Growing Cold Hardy Palms in the Northern States

Growing cold hardy palms in the north is not as difficult as you would think. There are several species that are able to survive into a USDA zone 6 with little to no protection. They are from different parts of the world and are native to places that do see winter time cold weather. Since most people see a palm tree as a sign of the tropics, they never realize that they can be grown in places outside of Florida. What people fail to understand is that while Florida may have a warm Sub-Tropical Climate. Even Florida can get cold. There has been recorded snow flurries in Miami Fl. While the all-time record low in the state is minus three degrees Fahrenheit.
The first species is called the Needle Palm. It is the coldest hardy of all palm trees in the world. It is native to the northern sections of Florida and into the coastal regions of Georgia and southern South Carolina. This palm can withstand short temperature drops to minus fifteen Fahrenheit. It is slow growing palm that rarely reaches more than eight feet when mature. It is not a A-sexual tree and must have a male and female plant to reproduce. The Needle Palm is endangered in the wild but is fairly common in Cultivation.
The second tree is the Sabal Minor. This tree is also A United States Native. It can be found from the lower Piedmont of North Caroline near the Virginia border to McCurtain County Oklahoma. Its native range is larger then any other Palm of the United States. Through its range, its appearance varies greatly and some argue that it is truly a different species. Sabal Minor seldom grows a above ground trunk, but can still reach a height of twelve feet. From the northern parts of its range, it can take short temperature drops of minus ten Fahrenheit. Sabal Minor will grow in mostly shade to full sun, though it seems to like a sunnier location when planted in the North.
The third tree on this list is Chinese Windmill Palm. As its name suggests. This palm is native to Central China where winter temperatures can vary greatly. Though no wild plants have been found, making this tree extinct in the wild, it is very commonly planted in landscapes and has been for hundreds of years. In the United States, this tree can be found all the way to the Canadian border on the West Coast and trees do well up to about the New York State line on the East Coast. This palm is the coldest hardy of all the trunking palm trees and can recover from temperatures as low as minus ten Fahrenheit. Mature trees can get between twenty to thirty feet tall. In northern areas it is suggested to plant this palm near a structure to protect it from wind. Strong winds tend to shred the leaves and cut down on the attractiveness of this Tree.
The fourth tree is the grand Sabal Palmetto. This tree is the state tree of South Caroline and Florida. Native to Peninsular Florida, and up the Atlantic Coast to Bald Head Island in North Carolina. This tree is the staple tree of the beaches of the South East. It is commonly planted along the entire Gulf Coast as well as Lower elevations in the inland Southeast States. It can be found planted in Cities as far North as Norfolk Virginia. Not as cold hardy as the other trees listed. The Sabal Palmetto can survive brief periods of cold down to about ten degrees Fahrenheit. Its size is its claim to fame however. Though it is a slow grower, it can reach heights of sixty feet when mature. The Crown of the Palmetto is also much larger than the other palm trees mentioned.
All of these trees require protection to survive the winters of USDA Zone six. (Needle Palm zone five) or lower. By putting down several inches of mulch around the base of the tree. The roots will be protected from severe ground freezing. Another protection method is to wrap the trunk with large Christmas light, and use the heat from the bulbs to keep the palm tree warmer then the outside temperatures. A bit more extreme protection is to enclose the palm tree and put a heat source inside with it. This is a harder method then the others mentioned, but by doing so. It provides a much warmer area them the outside air temperatures and allows for even more options of cold hardy palms in even a colder climate.