Central belt (Scotland) palm tree

 
Hi folks
Can anyone tell me what would be a good palm tree to grow outdoors, this
is to give as a present to a gardener friend who lives in central belt
of Scotland, or would it be too cold for any to survive up there?




--
scrapmum

 @gardenbanter.co.uk says...

   That depends very much whereabouts in the central belt their garden is;
the climate there is very variable within just a few miles.
   Chamaerops humilis  grow in  mild sheltered gardens at sea level on the  
Clyde coast but not on higher colder spots further inland. However, I
would check she likes palms as many gardeners don't; they can be difficult
to place among other garden styles and too spikey where toddlers/dogs are
running about.

   Janet (Scotland)

 On Sun, 19 Jun 2011 18:37:43 +0000, scrapmum


I've read that Trachycarpus fortunei, the Chusan palm, is hardy in
most parts of the British Isles, and that its natural habitat is in
the forests in the Chinese Himalayas where it copes with temperatures
as low as -20C.  It's trunk is covered in a mat of fibrous 'hair'
rather like coconut fibre, which probably helps. Whether it would cope
with the temperatures in Scotland's central belt, I don't know, but it
must have a better chance than almost any other palm.

--
 
Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales

 On 20/06/2011 07:14, Chris Hogg wrote:

Many years ago there was a Trachycarpus fortunei said to be growing on
the north coast of Scotland, maybe Durness or around Loch Eriboll.
There are several said to be growing on the NW coast (Ullapool,
Scourie), but all of these areas will have temperatures moderated by
nearness to the sea - particularly the effect of the Gulf Stream.  Any
area many miles from the sea and more than a few tens of metres above
sea level would almost certainly not sustain any palm tree - even
Trachycarpus fortunei.

--

Jeff

 

Trachycarpus fortunii is the only one with a realistic chance of long term
survival, it will cope with wet as well as cold down to around -25c and was
undamaged by snow this last winter (which did for several supposedly hardy
palms)


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk