Growing Palm Trees in Cool Climates

The photograph of this palm on the beach captures the typical beauty we come to associate with tropical plants and trees. For most of us living in cooler climates the palm tree conjures up a taste of tropical paradise and naturally some of us want to grow them in our homes or gardens. So, if you live in a cool temperate climate such northern Europe you may be interested in a few tips for helping your palms grow.

In general, most palm species are not naturally suited to cooler climates, instead preferring warmer dryer climates and sandy soils. There are approximately 2,600 different species, differing mainly in height between a few feet – for example the Silver Palmetto – to over 60 feet tall for some species like the Queen Palm. Some species will only grow in hot arid climates and some will be too tall for indoor growing.

The main problems with growing palms in cooler climates are mainly related to the cold spells in winter. Most particularly it has been found that many palm species are not as affected as much by sudden periods of frost but more by prolonged spells of cold weather. The length of time and depth of a hard freeze, wind speed, and ambient humidity can also influence how destructive a cold spell might be to a cold hardy Palm tree. That is why some cold hardy palms can sustain temperatures with little or no damage at one time, but die at the very same temperature at another (Smith 1958, 1964).

Hardy Species

The Lady palm is a good choice for inside the home since it generally does not grow more than 8 feet height and fairs well generally in colder temperatures so it can be moved outside if it gets too big. The Kentia palm and Bamboo palm are also good choices for cooler climates but grow slightly taller than the Lady palm.

The windmill palm, as its commonly known is a common choice for gardens in cooler climates since they don’t need any protection from winter frost like some of the more tropical varieties.

Lady Palm (Rhapis Excelsa)

A good list of Palms and what conditions they like can be found here – http://www.blackgoldpalms.co.nz/index.php/pi_pageid/14