Some palms require a warm climate, while others are pretty hardy.
However, some palm varieties tolerate cold winters down to Zone 8 or lower.
It is native to Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
This will protect it from the chill of winter winds.
This gives the palm 5 to 6 months to grow before cooler weather returns.
Do not plant a palm in hot or dry seasons, as this puts stress on the young tree.
If the heart cracks or shatters, your palm could experience stunted growth or even die.
Bracing Your Palm Tree
Palm trees need support after planting.
Securely nail the braces into the small pieces of woodnever nail directly into the palm.
At the bottom of each brace, insert a 2x4 stake into the ground to nail the brace into.
Leave the braces in place for one year or until the palm has reestablished sufficient roots to stay anchored.
Palm Tree Care Tips
Palm trees are low- to no-maintenance once they are established.
Care consists of irrigation, mulching, minor pruning, and occasional fertilization.
Light
Some palm trees require a lot of sun, while others do fine in less light.
Use mulchto retain moisture and keep out weeds.
As the mulch breaks down, it will enrich the soil around the palm.
New palms should also be watered frequently to help them form more roots.
Field-grown palms especially need extra watering because these trees have had their roots pruned.
The watering needs depend on the key in of palm.
In the second week, deeply water the palm every other day.
In the third week, switch to watering three times a week.
Established palms only need to be watered two to three times per week if there is no rain.
Temperature and Humidity
Warm temperatures and humidity are not a problem for the majority of palms.
The bigger concern for these trees is protection from cold snaps and unseasonable temperature drops.
Palm species vary greatly in their sensitivity to cold.
Take cold-sensitive potted palms indoors before freezing temperatures arrive.
Fertilizer
Give your palm two to four weeks to acclimate to your garden before applying any fertilizer.
Pruning
Pruning palm treesis quite simple.
Remove dead fronds and old fruit stems.
Use a hand pruner for smaller palms and a sharp pruning saw for larger leaf stems.
When removing a frond, cut it as close to the trunk as possible.
The remaining base will eventually fall off, but it may take several years.
Potting and Repotting Palm Trees
For containers, select a slow-growing, small variety.
Potted palms that are kept outdoors will need to be watered more frequently than other outdoor plants.
Potted palms may need repotting every two to three years.
Repotting should be done in spring or early summer.
You should be cautious with weed-control products, especially on new palm trees.
This may result in brown leaf spots, browning foliage, deformed new growth, and death.
It’s a good idea to hand-pull weeds until the palm is more stable and grown.
It’s commonly grown for its decorative properties, not its fruit.
A smaller variety, the pygmy date palm, has a bushy growth habit.
Its tall, slender trunks resemble bamboo.
When grown in the sun, it has a blue-silver tint to its fronds.
A mature palm, 20 years or older, has beautiful white fragrant flowers in the summer.
Palm fronds are used for thatched roofs for outdoor living spaces.
They are also woven into floor mats, wall hangings, and baskets.
Palm oil is used in everything from soap to cooking.
Palm wax is used to make candles.
The only native plant to Hawaii is the loulou palm (Pritchardia hillebrandii).
