In summer 1998 we began at Miami University a program aimed at the scientific evaluation and public demonstration of available warm-climate plants under Zone 6 conditions, and the development and commercialization of ‘next generation’ cultivars with even better cold hardiness characteristics. These include palms and a wide assortment of broadleaved evergreens, bamboo, crape myrtles, bananas, and other warm-temperate plants.

Our research plan incorporates twelve replicated on-campus plots (microclimate = Z7a) and several additional plots located in colder microclimatic areas (Z6a) off-campus. These plots now contain approximately 140 palms, comprising 15 species and over 25 varieties of clump and tree palms. Sizes range from second-year juveniles to reproductive-age individuals. Our experimental design seeks to provide hard scientific data on cold acclimation potential, winter survivorship, leaf/stem damage, and other plant-growth parameters as a function of microclimatic variables and various growing season and winter cultural techniques. It also seek to provide baseline data on the physiology and genetics of palm cold hardiness, and techniques for cloning and propagating palms and other ornamentals using tissue culture.

Miami University (ca. 16,200 students) in Oxford (39o30' latitude) is located in SW Ohio, 30 miles NW of Cincinnati and 23 miles north of the Ohio River in USDA Zone 6a (winter minimum 1990-2004 = -6.6 F).