It depends on the size of the plant and the amount of time
it has had to get established-I am sure a mature plant could take a week below
freezing if not completely exposed 2 Arctic wind but keep in mind,they are slow to recover,or can be.

I have had mine in for 4-5 years and am just now pushing them
(leaving uncovered for longer periods)but you need to keep
moisture out of the crowns while they are young/establishing.

A good indicator are the leaves,if they begin to look damaged or are not
recovering when it warms up,best to not push it to much further....

Jim is right on regarding moisture in the crowns. This translates to all palms. Wish i'd known this sooner before losing a Calif fan and damage to a few others. When i moved to the woods i thought leaves would help insulate. Boy was i wrong! i make sure all leaves are cleared off the palm fronds now and if snow is possible the pindos and washies will be covered.

I was wandering if you had needle palms Jim. I hadn't seen any in your photos, that I recall. Thanks for helping me "fine tune" my question.

I never take pics because they are so small-LOL

I have to tell you that Needle palms were last on my list-
meaning-no interest!

After seeing them breeze through the first winter-I became a fan!

I ended up getting 3,2 were 7g that pulled when I got them.

One died but the other 2 are alive,the one pictured.....and

Heres a pic of the other one...BTW

The plant I posted above is all suckers,top pulled(as mentioned),the other is just the opposite.

cool! The last one resembles the one I have.

The needles I use are native to nc,, although not my area of the state... they get huge without any protection whatsoever...have never shown any sign of stress and need no maintenance... as for the low temps... I see nighly lows in the teens here,, the duration of the low temps is the issue... daily highs are always above freezing,, maybe that is the key... good luck..

my neighbor has one he still hasn't covered this year. it has been inground for almost 3 years and it sees below freezing from november-march. it has gotten above freezeing every day so far this winter which help I would guess. Mine has only been in the ground for a year so I keep it covered.

Mine have been in ground for 2 growing seasons now, going into winter number 2. Last winter, although warmest on record, still got down to 3 degrees one night, and survived with only christmas lights that one night, and wrapped with burlap the whole winter. No plastic wrapping or lights any other night of the winter. They doubled in size this past winter, going from a 3 gallon size to a 7 gallon. We get hot summers here, so I'm sure that helps.

I have mine planted against a brick foundation on the south side of the house, so I don't think their roots freeze very deep if at all. The depth of the roots freezing is probably key in survival, and that's probably why places that get above freezing for daily highs have success, because the ground doesn't freeze that deep.

So far this winter, I'm going to push their limits and leave them unprotected until we expect some low teens and single digits, and I'll wrap them then.

I have mine in a bit of sahde but I think if I get another one I'll go full sun seeing how it can handle so many differant climates

Thanks for th responses.

Miketropic, does your neighbor protect his at all? I'm really interested in knowing what the longest priod of below freezing temps one can take. Mine has been in the gound for one season so far. Its on the southeast corner of the house. But I'm on the edge of a 5b and 6a according to the new map.

Needles are my next palm to get. I gotta wait til after Christmas ya know paying Santa Claus and all. I have a couple of sunny locations for them. Ultimately I'd like to get three planted on my property. Prior to this week I really had no interest in needles. But I have learned to appreciate the beauty of the stubby lil palm. Believe or not needles do fine up here in the PNW. Established specimens have been in a few gardens around the NW for years without a hitch. They may not grow as fast in our summers where ppl are "passing out" on the streets when it hits 90F (j/k) but I am damn sure they will laugh at my avg. zone 8b/9a winter temps.

Click for weather forecast

He does not protect his spring patch. it did take one really hard winter and it was ok. lot of leaf burn and slow start in spring but it did fine. its in the middle of the yard with no real shelter around it. the last few winters havent been bad with lows only around 12-15 at the worst and most days were above freezing. Im not sure what the prolonged freeze could do to it but his is alright. If it was really going to be cold for awhile I would just fill a plastic garbage bag up with leaves and stick over it awhile I really think that would be all it would need seeing as it can take really low temps already.

I'd love to have that type of climate earthworm! miketropic, what city do you live in if you don't mind me asking, I'd like to look up the historical temps. Manchester Garden club said they've survived with a pillow case thrown over them, and that was in Northern Indiana. My main concern is when it gets too big to protect and/or I move.

I live in northern KY a small town called carrollton right on the Ohio river. we have had some COLD temps but not for awhile the last 4 or 5 years I would say. I would think once established a pillow case would do it. if it gets to big a large tarp for a car or somthing should work. they really don't need much

O.k. Thank you Mike