Top Five Winter Hardy Palm Trees

If you are looking for a palm tree which can withstand the full force of an English winter then there is good news for you. There are literally two species, plus a number of cultivars, which can handle our freezing conditions without batting an eyelid! However, if you live in the milder regions of the UK the news is even better as there are another four examples for you to choose from - although some winter protecting may be required when the plants are young.
If you would like to see more content like this then check out this next video: • How To Overwinter Wint...

[@egan1878]

EXCELLENT video 👏 👏. Really enjoy your videos. You chose well all beautiful 🌴 but my favourite is still trachycarpus wagnerianus more compact and stiffer leafs than standard trachycarpus

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Hi Egan and thanks for the comment, I do love a T.Wag particularly in a formal setting where they are genuinely fantastic, but (at least for me) the species has a wonderful primordial even prehistoric look to it, especially once mature for the more informal garden. That's just my opinion though. Kind regards, Simon

[@Sanchez96d]

Great video! I have the Pindo palm, they’ve done well in our area colder than that for years! Good picks . I really want a Jubea chilensis

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Love those Pindo palms! Jubeas are available around here, but only as massive specimens. Last time I looked they started at £600 but needed heavy equipment to move them around adding to the expense. Still want one though. Thanks for your comment. Kind regards Simon

[@keithomelvena2354]

Great video. I'm not in England, but sort of mid South Island NZ. Not toooo dissimilar climate wise. Trachycarpus does well but best in a damp shady spot. similar to where a ree fern would like. People make the mistake of, it's a palm, it really needs heat, but no, here hot also means dry and usually windy, which makes the tree look tatty and unattractive. Phoenix canariensis? Really big! pretty bomb proof. Some years ago, '90s? We had an unusually low temp. -8-9degC. Large established Phoenix got badly burnt, but survived. Problem is, it takes years to shed those damaged leaves. Wouldn't want those temperatures every year. -5-6 handles ok without damage. Chaemerops, haven't tried that one. There are specimens around, but personally I prefer the lusher looking palms. Butia? A favourite. Really tough. Doesn't mind the wind, although all palms do best sheltered when young. The fruit are delicious. I have both Jubaea and Washingtonia in 85litre pots and they are looking great. With cold conditions the length of freeze is as important as the depth. My garden gets down to -2 several days over winter and none of my palms have an issue, keeping them watered over summer more so and wind. Two mentions worth a crack. Livistona australis, like a pricklier, lusher, less hairy Trachy and Rhopalostylis sapida, doesn't like freezes, but grows well under the shelter of protective overstory. Oh yes, another I've tried outside, when it became too big for my hothouse, is Syagrus romanzoffiana. Now that really has serious tropical vibes. To my surprise, it overwintered like a champ.

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Wow, Keith, what a fantastic comment. So much great information in there. We really appreciate it. Plus, you have identified a couple of other palm species for us and others to consider. Great work. Kind regards Simon and Lorna

[@Fanpalmfan]

I live near Portland Oregon and here we can grow some of these palms too. The problem here is we have hot summers especially this summer it’s been over 30 C for the high temp most days. Had a few days over 36 already this summer. The other bigger problem is the cold rainy winter and the last few winters we had late winter snow ice storm. Last winter it was a pretty mild warm winter than we had a rare late March snow and ice storm. And a very rainy spring that flooded a lot of plants.

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Wow, that is a wide range of seasonal temperatures. It must be quite challenging to garden there. Thanks for your comment. Kind regards Simon

[@xdseba14]

Phoenix canariensis can survive only -5 deagre Celsius

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Hi there and thanks for getting in touch. As mentioned in my video, once they are mature, they will tolerate lower temperatures than that. Which is why they are so many mature specimens here in west Sussex. Temperatures went down to -7 Celsius in 2022, and they are all still here. You can check for them on google maps if you require further proof, but they are already featured in the video. Kind regards, Simon

[@EddyFeyen]

Well the only palm i would cold hardy is the trachy. The canarypalm i certainly NOT advice and call cold hardy. For me cold hardy means -15°C And sadly it's not all about temp but more moisture. But as you say, for the UK these maybe grow well as long as there is no wet and cold winter

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

HI Eddy, and thanks for getting in touch. I completely appreciate where you are coming from however the Royal Horticultural Society sets average winter hardy plants at between -5 to -10 degrees Celsius, cold winter hardy at -10 to -15 degrees Celsius, very cold winter hardy plants -15 to -20 etc and so on. So for the UK calling Canary Palms hardy is absolutely acceptable. Around where I live on the south coast, West Sussex, there are literally hundreds of these in peoples overfilling front and back gardens, the larger specimens of which have literally been here for decades. Winter temperature have been down as low a -8 degrees here which is fine for the mature plants but as I say in the video young plants can suffer cold stress at that temperature resulting in spear pull but will still survive. However, the -15 where you are is like to kill off any young plants before they are mature enough to cope. Great comment. KInd regards, Simon

[@leemaharg3788]

I've found the butias are more hardy than the pheonix canaries palms

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Yes, I agree with that. Simon

[@garymarshall1246]

You forgot the Butyagrus eriospatha

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Hi Gary, yes I agree. That is a great addition to the list. Thanks for getting in touch. Simon

[@mikej70]

Hardiest palm is the needle palm can take zone 6 5 below zero grows great in South New Jersey probably hardy to coastal Massachusetts However a small palm a shrub only 4 ft or so at full maturity but don't have to cover it . Takes freezing nights below 20 degrees regularly Keep out of wind protection mine by house. Even keeps growing yearound when it's. Milder. EUROPE MORE WARMER IN WINTER FARTHER NORTH BECAUSE OF GULF STREAM

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Hi Mike, you are correct. The needle palm is super hardy. I just don't like it, though. I think it's too messy, so I didn't include it in my top 5. However, Lorna does like it. But if I did a top 6 hardy palms.......!

[@mikej70]

@walkingtalkinggardeners Thanks! ! Can't grow as many here trying windmill and maybe european fan palm . Trying to grow a more trunked palm here the needle is small want something taller and tree sized. Finding any is difficult very rare at plant stores online but the shipping and prices $$$$

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

It's the same here, trachycarpus, and chamaerops are everywhere and well priced. Anything else is either too large to move without equipment, very expensive or just not available. It might just be a general lack of confidence or just a lack of knowledge in the garden retail industry. Simon

[@leemaharg3788]

And I would never ever try to grow a washie again ,I lost 5 washies and 5 pheonix canaries palms and would never get them again 😮

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

I'm sorry to hear you lost those plants, Lee. I think that other than the mildest regions of the UK it's not worth growing them. And even then they will need winter protection.

[@Slo-ryde]

The “ sabal minor”….needs no protection!

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Hi Slo-ryde, you've hit the nail right on the head with regards to cold tolerance. Sabal minor is a fantastic choice. Sadly it doesn't do well here in the UK as we don't have warm enough temperatures for it to put out much in the way of new fronds but for mediterranean regions this one is ideal. Thanks for adding this one to the list. Simon

[@haroonqureshi4481]

You are trying too hard. Keep it natural. You are trying to imitate tv presenters. Be your own person. Good informative video..not sure about the acting presenting skills 😂

[@walkingtalkinggardeners]

Hi Haroon, and thank you for your constructive feedback. That is always appreciated. Whilst this video is a bit old, my presenting style is pretty much still the same today. I am not familiar with other tv presenters who are doing the same as me, but I guess when you are working with one camera, you are limited as to what you can do. I have deliberately tried to present in a different way to the other guys on gardening channels to set myself apart. I am aware that not everyone will like it, but the information in the videos will always be thoroughly researched and correct to the best of my knowledge, which is arguably more important. I won't be able to please everyone all the time, but as long as I am enjoying it and the channel continues to grow strongly I will continue as is. Hopefully, it will improve as I do more. Consider watching one of my more recent videos for a comparison, and don't forget this is KZbin and not the BBC with its huge resources and training and budgets. It's just me in the garden with my phone. Best wishes, Simon

[@haroonqureshi4481]

@walkingtalkinggardeners hello mate. The fact you took the criticism well and took the time out to reply tells me your channel will do well as you are willing to listen. I watched the whole video and that's a big compliment. And you are right, that is the purpose of the video; to share your knowledge. Thanks for the video and keep posting