Types of Palm Trees for US Yards

The right palm tree for your yard comes down to two numbers: the coldest winter night you get and the space the palm will fill in 15 years. In USDA zones 7 and 8, only a handful of cold-hardy palms such as needle palm, windmill palm and dwarf palmetto survive reliably. Zone 9 opens up Mediterranean fan, pindo, cabbage and California fan palms. Zones 10 and 11, mostly South Florida, coastal Southern California, south Texas and Hawaii, can grow almost anything, including royal, foxtail, Christmas and coconut palms. Below are 16 common landscape palms sorted by hardiness and size, with notes on what each does well and where it goes wrong.

Part of our Trees & Shrubs guide →

In this guide

1. Palm Trees at a Glance
2. Cold-Hardy Palms (Zones 6b–8)
3. Medium and Large Palms for Zones 8–9
4. Tropical Palms (Zones 10–11)
5. Palm Look-Alikes That Are Not True Palms
6. How to Choose the Right Palm
7. Planting and Feeding Palms
8. Protecting Palms in a Freeze
9. Frequently Asked Questions

Palm Trees at a Glance

Palm	USDA zones	Mature height	Form
Needle palm	6b–10	3–6 ft	Clumping shrub
Dwarf palmetto	7–10	4–6 ft	Trunkless clump
Windmill palm	7b–11	10–25 ft	Single trunk
Mediterranean fan palm	8–11	6–15 ft	Clumping
Pindo (jelly) palm	8b–11	15–20 ft	Single, stout
Cabbage palm	8–11	30–50 ft	Single trunk
California fan palm	9–11	40–60 ft	Single, thick
Mexican fan palm	9–11	70–100 ft	Single, slender
Canary Island date palm	9–11	40–60 ft	Single, massive
Queen palm	9b–11	30–50 ft	Single trunk
Bismarck palm	10–11	30–60 ft	Single, wide crown
Pygmy date palm	10–11	6–10 ft	Single or clustered
Christmas palm	10–11	15–25 ft	Single or double
Foxtail palm	10–11	20–30 ft	Single trunk
Royal palm	10b–11	50–80 ft	Single, columnar
Coconut palm	10b–11	40–80 ft	Single, often leaning

Zone ranges are typical for established plants in the ground. Young palms are always more tender than mature ones, and a wet, windy freeze is harder on them than a dry, still one at the same temperature. For broader advice on matching trees to your site, see our trees and shrubs guide.

Cold-Hardy Palms (Zones 6b–8)

These are the palms for the mid-Atlantic, the upper South, the Pacific Northwest and protected spots further north. They grow slowly and tolerate frost, and they are the only realistic in-ground palms outside the Gulf Coast and the Southwest.

Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)

Usually rated the hardiest palm in the world, the needle palm is a native of the Southeast that forms a dense, shrubby clump 3 to 6 feet tall and as wide. Its name comes from sharp needles around the trunk base, so keep it away from paths. It grows in sun or deep shade, tolerates wet soil, and established plants have survived well below 0°F with some leaf damage. It is the best choice for a tropical look under deciduous trees in zone 7.

Dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor)

Another Southeast native, dwarf palmetto typically has no visible trunk and sends up stiff blue-green fans 4 to 6 feet tall. It handles clay, flooding and part shade, and is hardy into the single digits or lower once established. It is excellent in woodland edges, rain gardens and foundation beds where a full-size palm would be too big.

Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)

The windmill palm is the palm you see in Seattle, Virginia Beach and Nashville courtyards. It has a single slender trunk wrapped in hairy brown fiber and a compact head of fan leaves, reaching 10 to 25 feet over many years. Established plants handle roughly 5°F, with protection helping in colder snaps. It prefers part shade in hot climates and shelter from drying winter wind. Its narrow crown, about 6 to 10 feet wide, makes it a good palm for small yards and near patios.

Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis)

A clumping palm with several short trunks and stiff fan leaves, often silvery in the variety cerifera. It stays 6 to 15 feet tall, handles drought once established, and is hardy into the low teens or upper single digits. It suits zone 8 gardens in Texas, the Carolinas and the Pacific Northwest, and works well in large containers that can be moved to shelter.

Medium and Large Palms for Zones 8–9

Pindo or jelly palm (Butia capitata, B. odorata)

Pindo palm has gracefully arching, feather-type blue-gray fronds on a stout trunk, slowly reaching 15 to 20 feet with a crown nearly as wide. It is hardy into the low teens, which makes it popular from coastal South Carolina to north Florida and inland Texas. The orange fruit is edible and used for jelly, but it drops heavily, so keep it away from driveways and pools.

Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto)

The state tree of both Florida and South Carolina, the cabbage palm is tough, salt-tolerant and hurricane-resistant, reaching 30 to 50 feet with a rounded head of costapalmate fans. It is usually transplanted as a large trunk with its fronds tied up, and it is one of the few palms that can be moved at size with a small root ball. Plant it in zones 8 to 11 along coasts, highways and commercial landscapes where wind is a concern.

California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera)

The native palm of Southwest desert oases has a thick gray trunk and a skirt of dead fronds that hangs down if not trimmed. It grows 40 to 60 feet and handles desert heat, alkaline soil and cold in the upper teens. It is a classic in Phoenix, Las Vegas and inland California, but it needs room and annual skirt removal in most residential settings, partly because dead fronds are a fire and rodent concern.

Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta)

Closely related but much taller and thinner, the Mexican fan palm shoots up fast to 70 or even 100 feet. Its height puts the crown far above a house, which looks dramatic on a Los Angeles boulevard and awkward in a quarter-acre lot. Trimming tall specimens requires a professional with a lift or climbing gear. It is slightly less cold-hardy than the California fan.

Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis)

A massive, slow-growing palm with a trunk up to 3 feet thick and a crown of arching feather fronds 30 to 40 feet across. It is spectacular as a single specimen on a large property in zones 9 to 11. The frond bases carry long, sharp spines. In Florida it is susceptible to diseases including Fusarium wilt and lethal bronzing, so buy from a reputable nursery and sterilize pruning tools between palms.

Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)

Queen palm grows quickly to 30 to 50 feet with soft, plumy feather fronds, and it is one of the most planted palms in Florida and Southern California. It is cold-sensitive below the mid-20s and very prone to manganese and potassium deficiency in sandy alkaline soil, which shows up as frizzled or yellow fronds. It has also spread outside cultivation in parts of Florida, so check your county’s invasive plant guidance before planting.

Tropical Palms (Zones 10–11)

If frost is rare where you live, these palms give the strongest tropical look. Plant them in zone 9b only in protected microclimates, and expect losses in a severe freeze.

Pygmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii)

A small, fine-textured palm 6 to 10 feet tall, often sold as a single trunk or planted as two or three trunks together. It is one of the best palms for entries, pool decks and large containers. It has sharp spines at the frond bases and is prone to potassium deficiency in sandy soil.

Christmas palm (Adonidia merrillii)

Named for clusters of bright red fruit that ripen in winter, the Christmas palm is self-cleaning (old fronds fall on their own), stays 15 to 25 feet, and has a smooth gray trunk. It is a good medium palm for South Florida yards and is often planted in doubles or triples. It is susceptible to lethal yellowing in some areas.

Foxtail palm (Wodyetia bifurcata)

Foxtail palm is named for its bushy, plume-like fronds. It reaches 20 to 30 feet, is self-cleaning, and handles full sun and moderate salt spray. It is a favorite for lining driveways in zone 10 and is more tolerant of neglect than royal palms.

Bismarck palm (Bismarckia nobilis)

The silver-blue fans of a Bismarck palm can each be 10 feet across, and the crown spreads 15 to 20 feet. It is drought-tolerant once established and makes an unmissable focal point, but it is wider than many people expect and needs a large open space away from the house.

Royal palm (Roystonea regia)

With a smooth, concrete-gray trunk and a glossy green crownshaft, the royal palm reaches 50 to 80 feet and is the classic avenue palm of South Florida. Each shed frond is large and heavy, so do not plant it where falling fronds could hit cars, roofs or people. It needs regular water and fertilizer to look its best.

Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera)

Coconut palms grow only in the warmest parts of the US, mainly South Florida, the Keys and Hawaii. They reach 40 to 80 feet, often with a picturesque lean. Falling coconuts are a genuine hazard, so homeowners frequently have them de-nutted each year. Choose varieties sold as resistant to lethal yellowing where that disease is present.

Palm Look-Alikes That Are Not True Palms

Sago palm (Cycas revoluta) is a cycad, not a palm, hardy in zones 8 to 11 and toxic to pets if eaten; see our sago palm care guide. Ponytail palm is a succulent relative of agave, and yucca and cordyline are also often sold with “palm” in the name. They can give a palm-like look in places true palms cannot grow.

How to Choose the Right Palm

• Confirm your zone and your worst freeze. Pick a palm rated at least half a zone colder than you are if you want it to survive a bad winter.
• Measure the space at maturity. Keep large palms at least 10 to 15 feet from the house and away from power lines. Fronds and fruit fall.
• Decide on trunk form. Clumping types (needle, Mediterranean fan) screen views; single-trunk types frame entries and line drives.
• Check maintenance. Self-cleaning palms drop old fronds; others need annual trimming, which is a professional job above about 15 feet.
• Think about salt and soil. Coastal sites need salt-tolerant palms such as cabbage palm and coconut; alkaline sandy soils need a palm-specific fertilizer program.

Planting and Feeding Palms

Plant palms in late spring or early summer when soil is warm, which is when their roots grow fastest. Set the root ball at the same depth it grew in the nursery; burying the trunk deeper invites rot and nutrient problems. Water every day or two for the first few weeks, then taper to a deep soak once or twice a week through the first summer. Avoid nailing braces into the trunk, since wounds never heal on a palm.

Palms have different nutrient needs from turf. Lawn fertilizers high in nitrogen near palms can worsen potassium deficiency, which shows up as yellow-orange spotting on the oldest fronds. Use a slow-release palm fertilizer with potassium, magnesium and micronutrients, applied about three times a year in the growing season. Our roundup of the best palm tree fertilizers compares the main options. Never cut off yellowing but still partly green lower fronds; the palm is pulling nutrients from them, and removing them speeds the deficiency.

Protecting Palms in a Freeze

When a hard freeze is forecast, water the soil a day ahead (moist soil holds heat better), tie fronds up around the bud and wrap the trunk and crown with frost cloth. In zones 7 and 8, a string of incandescent-style holiday lights inside the wrap adds a few degrees. After a freeze, wait until warm weather returns before cutting damaged fronds. A palm with a healthy new spear leaf emerging from the center will usually recover; if the spear pulls out easily and smells rotten, apply a copper fungicide to the bud and wait.