Palm (Chamaerops Humilis)
• Dwarf Palm Yatay (Butia Paraguayensis)
• Honigpalme (Jubaea chilensis)
• Blue Needle Palm (Trithrinax campestris)

Other species that survive lower temperatures:

• Louisiana Palmetto (Sabal minor louisiana) bis -18 Grad Celsius
• Chinese hemp palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) to -18 degrees Celsius
• Dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor) to -20 degrees Celsius
• Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) to -22 degrees Celsius

Prerequisites for a successful hibernation

• First and foremost, you should slowly adapt the planted evergreen plants to the cold temperatures in order to increase the frost tolerance of the plants. This means: Winter protection measures are taken as late as possible and as early as necessary!
• Each year the plants are left unprotected for a little longer. This will slowly get the palm trees used to the cold temperatures
• With the right location and the right care, all year round, the best conditions are given for the planted palm tree to survive the winter well.
• In the frosty season, the roots are most sensitive. The trunk copes better with sub-zero temperatures. The leaves are the most insensitive

Winter protection against light frost

• In several places, the leaves should be tied loosely with a rope so that rot does not form and air can flow through.
• The root ball can be protected from the cold with bark mulch or straw.

Winter protection in medium frost

• overwinter the planted palm tree in moderate cold: also tie the leaves together
  • Wrap the palm in addition with a jute sack or a reed or straw mat
• Protect roots from cooling by spreading a layer of mulch or reed mats
• To allow air to reach the plant, remove the protection for a short time after a few weeks (on sunny days).

Winter protection in severe frost

• At low temperatures, well below freezing point, wrap the planted palm trees in bubble wrap like the tub palms
• Loosely tie leaves or fronds together beforehand
• The distance between the air cushion and the plant should not be greater than a hand’s breadth
  • A tube or a stable stick stuck into the ground at a distance from the trunk helps to hang up the film protection
• Anchor the foil firmly in the ground with pegs
• So-called ventilation flaps must not be missing in the protective film
  • so the palm tree can easily vent on sunny days without dismantling everything again
• If you want to be on the safe side, you can also install a heater.
• Alternatively, build a frame around the palm tree, covered with hardboard
  • Dismantle the hardboard on both sides on warm days in winter so that sufficient air and light can reach the plants

Less care in winter is sometimes more

If you protect the palm trees from the cold season too early and for a long time, you can damage the plants. Because the palm trees are severely affected by the tight binding, the early heating and the persistent darkness. On the one hand, this can result in growth in winter. On the other hand, the evergreen plant would replenish its consumed energy in the following year instead of growing.

For palm trees that are not so hardy, you should, if possible, choose a location on the south side that is sheltered from the wind. This allows the roots to warm up on sunny days.

Conclusion
A palm tree is reminiscent of sun, beach and sea and enriches every garden and every room. There are a wide variety of species that hobby gardeners can also overwinter in Central Europe. In principle, palm trees are easy to care for, only in winter the care is a little more extensive. But the effort is worth it in any case. With the right variety, even beginners can easily and with little effort get palm trees through the winter. Right from the start, the right location and care are important – all year round.