The Casualties of Winter

I'm been hoping that the smaller of my two Windmill palms had survived its first unprotected winter. The half emerged spear was shriveled and looked bad, but firm to the tug. A smaller, yet emerging spear tip was firm to the touch as well. It must have just taken some time for the rot of death to work its way in, because today, after watching a complete dearth of growth even after the Spring warm-up, both spears yanked out easily and were completely rotten. I must say that I wasn't entirely surprised - the palm has never been extremely healthy, and I knew that if I was going to lose a palm this winter, it would be that one.

Never to allow myself to dwell on the negative, I removed the dead comrade and replace it with a very small European fan palm and a two year old Sabal palmetto sprouted from seed taken in Charleston harbor, S.C. Thought it would be an appropriate tribute to my ancestors having a Confederate palm in my front yard.

One other casualty was a small Royal Palm (Roystonea regia) which must have succumbed to the cold because of its proximity to a north facing, rather drafty outside wall this winter. I was a little surprised by its death.

I'm awaiting the arrival of a large European Fan Palm, and a Chinese Fan Palm, which will fill out the bed in my back yard. The plan is to expand that bed in May, and start trying to figure out how I'm going to protect the quickly growing specimens in the back yard this winter.

Also made contact with some folks who are hardy fan palms here in D.C. Will be nice to have someone to discuss these things with.