C.nut+crazy protection idea=Surviving C.nut? Maybe..

13 years ago

Warning long post of non-sense:

Originally I was going to see how far into winter one might survive here. Since I don't want to loose this one, and frost started creeping up. I decided to protect her slightly. With multiple frost, and coldest temp at 29f I can say this idea works on light frosts. I can not back it up on anything below that. And it is too early to say for sure if my coconut will survive.

A important detail I noticed is how much warmer my high and low records. Despite temps being very mild now and in the forecast,(lows above 44f and highs above 54f with many near 60f and a few above 60f with rain), the high/low recorder reports lows in low/mid 50f's with high in between 64f-72f. If temps stay this mild and I keep using this protection every night, temps some what reflects Brownsville TX. This give me hope.

As far as coconut palms are concerned, this could allow me to grow one up to about 6-10 ft. That would be pushing at best. I bring this up because I think this could help with other plants, maybe even in other zones. One benefit I see is picking tree ripe bananas.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for looking.

-US_Marine

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Comments (6)

don_licuala
13 years ago
I take it this is planted outside in the ground; right?
Cocos are tough to overwinter because they need bright sun and warm feet. Any chance of adding heating cables to the soil to keep it over 65ÃÂº?
SurfCityPalms
13 years ago
Im not far from you. I'm in Huntington Beach and assume you are in Pendelton, right?

I had one that I kept in alive in a large pot for about 4 years. It got about 6 feet tall with mature leaves.

I brought it inside and kept in front of my brightest window everytime the overnight low was going to be less than 60F, and every day it was above 60F I took it back outside to get it bright light. It worked well because it seldomly gets that low of a temp, but it was a LOT of daily work from Jan-March, and I finally got a little lazy, hence, it died.

ONE NIGHT, I was drinking and didnt feel like taking it in. The low got to about 55F and within days all the leaves started browning and over the next few weeks all died.

It's not impossible, I know of one locally that is in a heated greenhouse and is about 15 feet tall, but other than that I think it is a crazy amount of work.

If you are going to try it, make sure to get the Malaysian Coconut (Cocos nucifera). It is the most cold hardy of all the coconuts. Check you local Home Depot in their interrior plant section. They usually sell them there as a novelty plant. Look at the price label and if you see that label is from "The Plant Stand" (which is usually our local Home Depots' supplier) it is most likely a Malaysian Coconut, thats usually the kind of seed they use. The rine of the leaves should be a deep yellow almost with a tint of orange.

Good luck
Jerod@
SurfCityPalms.com
SurfCityPalms
13 years ago
One more thing I almost forgot; the Malaysian Coconut (Cocos nucifera) is one of the few self pollinating coconuts. So if you actually are able to get it to maturity you will have a chance of getting fruit.

Jerod@
SurfCityPalms.com
us_marine
Original Author
13 years ago
Yeah, she is planted outside next top a south facing wall. This one has no heating cables. My original coconut palm that I have had for a few years now goes indoor and has heating cables. They are both what I believe to be golden malayan. Mine both have golden yellow stems, and very light green yellow fronds.

My location is NorCal (central valley). They both have seen very cool extended lows,and temps down to 36f for my original and 34f or 35f for my inground. Max temp for my my original tops out at 113f, and my inground at 109f. I do hope to get fruit, and if its possible CA valley is a good place to try. Probably won't but why not try.

Just wondering, how many fronds did you get on average a year?How did your coconut palm look during summer? I honestly think they don't mind a hot dry climate as long as they are watered properly.

Thanks for replying!
-US_Marine
SurfCityPalms
13 years ago
Oh, ok I see. I got about 5-6 fronds a year and I kept it in full sun when it was outside, but I also am only about 4-5 miles from the beach so I don't really get much dry heat at all. The tree looked great year-round with very little different from summer to winter. See the link below for the only pic I have of it, this is when it was about 4+ feet.

Don't get me wrong, I'll try any palm out there. Against everyones recommendation I even got a Red Sealing Wax Palm, and now I have had it for about 3 years and it's doing great, so anything is possible.

Jerod

Here is a link that might be useful:
us_marine
Original Author
13 years ago
Very nice coconut palm! She looks just like mine, just a little taller. I am at 6 fronds for this year. I am surprized at the growth. We had an unusually cool spring to summer. I kept mine in shade alot. She seems to like it better that way when it gets hot- 96f+. You can almost watch the growth when temps get 98f or above and nights are wamer than 63f. I believe my palm likes partial shade because it was a green house grown, low light palm. She likes full sun once acclimatized to outside but I like to be safe. I also have no choice, large trees naturally block the sun as well as my house. It gets over 100f here alot. I have never seen her burn yet, even being in direct sun for hours before, during and after the hottest part of the day.

Thanks for replying! I really like the pic :)
-US_Marine