Real Good Looking Cold Hardy Palms

[jvblack930]

Hello, I recently visited Florida and I was inspired. I saw all the beautiful Palm Trees, and I wanted one for my home in Memphis. I have some experience with plants, but not much. I was researching what Palms could live here, and I found this site as well with all the information, but, the trees that are options were not good looking at all. Windmill Palm is the worst looking Palm tree I have ever seen, Needle palm looks like a bush and Dwarf Sabal Palm looks weird, and so does Jelly Palm. The only one I might think about is European Fan Palm. But, my real question is, I want some real good looking palms like the tall ones in Florida with nice fan leaves or the feather ones. I can provide protection, if you tell me how, and I am not spending more than $50 for that. It would be great for some recommendations.

[JohnAndSancho]

This is going to sound really callous and rude, but there's literally thousands of threads to read on this forum. And unless you're willing to buy a couple seedlings and wait 5-10 years, you're going to spend more than $50. 

 

 

[Las Palmas Norte]

2 hours ago, jvblack930 said:

... Windmill Palm is the worst looking Palm tree I have ever seen, Needle palm looks like a bush and Dwarf Sabal Palm looks weird, and so does Jelly Palm. ...

[jwitt]

Maybe a start 

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/69720-7a-mule-progress-over-years/#comment-1008150

[Manalto]

People will have a hard time making a suggestion because they may not share your aesthetic sense about what ugly and attractive palms are.

[Silas_Sancona]

4 hours ago, jvblack930 said:

Hello, I recently visited Florida and I was inspired. I saw all the beautiful Palm Trees, and I wanted one for my home in Memphis. I have some experience with plants, but not much. I was researching what Palms could live here, and I found this site as well with all the information, but, the trees that are options were not good looking at all. Windmill Palm is the worst looking Palm tree I have ever seen, Needle palm looks like a bush and Dwarf Sabal Palm looks weird, and so does Jelly Palm. The only one I might think about is European Fan Palm. But, my real question is, I want some real good looking palms like the tall ones in Florida with nice fan leaves or the feather ones. I can provide protection, if you tell me how, and I am not spending more than $50 for that. It would be great for some recommendations.

Aside from the " cold hardy " palms mentioned  Good luck pursuing any of the " good " looking palms you saw in florida. Hardier palms in the Genus Sabal, a Fan- leaf type palm option,  could work,  but will be Slooww growers. 

Forget things like the Royals, Areca / Golden Cane, Coconuts,  Adonidia, etc " tropical looking " feather leaf type palms.  Wayy too cold for growing any of those outdoors long term in Memphis, even with " protection "   Greenhouse or indoors, thru the cold months are the only way you'll be able to grow those.

 

[MarcusH]

This is as close as it gets to make your dream come true for your cold hardiness zone.  Who said you can't have tropical "cold hardy " palms? 

6 ft clear trunk coconut,low maintenance. 

[Zeeth]

There's a reason you saw those palms in Florida and not Memphis. If you could grow tropicals over there and easily protect them from cold for under $50 then a lot more people would be doing it. 

[Las Palmas Norte]

8 hours ago, MarcusH said:

This is as close as it gets to make your dream come true for your cold hardiness zone.  Who said you can't have tropical "cold hardy " palms? 

6 ft clear trunk coconut,low maintenance. 

$595 !!! ... 

 

18 hours ago, jvblack930 said:

... I am not spending more than $50 ...

Way over budget ... 

[Allen]

For $50 a Mule Palm in a pot for a few years then plant/protect if you don't like the cold hardy palm options.  Or go to Lowes and buy some Majesty palms and just leave potted.  

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/79269-one-year-old-mule-palms/

 

[MarcusH]

5 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

$595 !!! ... 

 

Way over budget ... 

But you don't have to worry about spear pull lol

[PalmatierMeg]

Spare me, Lord. I once had a snowbird from Minnesota ask me how to grow Roystoneas there. Go home, Dude!

[Dwarf Fan]

21 hours ago, JohnAndSancho said:

This is going to sound really callous and rude, but there's literally thousands of threads to read on this forum. And unless you're willing to buy a couple seedlings and wait 5-10 years, you're going to spend more than $50. 

 

 

 

15 hours ago, MarcusH said:

This is as close as it gets to make your dream come true for your cold hardiness zone.  Who said you can't have tropical "cold hardy " palms? 

6 ft clear trunk coconut,low maintenance. 

 

56 minutes ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Spare me, Lord. I once had a snowbird from Minnesota ask me how to grow Roystoneas there. Go home, Dude!

 

Oh… my… goodness… John, Marcus & Meg y’all are a hoot! I love me some Palm Talk!!!

Hey newbie you got a lot to learn you might want to start slow and do some reading first grasshopper.

 Or not… either way someone please pass the popcorn this thread is getting good! 🍿

[jwitt]

1 hour ago, MarcusH said:

But you don't have to worry about spear pull lol

Possibly not true for those who believe in runaway, hockey stick global warming.

 

[ChicagoPalma]

4 hours ago, Dwarf Fan said:

 

 

 

Oh… my… goodness… John, Marcus & Meg y’all are a hoot! I love me some Palm Talk!!!

Hey newbie you got a lot to learn you might want to start slow and do some reading first grasshopper.

 Or not… either way someone please pass the popcorn this thread is getting good! 🍿

If the newbie really put enough effort you can probably grow a royal palm in ground in iowa but not minnesota, the roots would just be frozen for so long it would kill the palm. Royal palms need some sun, so probably polycarbonate and temps in the 50s, expensive for protection and overtime as it grows large he would need to expand protection upwards. Polycarb and c9 lights and hes good to go. ORRRRRR, just get the fake cocos.

[Palmfarmer]

I am not an expert in the climate in Memphis, but I will try to give you some suggestions. 
 

I would plant mostly Trachycarpus fortunei, Sabal Minor and Palmetto’s. Chamerops Humilis is an option as well. The blue version looks amazing. 
Then I would zone push it with some Brahea Armata Jubaea and Silver Butia palms. 
get some musa Basjoo to add to the tropical look as well. 
 

there is also some more Sabal species like Rosei and others you can try. 

[MarcusH]

7 hours ago, jwitt said:

Possibly not true for those who believe in runaway, hockey stick global warming.

 

Hahaha you crack me up . There you go 

[Harry’s Palms]

I have nothing….drawing a blank on this one. Harry

[PalmatierMeg]

9 hours ago, ChicagoPalma said:

If the newbie really put enough effort you can probably grow a royal palm in ground in iowa but not minnesota, the roots would just be frozen for so long it would kill the palm. Royal palms need some sun, so probably polycarbonate and temps in the 50s, expensive for protection and overtime as it grows large he would need to expand protection upwards. Polycarb and c9 lights and hes good to go. ORRRRRR, just get the fake cocos.

Roystonea in Iowa? No

[jwitt]

Just now, PalmatierMeg said:

Roystonea in Iowa? No

.

While Memphis is not Houston, there is potential 

 

[JLM]

On 3/11/2024 at 4:19 PM, jvblack930 said:

Hello, I recently visited Florida and I was inspired. I saw all the beautiful Palm Trees, and I wanted one for my home in Memphis. I have some experience with plants, but not much. I was researching what Palms could live here, and I found this site as well with all the information, but, the trees that are options were not good looking at all. Windmill Palm is the worst looking Palm tree I have ever seen, Needle palm looks like a bush and Dwarf Sabal Palm looks weird, and so does Jelly Palm. The only one I might think about is European Fan Palm. But, my real question is, I want some real good looking palms like the tall ones in Florida with nice fan leaves or the feather ones. I can provide protection, if you tell me how, and I am not spending more than $50 for that. It would be great for some recommendations.

Welcome to PalmTalk! The tall pretty palms that you mentioned are quite a stretch even here in the northern part of Florida. It’s simply too cold during the winter. The palms you researched and said you didn’t like, well, those would be my suggestions. I would recommend going to somewhere like Lowe’s or Home Depot and buying some palms that would remain in a pot. You can get away with growing a Pygmy date clump in a pot for a while, you would just have to move it inside during freezing temperatures (<32F).

[jvblack930]

On 3/12/2024 at 11:57 AM, Allen said:

For $50 a Mule Palm in a pot for a few years then plant/protect if you don't like the cold hardy palm options.  Or go to Lowes and buy some Majesty palms and just leave potted.  

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/79269-one-year-old-mule-palms/

 

Where do I buy Mule Palm?

[jvblack930]

15 hours ago, Palmfarmer said:

I am not an expert in the climate in Memphis, but I will try to give you some suggestions. 
 

I would plant mostly Trachycarpus fortunei, Sabal Minor and Palmetto’s. Chamerops Humilis is an option as well. The blue version looks amazing. 
Then I would zone push it with some Brahea Armata Jubaea and Silver Butia palms. 
get some musa Basjoo to add to the tropical look as well. 
 

there is also some more Sabal species like Rosei and others you can try. 

Where do I get a Sabal Rosei or Brahea Armata palm

[Leelanau Palms]

14 minutes ago, jvblack930 said:

Where do I buy Mule Palm?

@Scott W , Moultrie Palms are some possibilities 

[Leelanau Palms]

15 minutes ago, jvblack930 said:

Where do I get a Sabal Rosei or Brahea Armata palm

Sabal Rosei: ( @Sabal King )

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1V791fdbLMw4qya6OYa1KIgOe7jwam0V-n6BUV3K1ZDs/edit#gid=106841047

Edited March 13, 2024 by Leelanau Palms

[Allen]

1 hour ago, jvblack930 said:

Where do I buy Mule Palm?

Did you click the link?  One for sale right there.  Big palms will be 100’s or more

[Alex Zone 5]

On 3/11/2024 at 5:19 PM, jvblack930 said:

The only one I might think about is European Fan Palm. But, my real question is, I want some real good looking palms like the tall ones in Florida with nice fan leaves or the feather ones. I can provide protection, if you tell me how, and I am not spending more than $50 for that. It would be great for some recommendations.

You could move to Florida. House are pretty cheap in Perry.....bring a shotgun and ammunitions.  

Darn,  Perry is zone 9A.....no tropical looking palms. 

[happypalms]

 Will someone one sell him a chamaedorea radicalis asap please!! 🙏 

[JohnAndSancho]

29 minutes ago, happypalms said:

 Will someone one sell him a chamaedorea radicalis asap please!! 🙏 

For $51 😂

[JLM]

On 3/14/2024 at 8:36 AM, Alex Zone 5 said:

You could move to Florida. House are pretty cheap in Perry.....bring a shotgun and ammunitions.  

Darn,  Perry is zone 9A.....no tropical looking palms. 

You’ll need a shotgun and ammunition just about anywhere in Florida, but especially the panhandle and interior northeast FL. 

[Calosphace]

Christmas fern (evergreen native fern species) planted into a stump of desired height I think is best bet lol

A healthy Jelly palm is one of the best looking palms around and bushy palmetto are great too

[Palmfarmer]

On 3/13/2024 at 2:35 PM, jvblack930 said:

Where do I get a Sabal Rosei or Brahea Armata palm

Google them online. 
I am wondering how big is your yard and what is your budget? 
 

As a start I would get 2 Trachycarpus fortunei a Brahea Armata, some kind of Palmetto like Rosei. You can use musa basjoo amd Radicalis palma as”fillers” lastly I would probably put down a Silver Butia. 
Jubaea is also a great option, but very slow. 
 

if you want to Zone push you could try a Mule palm. However it will probably need at least some Christmas lights and wrapping during the coldest parts of winter. 

Edited March 19, 2024 by Palmfarmer

[SeanK]

On 3/12/2024 at 5:11 PM, PalmatierMeg said:

Spare me, Lord. I once had a snowbird from Minnesota ask me how to grow Roystoneas there. Go home, Dude!

Years back, there was a tall pinnate palm visible from I285 in Dunwoody. This is the beltway around Atlanta. My wife and I went there in 1998 to check it out. The 25-ft trunk was grey cement, more cocos-like than roystonea. A nice crop of plastic leaves at the top. Now long gone, it was in the parking lot of a bar.

I've seen smaller artificial at Starbucks 

[MarcusH]

42 minutes ago, SeanK said:

Years back, there was a tall pinnate palm visible from I285 in Dunwoody. This is the beltway around Atlanta. My wife and I went there in 1998 to check it out. The 25-ft trunk was grey cement, more cocos-like than roystonea. A nice crop of plastic leaves at the top. Now long gone, it was in the parking lot of a bar.

I've seen smaller artificial at Starbucks 

I like your sense of humor you know those artificial palms are bulletproof even in the northern Yukon territory lol. 

[Fukuoka Scott]

Having lived in Miami for a number of years, believe it or not, the tropical heat and the endless rows of very samey palms everywhere do get old and you end up visiting places like Fairchild to see SOMETHING different. I would encourage opening your mind a little about the cold hardy palms you maligned and give them a chance. A well-fed Trachy can look lovely - if you planted a trio of mature ones together at an angle and skinned the trunks you could even get a slightly more tropical look, but not for $50. Butias are lovely as well. You could try Washingtonia filifera, which is a very hardy fan palm, but note the hardier ones have very thick trunks, and they need a lot of sun and good drainage. Good luck. The replies to this post are too funny 😂 

[MarcusH]

1 hour ago, Fukuoka Scott said:

Having lived in Miami for a number of years, believe it or not, the tropical heat and the endless rows of very samey palms everywhere do get old and you end up visiting places like Fairchild to see SOMETHING different. I would encourage opening your mind a little about the cold hardy palms you maligned and give them a chance. A well-fed Trachy can look lovely - if you planted a trio of mature ones together at an angle and skinned the trunks you could even get a slightly more tropical look, but not for $50. Butias are lovely as well. You could try Washingtonia filifera, which is a very hardy fan palm, but note the hardier ones have very thick trunks, and they need a lot of sun and good drainage. Good luck. The replies to this post are too funny 😂 

Couldn't have said it better.  I think a lot of us palm lovers are looking for the most tropical or desert looking palm that we can plant in our yard. While I'm known here for being negative and not very experimental friendly I have to say whatever I say doesn't mean everyone needs to follow the same path. Would be boring if everyone decides to plant the "right" palm in their yard but I also want to point out a few things . With climate being so unpredictable and there're scientists who believe, that there's going to be an increase of polar vortexes . We have seen the evidence of destruction in the last few years, especially in the southern part of the US .Choosing a cold hardy palm that can handle extreme weather events are more logical as well as budget friendly in the long run. Digging out a dead Marigold is a lot easier than digging out a 20 foot palm and you know you're right you get used to every scenery after a while .  

[HiltonHead2004]

With your preferences, you're really limiting yourself but there are a few palms that I might recommend. 

1. Mule Palm (hybrid of queen & pindo palm) Hardy down to around 15 degrees and fast growing. Only con to this palm is that it's fairly expensive and hard to find since it's a hybrid but definitely a very tropical and great looking palm to have if you're willing to hand out more cash. 

2. Mexican Fan Palm. Fairly cheap and an easy palm to find but not sure how long it would last in your climate since it's usually a 9a-9b plant. This tree is also a fast grower so it's going to be challenging to protect it as the years go on but if you're up for the challenge, it's a very rewarding palm. 

3. Sabal Palmetto. The state tree of Florida and South Carolina and personally one of my favorite palm trees out there. This palm is an extremely slow grower though so I wouldn't recommend getting a young specimen of this plant. 

PSA: Unless you're buying them from seed or small pots, it's going to be very hard to find a quality palm under 50 dollars. Hope you find the right palm though! 

 

 

[Harry’s Palms]

I agree that even some of the more hardy palms are as  beautiful as the rare tropicals even I can’t grow in Southern California. My hardy palms are down on my hill and I just was doing some weeding down there and got a whole new appreciation for them. My 25 year old Sabal,  Harry

[WSimpson]

On 3/11/2024 at 5:19 PM, jvblack930 said:

Hello, I recently visited Florida and I was inspired. I saw all the beautiful Palm Trees, and I wanted one for my home in Memphis. I have some experience with plants, but not much. I was researching what Palms could live here, and I found this site as well with all the information, but, the trees that are options were not good looking at all. Windmill Palm is the worst looking Palm tree I have ever seen, Needle palm looks like a bush and Dwarf Sabal Palm looks weird, and so does Jelly Palm. The only one I might think about is European Fan Palm. But, my real question is, I want some real good looking palms like the tall ones in Florida with nice fan leaves or the feather ones. I can provide protection, if you tell me how, and I am not spending more than $50 for that. It would be great for some recommendations.

It's impossible to grow pretty and large palms in Winston-Salem or Memphis LOL .

 

[njpalmguy]

On 3/11/2024 at 5:19 PM, jvblack930 said:

Hello, I recently visited Florida and I was inspired. I saw all the beautiful Palm Trees, and I wanted one for my home in Memphis. I have some experience with plants, but not much. I was researching what Palms could live here, and I found this site as well with all the information, but, the trees that are options were not good looking at all. Windmill Palm is the worst looking Palm tree I have ever seen, Needle palm looks like a bush and Dwarf Sabal Palm looks weird, and so does Jelly Palm. The only one I might think about is European Fan Palm. But, my real question is, I want some real good looking palms like the tall ones in Florida with nice fan leaves or the feather ones. I can provide protection, if you tell me how, and I am not spending more than $50 for that. It would be great for some recommendations.

if you want a shot of growing a palm in Memphis, you have to try a windmill, needle, or Sabal minor or else you won’t be able to grow a palm hassle-free. you could try a sabal palmetto but that takes fifteen years just to get a trunk. you should bring it inside when it’s small enough then when it’s too big to fit inside, you should plant some time in the summer and cover in november.