Hi lucky1 ... ya these Trachycarpus are a "plant 'em and leave 'em" type palm here. The old tall palms (30'+) would never be afforded the luxury of a rain canopy. Those cold regions would however need the "houses" or enclosures you mentioned.

Cheers, Barrie.

I have protected my T Fortunei all winter and plan on keeping a plastic hut over the top when the rains fall this spring, unless you folks can talk me out of it. It is just 2 years old, maybe 18" tall / no trunk and I think its planted a little low. My plan was to dig it up in April 2007 and plant it about 6" higher. My thought being that as low as its planted the water will pool around the stem and I don't think thats a good thing. Your thoughts?

oppalm, even though your idea protects the spears from rain, wouldn't water from the surrounding area still drain toward the roots if they're planted too low?

barrie...got it finally (doesn't take me long...only about 2,000 questions).
Yup it would be pretty tough to cover a 30 foot specimen, but a great photo opp!

So (to recap) those of us in areas where hell actually freezes over should NOT water it in winter, likely because of damage freezing/thawing, etc.

So those of you (lucky beggars) near the 49th/coastal areas can grow 30 footers without even looking at them in the winter?

Life isn't fair.

lucky1 ... here's a few pics of some taller ones around the region, and you guessed it, no rain canopy.
Cheers, Barrie.

Barrie, those are stupendous...from the Island???
I've also seen great palm pics from your place...

To think I left Vancouver 30 years ago (what was I thinking 😥 )
Oh yea now I remember...the 2 hours to work, and the 2 hours to home each day, didn't get out of second gear for 11 years!

Now that I live in the Okanagan with its breath-sucking dry summers (we've got wild cactus on our property), and bone crackin' northwest winter winds, I want to seriously grow palms. Nuts, I guess. 😕

lucky1 ... here's how the pics show in the previous post.
#1. Gorge Point Pub (Victoria)
#2. South Nanaimo
#3. Seattle
#4. Nanaimo
#5 & #6. Vancouver

Maybe west rather than east should have been your direction to get away from the city commute. Island life is great!
Cheers, Barrie.

i have been following our great new weather scroll all winter on this site. I ss now how Vancouver can grow these wonderfull trachys. They may not have the best all around weather all tear, but those warm winter temps are great. The prolonged cold we had in the eastern Canada and new england areas make me dought we will ever be successful with this palm long term. We keep trying, though. 😳

Great pics I`ve seen a couple of those before me thinks. I always bring some photos of the palms along English Bay Vancouver when I go south in the winter or people would think I was less than sane (some already do) 😆 I am always amazed at their first reaction ,rolling of the eyes ect. The inevitable next statement is I never knew palm trees grew in CANADA. Well we would never group the whole United States without asking what state they were from. I explain about beautiful British Columbia and how are climate differs from most of the rest of Canada. I still keep in contact with a few that have made the trip up to B.C. . Guess I`m just proud of where we live. Thanks for sharing those pics.
John

lucky1 - the plastic tent over my Fortunei is big enough that the water is diverted away from the plant and far enough away that it drains away. I am still inclined to dig it up and plant a little higher just so I don't have to worry about the sometimes cold spring rains damaging or drowning the plant.