Quick few questions about palm tree cultivation in the continental United States, please answer (growing, palms)

[Isleofpalms85]

Hello

I was just wondering if anyone on here could answer a few questions about growing palm trees in the lower 48 States, so to be clear and concise, my questions are the following:

1. What is the furthest north that anybody has ever successfully grown the cold hardiest variety of palm tree?


2. Specifically, what is the furthest north into the continental interior of the lower 48 States that anyone has ever successfully grown palms(especially the hardiest cultivars)?

3. Last but not least, what are the major limitations and limiting factors that prevent gardeners from growing palm trees very far north/into the continental interior of the conterminous United States?

I am open to all useful and insightful opinions and information, all posts relating to this topic of discussion are welcome here.

[Hemlock140]

There are varieties of palm that can survive down to 5F, even bananas are grown here in the Seattle area. We have a local nursery specializing in hardy palms. You don't see them a lot, however, mostly because they just seem out of place in an area where there are so many evergreens. The location of this nursery averages about 35F in winter, but has been as low as 7F.



Palms Northwest

[PlantNerd]

I think something to consider when growing palms in certain areas is the native soil of the area you are trying to plant them in. For instance, if you have the temperature conditions necessary for the palm to survive... it won't work well with the wrong soil. Most palms do absolutely horrible in clay. This is sometimes why you find them more often near the coast

[2ner]

Next to a church I went to in Mt Vernon, VA (across the Potomac River from Washington, DC), there's a family that grows palm trees in front of their house. This is USDA horticultural zone 7a. They put wood around it in winter and wrap it with some kind of fabric. The palm trees have been there several years, but they never get looking big... just a few scrawny fronds at top. I think they are the palmetto palms like you see in coastal South Carolina, but I am not sure.

[JONOV]

The furthest north that I see them regularly is the top of Zone 9, Wilmington NC area in SE NC.

You see them further north in the Carolinas, but they never look as good.

[Ron61]

I used to see them growing along I-75 in South Georgia, not not any farther North.

[TreeZoo]

I have known people in the New York are that grow them in large containers on their patio. They put them away every Fall in a heated lighted garage and bring them back out in the spring.

Certain palms will grow outside all year in coastal Oregon and Washington and some will grow in protected areas on Long Island. In the country's interior, no way at those latitudes.