Palm trees (Palmae) belong to the palm-like family (Arecales). They are among the first known plants and are now the symbol of vacation, sun, beach and sea. More and more hobby gardeners are getting a holiday feeling and a piece of the Mediterranean way of life with a palm tree in their garden, on the balcony or the terrace. But which species are suitable for Central European regions? Are there even hardy palm trees? We present eleven suitable varieties and provide care tips.
Hardy Palms
If you have a palm tree in your garden, you will not only be confronted with admiring looks from neighbors and guests, but also repeatedly with questions about the care of the impressive plants. The question is often asked whether the palm tree is winter and frost-resistant, because the Central European climate differs significantly from that of the original palm regions.
Winter or frost hardy
Again and again the terms "frost hardy" and "winter hardy" are used identically. However, that is not correct.
Frost hardy means that a plant has no problems with the usual winter temperatures in Germany. Even temperatures down to -40 °C do not bother frost-hardy plants. Only long-lasting permanent frosts can damage these plants. However, frost-hardy plants cannot cope well with changing temperatures and moisture. The usual Central European winter weather means an enormous challenge for frost-hardy plants.
Hardy plants, on the other hand, have no problems with the typical German winter with fluctuating temperatures and the usual bad weather.
Winter hardiness is a stronger indicator than frost hardiness. When choosing a palm tree for your garden, pay attention to its winter hardiness.
Tips for winter protection
Many palm trees benefit from additional winter protection. Even a carefully chosen location can help to get palm trees through the cold season unscathed.
- Choose a sheltered spot close to home.
- Before winter sets in, loosely tie the palm fronds together with rope. In addition, it is recommended to stuff sisal or straw between the fronds.
- Protect the plant by putting a jute sack over it. Wrapping it in garden fleece also protects against the cold.
- Heap the plant with bark mulch and brushwood. An extra shovel of palm soil also helps strengthen you before the frost.
- Wrap the palm trunk with fleece.
Hardy palms down to -25 °C
Palm trees from A - B
Blue Hesperid Palm (Brahea armata)
The Blue Hesperid Palm comes from Central America. The decorative umbrella palm with the blue-green palm fronds does well in low temperatures.
- Winter protection from -8 °C
- Hardy to -10 °C
Look
- umbrella palm
- silvery shimmering blue-green palm fronds covered with thorns
- Leaves with a waxy coating
- stiff fan fronds with up to 80 individual leaves
- Height up to 15 meters
location
- Pot and outdoor planting possible
- no houseplant
- very bright and sunny
- keep moderately moist in winter
Blue Needle Palm (Trithrinax)
The blue needle palm is one of the particularly robust species. Because it comes from the dry forest regions of Argentina. This palm inspires everyone who loves something special. The hard, blue-grey, silvery shimmering needles give it something mystical.
- Winter protection from -11 °C
- Hardy to -15 °C
Look
- Stem encased in dense, hard needles
- hard, metal-like leaves with a blue-grey coloration
- prickly leaf tips
- taproots growing vertically downwards
- Height up to 7 meters
location
- Pot and outdoor planting possible
- very sunny
- do not water in winter
- Slowly acclimate potted plants to the sun in spring
Blue dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera)
The blue dwarf palm comes from Morocco. It forms several trunks and a beautiful compact crown over the course of its life. The bluish leaves then gave this palm species its name.
The blue dwarf palm inspires its owners every year with flowers from which seeds can then be obtained.
- Winter protection from -8 °C
- Hardy to -15 °C
Look
- dense crown
- Leaves shimmering bluish
- older specimens form several trunks
- slow growing
- Height up to 5 meters
- Crown can reach a diameter of up to 1.5 meters
location
- Pot and outdoor planting possible
- sunniest spot in the garden recommended
- no additional watering required for specimens in the field
Palm trees from C - G
Chinese Hemp Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)
Another hardy, robust and easy-care palm species is the Chinese hemp palm. Its positive properties and decorative appearance paved the way for it to enter German front gardens.
- Winter protection from -12 °C
- Hardy to -18 °C
Look
- trunk covered with soft fibers
- large, bushy crown with many leaves
- Leaves light and dark green
- Height up to 10 meters
- Crown can reach a diameter of up to three meters
location
- Pot or outdoor planting possible
- partially shaded to very sunny
- water sufficiently
Rock palm (Brahea dulcis)
The rock palm makes hardly any demands on the soil. Because it thrives in the nature of Central America on rocky, nutrient-poor soil. What is striking is the thick root tuber of this palm species, from which the leaves grow.
- Winter protection from -5 °C
- Hardy to -8 °C
Look
- thick root tuber
- multi-stemmed
- Sheets with blue coating
- Height up to 5 meters
location
- Pot and outdoor planting possible
- semi-shady to sunny
- keep moderately moist in winter
tip: Rock palms are rarely offered on the German market. However, you can buy seeds and with a little skill you can grow palm trees of this decorative exotic species yourself.
Jelly Palm (Butia capitata)
The jelly palm comes from Brazil and Uruguay. Their leaf fronds, which are turned downwards, turn blue, green or gray depending on the sunlight. The palm owes its name to its sweet fruits, which are often processed into jelly in their homeland.
- Winter protection from -7 °C
- Hardy to -11 °C
Look
- Leaves turned down
- leaf color blue-green
- Petioles with thorny tips
- Height up to 6 meters
location
- Pot and outdoor planting possible
- bright and very sunny
- keep moderately moist in winter
Palm trees from H - N
Hemp palm Manipur (Trachycarpus sp. Manipur)
The Manipur hemp palm comes from the Indian region of Manipur. However, it is also considered to be particularly frost-resistant. The palm species is related to the Chinese hemp palm.
- Winter protection from -18 °C
- Hardy to -25 °C
Look
- dense crown
- Leaves with silvery shimmering undersides
- large palm fronds
- Height up to 20 meters
- Krone can reach a diameter of up to 1.5 meters
location
- Pot and outdoor planting also possible
- sunny
Indian banana (Asimina triloba)
The Indian banana is also known as the three-lobed papau. The particularly hardy palm comes from North America. Their fruits are harvested in October and are considered a delicacy.
- Winter protection from -15 °C
- Hardy to -25 °C
Look
- shrubby growth
- often multi-stemmed
- brown-red flowers that smell unpleasant
- the flowers form bundles of up to 7 fruits
- Height up to 5 meters
- Krone can reach a diameter of 2.5 meters
location
- Pot or outdoor planting possible
- young plants in the shade to semi-shade
- older plants also sunny
Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)
A particularly decorative, cold-resistant variety is the needle palm. However, this palm tree is very expensive. Because for a plant several hundred euros are quickly due.
- Winter protection from -16 °C
- Hardy to -25 °C
Look
- short trunk with spines
- powerful crest with fan-shaped leaves
- The tops of the leaves are intense green, while the undersides of the leaves shimmer silvery
- older specimens form several trunks
- slow growing
- Height up to 2.5 meters
location
- Can be kept in pots, but outdoor planting is recommended
- very sunny
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Palm trees from P - W
Palmetto Palm (Sabal palmetto)
An impressive, exotic type of palm is the palmetto palm. The eye-catching fan palm attracts everyone's attention. The easy-care and hardy palm tree is also well suited for beginners.
- Winter protection from -8 °C
- Hardy to -14 °C
Look
- fan palm
- spreading crown with large leaves
- but thin trunk
- reaches heights of up to 25 meters in nature, but in our latitudes it grows to a maximum of 10 meters
- the crown can reach a diameter of up to 6 meters
location
- also bucket maintenance possible
- Due to its size, outdoor planting is recommended
- sunny
- water a lot
Sabal palmetto
Wagner's hemp palm (Trachycarpus wagnerianus)
This hemp palm is one of the undemanding varieties and is particularly suitable for beginners.
- Winter protection from -12 °C
- Hardy to -18 °C
Look
- trunk covered with soft fibers
- small crown with rich green leaves
- Height up to 5 meters
- Krone can reach a diameter of 2.5 meters
location
- Pot or outdoor planting possible
- semi-shady to sunny
- water sufficiently
tip: The temperatures that a palm tree can withstand in winter also depend on its age. Young palm trees are less cold-resistant than old ones. It is therefore advisable to first cultivate the young specimens in a bucket and to bring them to a sheltered location in winter. After three to five years, hardy varieties can then be planted outdoors.