Hardy Palm trees in Tennessee. (Memphis: gardens, suburbs, yard)

[North 42]

How do you feel about people in Tennessee growing Hardy palms? There has been a lot of palms planted in the state in the last couple decades, with variable success. Do you feel they are out of place, or do you like the fact that they are being planted North of the Gulf coast states now? Personally, I love that palm enthusiasts are extending their range in many different regions.

[2mares]

Much better than Kudzu.

Cant say that I have noticed any in my area but I think it would be neat seeing Palm tress. I like seeing different, exotic plants.

Do they have any benefit to the wildlife in this area?

[North 42]

Ugh, we had a big patch of Kudzu that was found here a couple of years ago in Leamington along the Lake Erie lakefront embankment, the first time it was found in Canada. It completely covered the entire slope, but was eradicated, thank god!

Not sure if palms have any benefit to wildlife, except maybe their fruit.

[2mares]

Originally Posted by North 42

Ugh, we had a big patch of Kudzu that was found here a couple of years ago in Leamington along the Lake Erie lakefront embankment, the first time it was found in Canada. It completely covered the entire slope, but was eradicated, thank god!

Not sure if palms have any benefit to wildlife, except maybe their fruit.

Yeah, we call Kudzu the plant that ate the south.

Maybe I will try to plant some palms one day when I no longer have goats. The windmill palm would look neat planted by the pond.

[Memphis1979]

What many people don't understand, Palm trees are not native to North Florida, or other gulf coast states. Sago palms are native, but they are much smaller, like a palm bush then a tree.

Palm trees can grow in Tennessee, but you can't trim them like they do in Miami, because the outside shell helps insulate the tree in colder winter weather.

I see no issue with people planting palm trees here, if thats what floats your boat. Its not going to take over like Kudzu. Even in the forests of Florida there aren't palm trees, and sagos don't grow in super numerous amounts.

[Steve-o]

People grew some hardy palms in the Chicagoland area, and I found them to look nice, but just very out of place. But hey, its your lawn, you do with it what you want!

[southernnaturelover]

Originally Posted by Memphis1979

What many people don't understand, Palm trees are not native to North Florida, or other gulf coast states. Sago palms are native, but they are much smaller, like a palm bush then a tree.

Sago palms are not native (they're actually a cycad, not a palm).

Palms that are native to the southeast USA includes Sabal palms (Cabbage palm, Bluestem palm, Louisiana palm), Saw palmetto, and Needle Palm (probably most cold tolerant of native palms). Some of these are native up into the NC coast, and the Cabbage Palm is the SC state tree.

[Memphis1979]

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

Sago palms are not native (they're actually a cycad, not a palm).

Palms that are native to the southeast USA includes Sabal palms (Cabbage palm, Bluestem palm, Louisiana palm), Saw palmetto, and Needle Palm (probably most cold tolerant of native palms). Some of these are native up into the NC coast, and the Cabbage Palm is the SC state tree.

I didn't say they were native to Tennessee, I said native to north Florida, which can get as cold as it does in tennessee, so they can withstand cold

[southernnaturelover]

Sago palms are native to Japan. The Coontie is native to south FL which looks somewhat similar, but even the panhandle gets too cold for them.

The best palms for TN would be the Windmill Palm (native to China) or the Needle palm.

[beachmouse]

The most random sabal palm I've seen in a while was in someone's front yard on the walk between the Tube station and Kew Gardens in the suburbs of London, UK. That seemed far weirder than palm trees in Tennessee would be.