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Looks like it is really widely planted there! Is it mild enough for it to escape cultivation as has happened in Switzerland?

As far as I know, that didn't happen here.

Unprotected for all those years!!!!

I'm so envious 😉

Thanks for the great photos.

Barb

Mostly unprotected. Palms planted in good micro climate gardens in urban area didn't need protection because of urban heat effect. We have sometimes, every 20-30 years very bad winters with minimum down to -24 Celsius (-11,2F), and every 5-10 years to -18-20 Celsius (0F to -4F). Oldest T. fortunei was planted 1986. because winter 1984/5 killed them all. Minimum was -24 Celsius and even S. minor in local Botanical garden died that year.

So -24C is the absolute minimum where death occurs.

You likely don't have the durationof cold of other areas.

There's hope for us with some winter warming, but maybe not yet.

Barb

Those are some very nice looking palms. 8)

So -24C is the absolute minimum where death occurs.

You likely don't have the durationof cold of other areas.

There's hope for us with some winter warming, but maybe not yet.

Barb

Hi Barb, duration of cold subzero temperatures last winter prolonged for 15 days or cca 360 hours.

There is data for last winter (February 2012 ) from three official whether stations in Zagreb city area. Absolute minimum occur on 9. 2. 2012
Zagreb/Grič -11.6 Celsius http://www.tutiempo.net/clima/ZAGREB_GRIC/02-2012/142360.htm
Zagreb/Maksimir -17.1 Celsius http://www.tutiempo.net/clima/Zagreb_Maksimir/02-2012/142400.htm
Zagreb/Pleso (airport) -21.6 Celsius http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/Zagreb_Pleso/02-2012/142410.htm

Micro climate is crucial factor for Trachycarpus fortunei long term surviving.

Climate data for Zagreb/Maksimir 1961-1990 and 1971-2000

15 days is better than my area even though we're slowly getting milder winters (too slow for me...)

And winter was colder than normal for your area.

Croatia's microclimates are wonderful for growing borderline palms, even with a very cold winter now and then.
You're very fortunate.

Barb

Wow, great pics! I always thought that Zagreb would be closer to a zone 7a than a 7b, but the trunk height on those T. fortunei says otherwise! Are there any Araucaria araucana planted around the city?

Area around airport (Zagreb/Pleso) is closer to zone 7a, most parts of town is in zone 7b and mildest urban heat islands is 8a (Zagreb/Grič/Medvešćak, Srebrnjak etc.).
After -20 last winter in outskirts of a city not all unprotected T. fortunei so happy. This one is not far from me (Zagreb/Sesvete) and he is alive but not many green leaves left.
photo taken with mobile phone 14. 4. 2012.

Botanical garden (7b) protecting this one every winter with frost cloth.
23. 4. 2012.

Unprotected one in private garden not far from downtown

Not many Araucarias planted here. It's relatively new plant for inland Croatia.

This one is planted 10 years ago

My little one

Cameron, I believe I got year ago few seeds of Sabal minor 'McCurtain' that you sent to Damir from Osijek in Croatia. World of palm enthusiasts is a really small 8)

Last winter in Novi Sad (Serbia) this one survived unprotected (close to building). Official low is -27 Celsius (-16.6 F) on 9.2.2012., but close to building is definitely warmer. Some sources reported even lower temperatures, down to -28.7 Celsius
http://www.tutiempo.net/en/Climate/NOVI_SAD_RIMSKI_SAN/02-2012/131680.htm
Short video clip Novi Sad coldest city in Serbia 9.2.2012.
http://www.naslovi.net/2012-02-09/b92/novi-sad-i-dalje-najhladniji-sa-27/3170467

Photo: Vladimiro from Novi Sad- source: www.palmapedia.com
15. 2. 2012.

26. 5. 2012.

on the right corner you can see dameged fig tree (Ficus carica).

great photos of Trachycarpus and monkey puzzle trees!

Henoh, how have you found A. araucana to deal with the summer heat of Zagreb?

Cameron, I believe I got year ago few seeds of Sabal minor 'McCurtain' that you sent to Damir from Osijek in Croatia. World of palm enthusiasts is a really small 8)

Wow, that's great! Did they germinate for you?