It depends on where you are in VA. It will likely be years before they don't need protection (at least for normal winters in Zone 7).

I am in Frederickburg which is central VA. I did not plan on overwinter protection other than a little mulch.

Is there a certain size or age they have to reeach before they will not need overwinter protection.

Peanut, I think those small Trachys will require more Winter protection than just mulch in zone 7. Personally, I don't plant in the ground until the palm is sizable (over 3 feet tall with some trunk already developed). Also, they are planted very close together--too close. They are also out in the open (mine are planted on the south side of a house--about 3 feet away and go unprotected). I would suggest growing these as containerized palms until larger. Sorry, I know you don't want to hear that. If you're intent on leaving them in the ground then you will have to do some protecting in addition to mulching. There are all manner of elaborate Winter-protection measures that forum members can recommend to you. But that still leaves the issue of being planted too close together. (Just think they look better latter as solitary specimens--and not in a grouping.) PS. My soil is also very clay but the good news here is that these palms are more tolerant of cold, wet, clay soils in Winter compared to your average palm.--Still, I added a GENEROUS amount of course sand to their planting areas. Good luck!

Hi Peanut. I think for the most part they'll be OK. I've seen palms smaller than that survive worse winters northwest of you in Sterling VA. Your area is considerably warmer than even Sterling is. I grew up in Woodbridge and my brother lives in Stafford so I'm very familiar with your semi-mild winters. I think some mulch and a little frost cloth will be fine for the first 2 years. After that they will be pretty much bullet proof in Fredericksburg. You can buy a sheet of frost cloth at Lowe's or Home Depot for $12. Wrap them up around the end of December beginning of January and then uncover them anytime after the beginning of March. It's fool proof. If you want CORRECT information on growing palms in VA check out my forum Virginia Palm Society Message Board. We are a small informal group of palm and tropical enthusiasts started a few years back. We have a strict policy of NO BABYING our palms. LOL!

Jay

Here is a photo of a bed of baby Windmill palms that have been growing unprotected for a few years in Sterling VA with just mulch for protection.

I used frost cloth wrapped around the trunks and X-mas lights for the first two Winters.-- I prefer babying palms to replacing dead ones and the lights look festive for the holidays. If you are willing to cover the plants up over the Winter, go for it! I like to see those green fronds in the Winter though--especially in the snow!

The Fortunei in the pot do need to be seperated.
As far as the one in the ground,the bad news is they are to close together,the good news is they would be easy to protect (-:
I think Jay(Josh) has a better idea in regaurd to your climate but I do think they would benefit from being covered to keep moistre out of the crowns, esp the first winter or 2,the way this summer and the last 2 winters have been my guess is that this winter will be another cold/wet one,better safe then sorry.
The other point I would make is that they will develope some cold hardiness over the first few months of winter and be stronger on the back end,so,why not be safe? If you want to try a little experiment try leaving one uncovered.
Cold hardiness can very quite a bit from Trachy to Trachy.

Right said Jim. I should add that frost cloth lets the palm breath as opposed to being covered with a plastic enclosure and trapping moisture in. It also protects the palm from too much moisture like rain and snow. It's kind of like tent material. I protected mine almost to death last year with a plastic enclosure in the first half of winter. It stayed nice and warm but tons of moisture built up on the inside and turned 75% of the fronds black. About mid January I took the plastic enclosure off and used frost cloth. With only the frost cloth the palm took -1°F plus many wet winter and early spring days with no more browning or spear pull. This was it's first winter in the ground. Keep in mind I'm in south central PA and not Fredericksburg VA. About 120 miles south and east of me in the Virginia Piedmont.

Njoasis - I just think the longer you baby a palm the longer it takes to become esatblished and acclimated to it's specific location within it's hardiness zone.

Jay

Good info guys-

I actually think three palms planted closely together look much better than a solitary palm stuck in a yard, in my opinion.

Hope this link works for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trachys planted in clumps

The Trachys in that picture seem very grand. The house also seems grand as well. Looking at the picture it also seems that each of the Trachys are planted about 2 feet apart whereas mine are planted 1 foot apart.

I think I may take out the middle plant and add a clump of crinum lilies there. I will be funny to see how insignificant those Trachys will look once I get the crinums in the ground. But in 10 years or so those crinums will be insignificant then. Now if only if I planned on living here for 10 years :)

I set that community pot up that way kind of as a holding area for these plants. I am not super familiar with the growing habits of Trachys but I was thinking that I could keep them in this pot in a cold garage overwinter. Then early next spring I could keep 1 in that pot to size it up even more and plant the rest in the ground then. I was thinking this would give them as much time as possible in a growing season to establish and size up.

By the way assuming good VA growing conditions... How fast do these palms grow? How old before a 3 gallon pot is too small? How old before a 5 gallon pot is too small? I know I have a lot of questions but everyone has been great here helping out.

Thanks in advance.

-David
Peanut01