Update on my zone 7 Mediterranean Fan Palms (Chamaerops humilis)

Chamaerops humilis are known for their cold tolerance, but it turns out these palms grow exceptionally well in containers! Mine go into the unheated garage when temperatures drop near 20F and spend about 10 months out of the year outside. 

Over the years I've grown these in New York City outside in the ground. Click HERE for posts describing my experience with this palm tree. They, unfortunately, died when temperatures dropped close to 0F, and their protection failed, but now I'm growing them in planters. 

The planters look gorgeous in the late October garden and I often leave them outside through the holidays. As you'll see below, it didn't grow a lot during their first year in their containers (2021), but this year (2022) a lot of new fronds flushed out through the summer. I am growing Verbena underneath which is a very cold-tolerant hanging plant that blooms beautifully in the spring and early summer.

May 2022

Summer 2021

Newly planted in November 2020. 

Chamaerops humilis is the only species of palm tree native to Europe, but it's one of the most versatile landscape plants in the world! I've seen these palms grow beautifully in cold climates like Vancouver, Canada, wet and tropical climates like the Caribbean, and hot and sunny climates like Las Vegas! 

Chamaerops grow in such a wide range of climates because they can handle cold and heat exceptionally well. There is even a blue form that in my experience performs even better than the green form! 

Late July Update: Zone 7 Palm Trees

Hi everyone, sorry it's been quite a while. I recently visited home to see how things were doing in my parents yard. Things are growing a little bit slower. It could be because it's a cooler summer than usual up there this year, or maybe it's just because I wasn't there to keep things fertilized BUT the exception to that rule are the palms. everything is growing pretty well.
I lost my sabal birmingham this winter, but everything else is recovering.
I have 2 sabal minors, a chamaerops (mediterranean fan palm), Rhapidophyllum hystrix (Needle palm), 3 Trachycarpus fortunei (windmill palms),  and a Livistona chinensis (Chinese fan palm).
Here's how they all look!

My Chamaerops in the ground since 2010

Sabal minor also in the ground since 2010. It used to be much bigger. It's strunken in side over the past few years. 

My other Sabal minor. Planted this one in 2015. It had a massive scale infestation which nearly killed it. It seems to be overcoming the scale. Unprotected last winter.

This trachy was also unprotected this past winter. And it did pretty well! Believe it or not, I've had it since 2007. It spent a long time in a pot. It was my first "hardy" palm.

And the king and queen of the backyard, my two trachycarpus. They were tiny palms when I planted them in 2009. They have a really nice growth rate and are now over 6 feet tall. Lots of fresh fronds on it this summer. I think they'll start flowering next year.

Love the silvery coloration underneath the fronds.

And my needle palm is in its second year. No protection this winter and past winter and no issues at all!

My Blue Chamaerops is much smaller and was never protected. It totally defoliated this past winter, but it's coming back. They are pretty hardy. I think in a sunnier and drier spot it'd be happier. I've had it since 2010 so it's SLOW.

My Livistona has also been in the ground since 2010 and is basically a dieback perennial. Totally defoliated this past winter. Not a hint of green. I thought it was dead, but it came back! All it needs is one more frond on each trunk and it'll look full again. 

And onto a few of my tropical palms. 

My coconut palm is still in it's original pot. I bought it in 2009! It's a pretty care free palm. I just bring it in when the nights get chilly and keep it by a sunny window. 

My Adondila ties the yard together. This year it's a little less full than other years, but overall still healthy and happy. Also a pretty care free palm indoors and out. It overwinters under the skylight in my parent's kitchen.

My bottle palm is a little trickier. Last summer it had a ton of green fronds going into spring and then they all got sun burned and it looked awful. But it's looking much better this summer. Another frond or two should really give it a nice look. In the meantime the trunk is looking great! 

And while my Livistona outdoors struggles, the two I have indoors are really healthy and happy! They've seen temperatures in the 20s and spend a pretty good amount of time outdoors during the winter. The cordyline also spends a lot of time outdoors.

Queen palms are very tricky as indoor palms. I've struggled with them, but I got this one for $30 at the end of last summer and it still looks presentable so overall I'm happy with it. It really needs to grow another frond or two before winter to look good. The trunk on this one is actually larger than the one in my yard in Florida.

And a few bonus pictures. Snug Harbor on Staten Island had a few great looking additions. Plenty of healthy basjoos, several nice sized monkey puzzle trees, and even a few palms. I figure those palms go indoors during the winter.

Thanks for looking!

Things are slowly coming along (weekend update!)

It took about an entire week of work in the summer-like heat but the yard is finally coming along! Lots of things are planted out and things are starting to come together. Here are some pics prior to the significant amount of rain we had on Sunday (9.93 in/hr rain rates!)

Here's al of the palms:
My livistonas have been around since 2010. One of my favorite plants!

Here the 2 are together.

I got this coconut palm back in 2009. One of the older palms I own although still pretty small in size.

This is the 3rd of 4th sumer for my bottle palm. Its a little tired looking from a winter indoors but not too bad. It will look as good as new when it sprouts a fresh frond or 2.

You can see my ti plants in this larger shot. They are not too happy but are already bouncing back so they should start looking good by the end of the month.

I got this Adondila palm back in 2012 and it has looked very nice for me ever since. It's a pretty reliable indoor/outdoor palm, I recommend them as potted palms. 

A combo of Dipladenia, Lantana, purple heats, and a majesty palm.

Now a bit more of the hardy stuff. Here's the pool plantings for the season. The trachys are on their 6th summer now and had no real damage after the rough winter we had thanks to their protection.They definitely saw some temperatures in the teens but they were spared anything close to the brutal cold we had. I am also trying a musa basjoo again for my first time in years. Wish me luck! 

Close up on the basjoo. 

I have been treating this livistona almost as a dieback perennial palm. It receives protection and is definitely past it's heyday but by the end of the season it looks nice enough to make it worth protecting! 

No formal protection for my Chamaerops cerifera or purple heart. The Chamerops has proven to be really worthwhile growing. One day I would like to try one that is a larger size. It has survived single digit temperatures and recovered even from spear pull. Hope more people try these in their palm collections up north! 

My Washy recieved significant protection this winter and did pretty well. Only one frond remained after this winter but it is quickly growing back. The newest frond has a horizontal line of rot down the middle of the frond. Not sure if it's bug damage or winter damage that is just showing up now but it has already pushed out 2 healthy fronds this season so I am optimistic it will recover from the issue. 

You can also see my Loquat in this picture. It survived it's first winter with protection. It saw temperatures probably into the teens and had some minor foliage damage.

Here's a pic of my old Sabal Minor and my new Sabal Birmingham from triple oaks! My Sabal Minor came from lowes in 2010 and surprisingly one of my least hardy palms I am growing. It has a decent growth rate though so it recovers fully from the damage every year. Hopefully my Sabal birmingham proves a bit more hardy. It will be well protected though!

Here's my new Sabal minor also from Triple Oaks in NJ. It looks much more robust tham my S. minor from Lowes and it is also in one of the best microclimates I have. I think it may be able to survive without protection once it's established but I will be protecting it this coming winter.

My Chamaerops humilis was completely defoliated from a night of 3F in 2014 but after significant protection since and a nice growing season, it has fully recovered. They might have a rep for being slow growers but they are very good at recovering from defoliation.

My needle palm isn't planted yet but the spot is picked out and I am looking forward to a good growing season! 

Here are some pics of the new - non palm - plantings I will be overwintering this season!

One of my most exciting BLE finds was this Daphniphyllum macropodum. I think it's a very worthy replacement for my awesome red oleander that used to be in it's place 

Here's a throwback to my Oleander.

Speaking of oleanders, I did find a double yellow oleander which I am looking forward to trying to overwinter. Next to it is a Fleming and Kopper King Hibiscus from Triple oaks. This area should be filled with blooms in a few weeks. 

This year is the first I am growing Mahonias. I have an M. aquifolium and M. eurybracteata "Soft Caress". I don't think the Soft Caress will be winter hardy here so I will probably pile a ton of leaves over it as winter protection and cross my fingers.

Here are a few bloom pics! 

Theres geranium blooms were destroyed by the rain we got yesterday but I am sure it will look good as new in another week. 

I've been getting plumeria blooms all winter long indoors and they have not quit now that they are outside. My "Jenny" just started blooming outdoors. The first few flowers were not opening properly but now they are opening normally again and looking good.

My "Crazy" has been blooming like crazy as promised. It's been in bloom for about 3 months now.

My big plumeria started blooming around Christmas time and currently is focusing on leaf growth instead but I am sure blooms will start to show up later on this summer.

Rosa Rugosa is a very cool plant. I am keeping them potted for now since I don't have the space in the ground. 

My Knockout rose has been blooming really well this season. 

I always enjoy having tropical hibiscus blooms around. The plants I bring inside during the winter are still pretty bare so I bought another bush to enjoy those blooms in the meantime.

Portulacas are awesome for hot and sunny tables

Very firey looking Lantana

The unofficial start to summer happens when I see my Kopper King Hibiscus sprouting because it is always the last thing to come up.

I had to get a few of these cannas because they are pretty cool. I have never seen them so tiny before. The blooms are almost the size of the entire plant!

My Eastern Prickly Pears went years without blooms but are making up for the lost time this season.

Black and blue Salvia

And just a few random pics

Thanks for looking!