Quote:
Originally Posted by lrt's friend
I have never seen a significant palm overwintering even in the mildest parts of Ontario despite the fact that I have friends who are into this sort of thing. I have seen attempts to grow very small palms (measured in inches and not feet) in very sheltered locations and although some have survived, I have yet to see one thrive. As I have said, the shrubby needle and sabal palms are better candidates for Ontario. The Chinese Fan Palm is considered hardy to brief exposures of 0F, so that eliminates all of Ontario for long-term survival. I have no doubt that a few people are trying Chinese Fan Palms in Ontario but it is unlikely that they will survive very long.
I know of a location where palms are planted on a Lake Erie beach in Ontario in front of beachside restaurant. Who knows, I could have been there when those pictures were taken and later posted on the Internet. I asked the restaurant owner about the palms and they are stored in large greenhouses each winter. They were certainly less hardy palms.
On the other hand, the hardy bananas that I mentioned can thrive and grow to significant sizes in Ontario if planted in the right location and with good fertilization. A ten foot banana tree is certainly possible in Ontario with huge leaves. I have a couple in my yard but I have poor soil so they have not grown to the size I was hoping for, at least not yet.
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I am curious, after the leafs of your Banana plants die back (i know the leafs die at temps below -2), do you protect the roots in any way during the winter, or does the ground not freeze deep enough where you are for them to die?