I am curious where the most Northerly palm (presuming Trachycarpu fortunei) is located in Canada. I am guessing it would be on Vanc. Island, but perhaps the North BC coast or even the Queen Charlottes? On my last trip up to Campbell River, I passed the time by trying to seek out palms in people's gardens. I should mention that I was a passenger and not a distracted driver! But, the most Northernly ones I saw were in Qualicum Beach. I have seen them in Tofino, which is a little farther yet... Anyone else seen palms farther North?
I've read there are some in Sitka, Alaska (57°N), so potentially the northernmost in Canada could be on the coast a metre south of the Canada-Alaska border. You'd have to find someone to go and plant one there, though. Northernmost I know of overall is at Tórshavn on the Faroe Islands, 62° N, and (young ones with some limited winter protection) at Ålesund in Norway, 62° 30' N.
I know there are some nice sized ones in Comox outside of an apartment building. I haven't been to Campbell River since 1974, so I'm no help there. There's gotta be someone in Prince Rupert that has a Windmill palm, even if it does need to be protected a little bit once in a while. I may very well have the most northerly Butia capitata Pindo palm. I wonder ... humm. Cheers, LPN.
Stewart (55° 56' N, right by the Alaska border) looks a good place to try planting one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stewart,_British_Columbia
Michael, ever been to Stewart? Planting a palm would likely be the only reason to get me there! (sorry Stewartians). But my interest would be peaked if someone did. I did not know that there were any in Alaska at all. I have never seem palms in the background of ANY igloo pictures. Ok, maybe one picture... Could you imagine Alaska adopting a palm as their state tree? That would completely shatter California's vacation image. Sun, ocean, and palms, where do we go...California or Alaska? So Barrie, what was C. R. like in the 70's? Probably a long drive on the old highway. You likely wouldn't recognize it now as it is booming. A nice spot in the summer but I prefer the milder winters more South island. Which I might guess the palms would like as well. All these more Northerly spots must certainly have to give some winter protection from the Artic outflows at the very least. But, here's a thought, if you were able to successfully over winter a palm in Alaska, it may even grow faster/larger with the long summer daylight hours than ours do here.
No, though it looks a nice place for a coniferophile like me, going by the photos. Have to put it on my list of places to go sometime. Northernmost palm I've seen personally is further north though, at Inverewe Gardens, 57° 50' N on the west coast of Scotland. Several Trachys there. http://www.lindros.se/Skotlandstur/Images/17 - Inverewe Gardens/Palmer.jpg
there is a palm tree that can grow in iceland.. which is zone 6b or 7 a around the coast http://www.rarepalmseeds.com/pix/TraWag.shtml
I am living in Norway 63 N, and here it is a very mild winter climate due to large mountains to keep the cold away. We have also a fjord right outside our town. This fjord keeps the temperature up in the winter time. I have never seen any ice on the water yet in my 42 years here. I have tried palm trees in my garden in pots. They survive from mid February to early December without any care at all. I put the pots in my garage during December, January, and until the sun begin to warm up in February. I am now considering seriously to plant a palm tree in the soil just to see if it is gonna make it all the way around the whole year. The last years (except two cold winters 2009 and 2010) have been a lot milder than previous years. In summer time we have sun from 2:30 to 23:45, so thats not a problem. In winter time we barely have any light at all, and that is not good news for palm trees. Should I get this right, I think it will be the most northern palm tree in the world. Any comments?
