Source for Palm Trees. Palm Types, Pictures and Palm care resources are detailed here.
Palm Tree Care - Frequently Asked Questions. The questions address how to care for your Palm Trees, how to plant your Palm Tree, select a cold hardy Palm Tree for your cold hardy winter environment and additional information about care of cold hardy Palm Trees.



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Palm Tree Care - Frequently Asked Questions

Palm Tree Care is unique, The Palm Tree typically grows in warmer environments. That being said, we can still grow Palm Trees in cooler environments. The following questions provide tips to care for your Palms.

  • How do I care for my Palm Tree?
  • What Palm Tree should I choose?
  • How do I plant my new Palm Tree?
  • What is the difference between Clear Wood and Clear Trunk?
  • Can I really grow Palm Trees where I live?
  • What do the USDA zone numbers mean?
  • How do I get a Palm Tree established in a "borderline" area?
  • What are some other cold hardy Palms Trees?

    • Palms in the North

    Q:

    Palm Tree Care - How do I care for my Palm Tree?


    A:

    Homeowners are presented with unique challenges when caring for Palm Trees.  To maintain healthy and prosperous Palms, it is essential to understand these challenges and to obtain the tools necessary to overcome them.

    Common Problems With Palm Trees

    The most important factor for a healthy Palm Tree is good soil.  The type of soil determines how much nutrients and water the plant receives.  As a homeowner, the best contribution you can make to your Palm Tree's soil is the addition of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi.

    Another vital component of Palm Tree care is proper fertilization.  Palm Trees require specially formulated fertilizers that answer to very specific conditions.

    Palms in the North
    Q:

    Palm Tree Care - What Palm should I choose?


    A:
    Palm Tree Store
    In general, four factors should be considered when choosing a Palm Tree for your property. The first factor is the size of the tree at maturity. Remember that little Palm for sale at a local nursery might reach a height of 50 feet or more as an adult tree overpowering the rest of your property, interfering with overhead lines and underground conduits and perhaps, threatening buildings if the tree is planted too nearby. Make sure that the size of your Palm at maturity is in keeping with your needs and overall landscape design.

    The second factor is temperature . Most types of Palm Tree will not tolerate freezing weather and even a short bout of frost may weaken a tree and leave it vulnerable to insects and disease. In some areas of Arizona or California, for example, the climate is simply too severe for successful Palm growth. Check with your local nursery or tree expert for advice if you're unsure about growing conditions in your area.

    The fourth factor is sunlight . Not all varieties of Palm Tree are equally sun tolerant. Some varieties, in fact, prefer shady conditions to full exposure. Keep this in mind when thinking of the kind of Palm Tree that would be best for you.

    The final factor is water . While Palm Trees have long been associated with desert conditions, in the wild, they are only found near abundant and continuous supplies of water. If you are thinking about planting a Palm Tree on your property, make sure that the tree will receive adequate water and be prepared to water a newly transplanted tree frequently while it acclimatizes.

    Palms in the North
    Q:

    Palm Tree Care - How do I Plant my Palm Tree?


    A:

    Planting a Palm Tree

    Planting Palm Trees is similar, in most ways, to planting other kinds of trees. Nursery-grown Palms are generally sold either potted or balled and burlapped. Try to plant your tree shortly after purchase. If there is going to be any time lag between purchase and planting, make sure that the tree's root ball is kept moist but not soaking. When transporting and handling Palm Trees, use care. The bark is easily damaged and damaged areas leave the tree vulnerable to insects and fungus. The best time of year to plant is during the warmer months when the soil temperature is at least 65 degrees F.

    Dig a hole wide enough to fit the root ball with plenty of room to spare. Twice as wide might be a good rule of thumb in many cases. The hole should be just deep enough so that the tree is planted at the depth at which it was grown. Do not plant the tree any deeper as this may deprive the roots of nutrients and water. When the tree has been situated in the hole, backfill with the freshly dug soil.

    When the Palm Tree has been planted, build a soil barrier around the circumference of the hole to form a dam that will hold water. Then lay down a layer of organic mulch around the tree. About three inches deep should do.

    Frequent watering is crucial for newly-planted Palm Trees. Daily for about the first two weeks and then tapering off over several months as the tree establishes itself. Use a bubbler or arrange a hose to slow soak the area around the tree. It is important not to allow the soil to dry out as this will severely weaken your new Palm.

    Palm Trees also require periodic fertilizer applications. There are commercial mixes available especially for Palms.

    Palms in the North
    Q:

    Palm Tree Care - What is the difference between Clear Wood and Clear Trunk?


    A:
    		 Clear Wood (C.W.) is a measurement from the base of the nut or bell (the natural appearing section at the top of the trunk just below the fronds) to ground level. Clear Trunk (C.T.) is a measurement from the base of the live fronds to ground level.

    Palms in the North
    Q:

    Can I really grow Palms where I live?

    A:
    		 Palm Tree Care - Palms are grown all over the world. Canada serves a Northern reference point and many types of Palm Trees can grow there. The main factors affecting hardiness are the minimum winter temperature, the number of hours of cold every winter, the amount of heat every summer, and the relative wetness or dryness of the climate. In general, Palms are not particularly hardy. Many are actually injured by a single freezing night. Others can withstand zero degrees F for short periods without damage.

    Palms in the North
    Q:

    What do the USDA zone numbers mean?

    A:
    		 The U.S. Department of Agriculture has developed a system of cold hardiness zones based on the average annual minimum temperature. The zones that we are most concerned with are these:

    -10 to -5° F = Zone 6a
     -5 to  0° F = Zone 6b
      0 to +5° F = Zone 7a
     +5 to 10° F = Zone 7b
     10 to 15° F = Zone 8a
     15 to 20° F = Zone 8b
     20 to 25° F = Zone 9a
     25 to 30° F = Zone 9b

    Palms in the North
    Q:

    Palm Tree Care - How do I get a Palm established in a "borderline" area?

    A:
    		 Palm Tree Care - Most hardy Palm growers recommend protecting the palm from the climate for at least the first two years that it is in the ground. The Palm should be mulched with a deep layer of fall leaves or other material. The Palm can then be wrapped in burlap, bubble plastic, a spun landscape material such as "remay" or "garden blanket," or even an old sheet or blanket. If you use a non-porous material such as plastic, it is best if air space is left between the Palm and the material. This air space may not be needed if you only protect the Palm during cold spells.

    Palms in the North
    Q:

    Palm Tree Care - What are some other hardy palms?

    A:
    Palm Tree Store
    Palm Tree Care - The hardiest arborescent (trunking) palm is the Windmill Palm -  Trachycarpus fortunei. These are grown as far north as parts of British Columbia in Canada. They have a fuzzy trunk which can grow twenty feet tall. They do not need a hot climate, and seem to thrive in cool, moist weather.

    Sabal palmetto (Sabal palm, Cabbage palm) is the state tree of Florida and South Carolina. It has been known to survive between zero and +5° F when well-established. It cannot survive these temperatures on a regular basis, and is probably best rated as zone 8a. It is a large Fan Palm which takes many years to form a trunk. It can be found in the wild as far north as Bald Head Island, North Carolina, near Wilmington.

    Palm Tree Care - Chamaerops humilis (European fan palm/Mediterranean fan palm) is quite hardy in areas which have a dry climate. It is usually rated as a "zone 8" palm. In areas with wet winter soil (like the eastern U.S. and the Pacific Northwest) it seems to be less hardy. Planting this Palm in a well-drained bed (such as a bed prepared for a cactus garden) may help it survive in these areas.

    Washingtonia robusta, Washingtonia filifera, and Brahea armata are western desert Palms which are fairly hardy in their native environment (zone 8, zone 9a)

    Phoenix canariensis is a large Date Palm which can grow in zone 8b areas.

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    		 Palms in the North