There was no frost at all in January in Portland and then February had below 20* temps. I am still seeing Trachycarpus and Phormium around town. Not noticing death or damage. Just drove past three taller than 10' windmill palms yesterday. They looked fine and were in an open location. I had a early blooming Rhodie suffer frost bite on all buds and new leaf tips are damaged too. I am worried about a couple hardy fuchsias planted in the fall and not properly mulched. The rest are showing growth from the roots. My newly planted (late summer) Hebe 'Red Tip's all made it with no protection. I was actually in Seattle on business when the Arctic Blast hit. I am not one who pushes the climate envelope so my experiences aren't that useful to those who do but I was just mentally commenting on Phormiums and Trachycarpus yesterday after seeing healthy ones. I grew up and learned to garden in a warmer climate so I enjoy growing the typical Northwest plants here. Whenever I've pushed the climate envelope Escallonia, some Hebes, Pittosporum, they have failed. Eventually we get a really cold winter.

Cabbage Palm Tree? You mean Cabbage TREE? The use of the word palm for the cordylines is a misnomer. They are not palms at all. In fact, they are pretty confusing taxonomically confusing. Some places you will find them placed in the Agavaceae family, and others you will find them places in the Dracaenaceae family, and even further sometimes you will find them place in an 'expanded' family called Asparagaceae. Ive always mostly seen it placed in the Agavaceae family myself. So its definately NOT a palm. I thought this was about Cabbage Palmettos! LOL! Anyway, I actually LOVE these plants, and they are commonly sold as Dracena "Spikes" here in the states. I have seen many specimens well over 3' tall and with a trunk here, espeically if they are kept in doors or sheltered through winter from hard freezes. A quick google search turned up a few things. "Propagation Seed - pre-soak for about 10 minutes in warm water and sow in late winter to early spring in a warm greenhouse[78, 164]. The seed usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 25°c[164]. There is usually a good percentage germination[78]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts and give the plants some protection in their first winter outdoors[K]. Stem cuttings - cut off the main stem just below the head and then saw off 5cm thick blocks of stem and place them 3cm deep in pure peat in a heated frame. Keep them moist until they are rooting well, then pot them up into individual pots. Plant out in late spring after the last expected frosts. Suckers. These are best removed in early spring and planted out in situ. Protect the division from wind and cold weather and do not allow the soil to become dry until the plant is established. Divisions can also be potted up and grown on until established, planting them out in the summer." This is from the website Plants For A Future.org Plants For A Future dot ORG Also, you may want to read this page listed below Hope that helps! ~ NPG Here is a link that might be useful: The Royal Society of New Zeland

My tree-unfriendly neighbour cut today a big trunk of a Washingtonia robusta. I understand from this post that my chances of resprouting it in a pot are small but I think I'll give it a shot. Does anyone know which is the procedure with the root compound as tropicbreezent suggested on another post? Am I supposed to wrap it up somehow? Or perhaps put it in the compost mix? To be honest it's the first time I hear that such thing as root compound even exists.

You may keep them unless they are spotted from mites or leaf spot diseases. If your Cordyline is growing at an indistinguishable rate it will take longer for the plant to suck all the nutrients out of the browned leaves before dropping them naturally. Probably by now ( 9 months after your post) you can trim them off if they are the lower older leaves. Just know if you change anything about their culture they might bounce back to a deep maroon/brown green if they are lower leaves. A shocked cordyline will neglect to nurish 2/3 of lower leaves turning them an unattractive color but possibly without dropping them. If they are papery like papyrus then they are long dead and removing them is fine. Heck removing lower cordy leaves is always fine I'd just add a bit of nutrient solution to the next water bath and give them brighter shade for a few days. Remember low humidity will brown leaf edges working its way into the center. None of this applies if they are new leaves. I hope to see an update on how the color is now. I'm suspicious that the first post is actually 'kiwi' or 'pete's rainbow". Let me know if I didn't make sense or miscommunicated. My miss Andrea needs a humidifier and to be cool but my red sister doesn't and likes warmth. Hope that helps. I'm z7a in Nashville and all my Cordylines are indoor specimens that enjoy co-potting with tropical epiphytic vines for humidity and awkward small talk.