Landscaping with cold hardy palm trees gives an outdoor space a tropical feel while resisting injury from exposure to low temperatures. In borderline climates with occasional freezing weather, some can be tricky to grow. Others do quite nicely in temperatures that hover around the freezing point and will even tolerate being blanketed with snow for short periods.
There are no guarantees that a cold hardy palm will survive in zones 5 through 7 after a rough winter, but through experimentation and care you can have good results. For your best chance at success, choose a variety that suits your USDA growing zone, select an older tree for better weather resistance, plant it in a wind-protected area, and keep it dry in freezing temperatures.
Read on for information about cold hardy palms that can withstand a bit of winter weather.
- 01 of 20
Lady Palm
The lady palm (Rhapis excelsa), also known as the bamboo palm, is a smallish, shrubby, evergreen palm with bamboo-like stems. This shade-loving species has dark green, fan-shaped leaves and is very easy to grow. It can withstand temperatures down to 18 degrees. It grows well as an indoor palm, a foundation plant, or in mixed shrub borders in shady locations.
- Name: Lady palm (Rhapis excelsa)
- Native Area: Southern China, Taiwan
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9a–11a
- Mature Size: 6–15 feet
- Light: Partial, full
- 02 of 20
Puerto Rican Thatch Palm
The Puerto Rican thatch palm (Coccothrinax alta), sometimes called the Barbados silver palm, is a palmate-leaved tree that can tolerate temperatures of 28–30 degrees if the cold temperatures are limited in duration. It does well in salt-wind conditions, making it a good choice for beachside landscaping.
- Name: Puerto Rican thatch palm (Coccothrinax alta)
- Native Area: Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9–11
- Mature Size: 12–25 feet
- Light: Full
Fast Fact
Palm trees can be divided into three categories of leaves: palmate, pinnate, or costapalmate:
- A palmate leaf palm has lobes fanning out from a common point. The structure resembles a fan or open hand, with fingers stretching out from the palm.
- A pinnate leaf palm, derived from the Latin pinna or feather, has individual leaflets branching out on both sides of a common axis resembling a feather.
- A costapalmate leaf is a cross between a palmate and pinnate shape.
- 03 of 20
Date Palm
This pinnate-leaved species is a classic palm tree with a tall trunk and arching, feather-like fronds. Female date palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera) produce creamy yellow flowers followed by edible fruits. It's hardy down to 15 degrees. The date palm is one of the oldest—and most important—cultivated palm trees. It's a frequent sight in urban landscapes, and there are also cold hardy dwarf cultivars that make good indoor specimens.
- Name: Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
- Native Area: Unknown (probably Fertile Crescent region of the Middle East)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 8–11
- Mature Size: 50–80 feet (dwarf cultivars also available)
- Light: Full
- 04 of 20
Queen Palm
The queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) is a pinnate-leaved tree that will tolerate temperatures down to 20 degrees. It has a smooth gray trunk topped with feathery fronds of dark green leaves that droop into an attractive canopy. It's a common street-side tree and a yard tree, though it requires frequent removal of dead leaves and acidic soil to avoid stunted leaves.
- Name: Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
- Native Area: South America
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9b–11b
- Mature Size: 25–50 feet
- Light: Full
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Everglades Palm
The Everglades palm (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii) is a medium-sized tree that can survive temperatures as low as 20 degrees. This species forms a cluster of slender trunks topped with tufts of fan-shaped leaves. The Everglades palm, also known as the Paurotis palm, is a good option for beach areas, as this plant tolerates salty spray and sandy soil.
- Name: Everglades palm (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii)
- Native Area: Central America, Mexico, Caribbean
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9–11
- Mature Size: 16–23 feet
- Light: Full
- 06 of 20
California Fan Palm
A popular landscape tree in the Southwest, the California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) has a moderate growth rate and survives temperatures as low as 15 to 20 degrees, though young trees are more cold-sensitive. With regular trimming of old fronds, this species, also known as the desert fan palm, is among the most attractive palms.
- Name: California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera)
- Native Area: Southwestern U.S., Baja California
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9a–11
- Mature Size: 50–65 feet
- Light: Full
- 07 of 20
Cabbage Palm
Like all palms described as "palmettos," the cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto) is a great smaller tree, with a single trunk from which the large leaves emerge. It is hardy down to 10 to 15 degrees. This costapalmate-leaved tree has both palmate and pinnate leaves and is strong and resistant to wind. It is the state tree of both South Carolina and Florida.
- Name: Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto)
- Native Area: Southeastern U.S.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 8b–11
- Mature Size: 30–50 feet
- Light: Full, partial
- 08 of 20
Chinese Fan Palm
The Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis) is one of the most cold hardy tropical plants. It has a single gray-brown trunk topped by a dense crown of fan-shaped leaves that droop downward in a fountain-like appearance, which is why it's also called the fountain palm. The leaves are oversized, up to 5 feet across, and range from bluish-green to olive green. This hardy tree tolerates temperatures as low as 20 degrees and is popular in the south and as far north as Oklahoma.
Because of its moderate size, it can also be grown as a potted specimen. The Chinese fan palm eventually becomes a fast-growing cold hardy palm tree. After its first decade as a slow grower, the palm proliferates at half a foot a year.
- Name: Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis)
- Native Area: China, southern Japan
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9a–11
- Mature Size: 20–30 feet
- Light: Full, partial
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European Fan Palm
The bushy evergreen European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) is a tough plant that can survive temperatures as low as 5 degrees. The European fan palm grows as a clump of trunks that lean out from the center, topped with clusters of fan-shaped leaves. This slow-growing tree (no more than 5 inches a year) makes it an excellent potted plant or "shrub" palm.
- Name: European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis)
- Native Area: Southern Europe, Mediterranean
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 8b–11
- Mature Size: 10–15 feet
- Light: Full, partial
- 10 of 20
Mexican Fan Palm
Hardy down to 20 degrees, the Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta) is a popular indoor and outdoor tree. It has a single trunk topped with arching, fan-shaped leaves that grow up to 5 feet long. Unless you trim this palm tree regularly, the dead leaves will form a characteristic "hula skirt" around the trunk. It has moderate drought tolerance but grows much faster when given adequate water.
- Name: Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta)
- Native Area: Desert regions of Mexico
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9a–11
- Mature Size: 40–60 feet
- Light: Full
- 11 of 20
Saw Palmetto
The saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is one of the most cold-hardy palms known to survive temperatures dipping to zero. This short, shrubby plant grows almost like a ground cover with stems sprouting from underground rhizomes. The large palm-shaped leaves have saw-like teeth along the edges, lending the plant its common name.
- Name: Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)
- Native Area: Florida
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 8–11
- Mature Size: 3–6 feet
- Light: Full, partial
- 12 of 20
Bismark Palm
The Bismarck palm (Bismarckia nobilis) is a festive evergreen tree with stiff, steely blue fronds and a trunk that has a crisscross design from splitting leaf bases. It will tolerate infrequent freezes to as low as 15 to 25 degrees. Though it's a popular palm in Florida and south Texas, it's also found as far north in the west as Oregon (zone 8b) and east as Georgia (zone 8a).
- Name: Bismark palm (Bismarckia nobilis)
- Native Area: Madagascar
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 10-11
- Mature Size: 40-70 feet
- Light: Full to partial
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Mexican Blue Palm
Mexican blue palm (Brahea armata) has a lovely blue hue to its long, fan-shaped fronds. The palm tree can survive in temperatures as low as 18 degrees for short periods and withstand strong winds. It is well-suited for cold weather regions as it does not thrive in humid conditions and is not prone to attracting pests or diseases.
- Name: Mexican blue palm (Brahea armata)
- Native Area: Baja California/Mexico
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11
- Mature Size: 20-50 feet
- Light: Full
- 14 of 20
Guadalupe Palm
Guadalupe palm (Brahea edulis) is a slow-growing, attractive tree with a thick trunk supporting shiny bluish-green fronds. This palm's blooms have dangling fragrant white flowers which produce small, edible fruits. It's a good palm for coastal and desert locations because it is wind, salt, and drought-tolerant. The tree can grow in states with temperatures that infrequently drop to 20 degrees.
- Name: Guadalupe palm (Brahea edulis)
- Native Area: Mexico
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11
- Mature Size: 20-50 feet
- Light: Full
- 15 of 20
Jelly Palm
The jelly palm (Butia capitata), also called the pindo palm, is a small tree and is considered one of the hardiest cold hardy palms. It has blue-green to grayish fronds that arch inward towards the trunk resulting in a weeping appearance. This palm has showy orange-yellow flowers and edible fruits that taste like pineapple. This salt-tolerant and drought-resistant palm can survive sporadic bouts of temperatures down into the single digits and has been spotted growing as far north as the challenging coastal areas of New Jersey.
- Name: Jelly palm (Butia capitata)
- Native Area: Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11
- Mature Size: 10-20 feet
- Light: Full, partial
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Chestnut Dioon
The slow-growing chestnut dioon (Dioon edule), also known as virgin palm, is an unusual palm with a short, thick trunk exhibiting a single rosette that opens to straight, stiff blue-green pinnate leaves that reach 6 feet long. It produces large seed cones that have edible seeds. The drought- and salt-tolerant palm survives rare occasions when temperatures tumble to 22 degrees.
- Name: Chestnut dioon (Dioon edule)
- Native Area: Mexico
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11
- Mature Size: 6-8 feet
- Light: Full, partial
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Chilean Wine Palm
The Chilean wine palm (Jubaea chilensis) is a huge and striking ornamental tree in the landscape. It's a slow-growing evergreen with a massive trunk and dense crown of about 50 large pinnate leaves that reach 15 feet long and are further divided into more leaflets. Purple and yellow flowers in the summer give way to edible yellow fruits, but only on mature trees that are 50 years old. Once established, this palm handles itself well in 7-degree temperatures and is tolerant of cold, moisture, frost, and drought. The Chilean wine palm has been known to grow as far north as Seattle and in southern regions of Canada.
- Name: Chilean wine palm (Jubaea chilensis)
- Native Area: Chile
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 8-11
- Mature Size: 60-80 feet
- Light: Full
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Canary Island Date Palm
The Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis) is massive but can grow in a pot to tame its size. Overwintering the potted tree is one way that it can be grown in USDA zone 8b, where temperatures dip to 15 to 20 degrees. This majestic palm has long feather-like fronds, but the lower half of the stems are prickly with longish sharp spines that make it necessary to wear protective gear when handling.
- Name: Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis)
- Native Area: Canary Islands
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11
- Mature Size: 40-60 feet
- Light: Full
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Needle Palm
Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) is considered one of the hardiest palms because it can withstand temperatures as low as minus 5 to minus 15 degrees. Though it's rated for USDA zones 6-11, it can grow in zone 5. It's found in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Tennessee, and other chilly states. You may not recognize the tree as a palm, though, because it is more shrubby and doesn't have a trunk but grows slender stems out of a single base. The spines between leaves protect the plant from animals.
- Name: Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)
- Native Area: South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-10
- Mature Size: 3-6 feet
- Light: Full, partial
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Chinese Windmill Palm
The Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) is one of the most cold hardy trees with the ability to survive freezing temperatures as low as 10 degrees. It's grown successfully in the chilly Pacific Northwest and across icy New York State in zones 5 to 7. This slow-to-moderate-growing evergreen has fan-shaped leaves that are 3 feet long.
- Name: Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)
- Native Area: Asia
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a-11
- Mature Size: 10-40 feet
- Light: Partial shade
Tips for Growing Cold Hardy Palms
When you're faced with a brief cold snap that's unusual for your climate zone, you may be able to protect your palm trees until the crisis passes. Even the cold hardy palm tree species described above may have trouble when the temperatures dip below 20 degrees. These tips may help.
- Fertilize your tree. The healthier and more robust a plant is, the better its chance of surviving periods of freezing weather.
- Spread mulch. Keep a palm tree warm in the winter with a thick layer of mulch around the tree's base. The mulch protects roots from permanent frost damage. If the roots survive, most trees will regain their health, even if many leaves are destroyed.
- Cover small trees. In the winter, cover smaller trees with sheets, blankets, tarps, or plastic sheets to keep them warm. These coverings trap warmth from the ground and prevent the tree from freezing. Place a small light bulb underneath the cover if temperatures are extreme. Remove the protective covers when temperatures return to normal.
- Apply a freeze-protectant. Some palm trees can survive a hard freeze but others will not survive. Protect a palm tree from a sudden freeze by adding an extra layer of protection with a frost-protecting spray product that shields the plant to reduce ice crystal damage. As long as damage from a hard freeze is minimized or only partial to the tree, the palm can survive, and new fronts will grow.