I am trying them this year, I am in oklahoma city. we shall see - I think they will need at least some protection where I am.

I managed over a very cold winter (in 7a)

mastiffhoo-What did you do to overwinter your Pindo?
thanks in advance.

150 watt flood light and a tarp in January and February- 2 winters NO damage.

very similiar to wsg89 but I built a make shift cover - like a small greenhouse that was used basicly to keep winds off of it. I put a flood light in there and only used on the coldest nights. Also, Bush Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia has several Pindos inside the park. I believe they are 7b.

Doesn't sound too bad. I might use the tarp and light method and see if I can get by. I was planning on using some heat by putting a light on a thermocube that comes on a 35 and off at 45. mastiffhoo-I wonder if I could build one of those and leave it around it all winter, but just take the top off and on when necessary? Would that pose any problems to the tree? That might be easier than a tarp, which I'm planning on using on my trachys b/c their size and location are not practical for a structure.
thanks.

i live in zone 7 central NC and see pindos all around without protection,heres some pix that might encourage you
my daughter with a pindo

ncpalmzone7,
Thanks so much for taking the time to post those pics. That first tree is fantastic! I wonder how old it must be? I think you might have just talked me into it. If it doesn't make it that's the risk us palm lovers take. I guess if they can make it in NC they should be able to make it in tn. I know the nurseries I've checked out online say they will, but they're not the ones trying to overwinter them either.
dave

I was going to give a couple a shot in the ground as well in Richmond...

I guess I just don't get the cold protection crowd?? If you're successful for a few years... what then? I can't imagine anything more disappointing than nursing a palm for a few years w/ cold protection and then losing it when its too large for it.

That is a good question, kgyimesi. My plan, at least I am hoping, is to hope that the longer it is in the ground and the more winters it is exposed to it become more hardy, which will require less protection. That is the hope at least. Something I was hoping to do when mine got bigger was to use the christmas light method along with frost cloth. Time will tell.

I think they're conservatively labeled as 8B. So 15F and above is OK, 10-15F is marginal, but I've seen old plants in the deep South recover from single digits, albeit slowly.

I just bought a pindo palm. Its the perfect size for protection. I will probably put a garbage bin over it on cold wet days and a garbage bin with lights inside it on cold winter nights (below 20). With that and a good summer, I think it can make it. The main problem with pindos is they are not as cold tolerant when young and probably cant take too much more than 15 degrees, but in 3 or 4 years when it reaches your height it can take much more. Probably to 10 degrees and maybe 5 for short periods without permenant damage and without any more protection than a good spot.

Good luck.

ncpalmzone7, i would like to know what the min. temperature in your zone was?