Coastal Virginia isn’t an area of the country most of us associate with tropical gardens, but one can achieve that look with hardy palms. Several have a reliable track record of growing well in this area even with our occasional big drops in winter temperatures. What’s more, some don’t even need winter protection.
European fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) is one of only two palms native to Europe, its native range extending from southern Spain down into North Africa and over to Italy. It is very drought tolerant once established and can take temperatures briefly as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a shrub like, clumping palm, but it can be trained to a single trunk by removing any suckers that arise from its base. It is slow growing and rarely gets above 10 feet tall. It is considered hardy to USDA zone 8, which includes most of coastal Virginia, but some protection is recommended the farther north and west you garden.
Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) is one of the most cold-tolerant palms, able to withstand temperatures as low as zero for short periods. Native to the coastal margins of the southeastern United States, it is considered hardy all the way to USDA 6b, but some intrepid gardeners have successfully grown it in zone 5b. It gets its common name from the 6-inch, needle-like spines produced at the base of its leaf stalks. This is a trunkless palm with a mature size of 3 to 6 feet tall and 4 to 8 feet wide, functioning more as an evergreen shrub in the landscape. Its bold foliage makes it a great foundation plant or textural accent in part shade, especially in winter.
Dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor) comes closest to being native for us, growing from northeastern North Carolina to Texas. It is also very cold tolerant, down to zero. Although it is shrubby, its large, bold foliage clearly lets you know that this plant is indeed a palm. It typically reaches about 6 feet tall and wide (or more), and its tough constitution makes it easy to grow in sun to part shade, wet or dry soil.
Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto) is the state tree of South Carolina and Florida. The taller sibling to the dwarf palmetto, it gets 20 to 30 feet high (or more) with a well-defined trunk. Sabal palmetto is native to the United States from southern North Carolina to Florida. Although it is considered hardy to zone 8a and can take temperatures as low as 15, many cabbage palms have not survived our colder winters, frustrating many palm enthusiasts.
Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) is one of the most common hardy palms, capable of withstanding winters in USDA zone 7 or higher, making it a great choice for coastal Virginia. Its exact native range is unknown because it has been cultivated for centuries in China and Japan for its coarse and strong leaf fiber, but it is believed to be native to central and eastern China and southern Japan. Windmill palm has a compact crown, fitting for smaller gardens, and a mature height of 20 to 40 feet. It has a well-defined trunk, good for gardeners who want a more treelike palm.
Even in the colder climate of coastal Virginia, gardeners can enjoy the tropical flair that hardy palms can bring to the landscape. A warm breeze rustling through bold foliage might just transport you to someplace more exotic.
Wild Green Yonder is a monthly feature from the staff at Norfolk Botanical Garden, where Michelle Baudanza is the Perry Conservatory curator. Gardening questions can be sent to askaplantquestion@nbgs.org.
