Did the Snow Kill Your Palm Trees?

I've been asked quite a bit recently whether the palm trees in the Hampstead and Topsail area are dead from the winter "storm" we had a few months back. The short answer is no, they are very likely dormant when you look at the thresholds and the weather we incurred. Most of the palm trees growing in this area of North Carolina are Pindo and Sago Palms. See below for more specific details.

Cold Hardy Palm Trees species and cold tolerance threshold:

• True Date Palm Trees(Phoenix dactylifera) - (Date Palms are cold hardy to 18 degrees)

• Canary Island Date Palms(Phoenix canariensis) - (Canary Island Palms are cold hardy to 15 - 18 degrees)

• Texas Sabal Palm Trees (Sabal texana, mexicana) - (Texas Sabal Palms are cold hardy to 16 - 18 degrees)

• Mediterranean (European) Fan Palms (Chamaerops humilis) - (Mediterranean Fan Palms are cold hardy to 5 - 15 degrees)

• California Fan Palms (Washingtonia filifera) - (California Fan Palms are cold hardy to 15 degrees)

• Windmill Palm Trees (Trachycarpus fortunei) - (Windmill Palms are cold hardy to 5 degrees)

• Pindo Palm Trees (Butia capitata) - (Pindo Palms are cold hardy to 12 - 15 degrees)

• Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) - (Sago Palms are cold hardy to 20 degrees)

• Mexican Fan Palms (Washingtonia robusta) - (Mexican Fan Palms are cold hardy to 18 degrees)

• Queen Palm Trees (Syagrus romanzoffiana) - (Queen Palms are cold hardy to 20 degrees)