Palms For Very Cold Weather With Definite Freezes (24 to 28 degrees F.)

All those palms in the previous two groups.  Please note that this group is quite large.  All species that apply here will not be included, but I shall list many to give you some ideas of the nicest species possible.

Acanthophoenix crinita: 
A new introduction.  A spiny single trunked pinnate palm that gets to about 12 to 18 feet and is fast growing.  Tolerates about 27 degrees and likes strong filtered light or full sun.

Acrocomia species including totai and aculeate:  
These spiny single trunk palms will take a freeze and go down to about 28 degrees.  They like sun and a lot of room.

Allogoptera arenaria:   
A small, suckering, pinnate palm for full sun.  It will tolerate some salt exposure and in habitat grows near the ocean.  Will tolerate to 28 degrees.

Archontophoenix cunninghamiana: 
 The King Palm is crown shafted, single trunk with pinnate leaves.  It tolerates down to 24 or 26 degrees.  It is quick growing and like morning or full sun.

Archontophoenix maxima (walsh river): 
Similar to the King Pam with a new reddish leaf and silverish discoloration on the back of the leaves.  A real beauty!  Cold tolerance to about 28 degrees.

Archonotphoenix myolensis: 
Another variety of Archontophoenix with a different colored crownshaft (purple green) and similar cold tolerance to the maxima.  It also has droopy leaflets.

Archontophoenix purpurea (purple crown shaft, Mt. Lewis): 
A very nice palm that will take down to about 28 degrees with a purple crown shaft at maturity.  Tolerates full sun or possible AM sun.

Arenga pinnata:  
A large single trunk pinnate palm with silver underside of the leaflets and a fibrous material on the trunk.  Needs room and strong filtered sun, working its way into sun. 

Bismarckia nobilis: 
 A great palm!  Silver colored leaves if you buy the silver form.  Single trunk with a moderately large trunk.  Very striking.  Takes down to about 27 or 28 degrees.

Brahea moorei:  
A small, single trunk fan palm that takes down to about 26 to 28 degrees.  Unlike other Braheas, this ones very small and like filtered light.

Burretiokentia hapala:   
A strikingly beautiful single-turnked pinnate palm from New Caledonia with interesting colors at the base of the leaves.  A great palm for So Cal.  Size is about 25 feet when mature.  It likes filtered light or AM sun.

Calamus species, various:  
There are various species of these typically suckering, spiny palms that can take 28 degrees.  All prefer filtered light and need room to do their thing.

Caryota gigas:  
This is a very nice large, single trunked fishtail palm that has interesting leaflets with blackish color to the trunk and fiber of the trunk.  Medium grower but will get very tall.  Likes sun.  this might approach the cold tolerance of C. urens, but will certainly take down to 27 degrees.

Caryota mitis:  
A suckering fishtail that is not quite as cold tolerant as other species, but will take 28 degrees.  It prefers bright filtered light and gets to about 20 feet if well grown.

Caryota ochlandra:
Probably a variant of urens, but slower growing.  It takes down to about 26 degrees.  Single trunk and for sun.

Ceroxylon alpinum:  A tall, thin trunked pinnate palm like the other Ceroxylon, can tolerate full sun, likes humidity and can take down to 28 degrees.

Ceroxylon quindiuense: 
Taller than C. alpinum with droopy leaflets.  Can tolerate sun if it works its way into the sun.  Likes humidity.  Moderate growth rate.  Takes to about 27 to 28 degrees.

Chamaedorea costaricana: 
  A great suckering pinnate palm that gets to about 14 feet and will tolerate filtered light and temperatures to about 26 degrees.  A mainstay of a tropical garden.

Chamaedorea fragrans:   
A suckering simple leaf palm that does best in filtered light and gets to about 10 feet.  Very rare and hard to find.  Will take to about 26 degrees. 

Chamaedorea klotzschiana:   
A unique single trunk palm that gets to about 10 feet and has grouped leaflets.  Will take about 27 degrees and looks best in shade or filtered light.

Chamaedorea metallica: 
A cute small single trunk, simple leaf palm with a metallic sheen to the leaves.  Takes down to 26 degrees.  Looks best in the shade.

Chamaedorea plumose: 
A great single trunked fluffy pinnate palm that gets surprising tall at about 20 feet.  Similar to the C. glaucifolia but more cold hardy and will take full sun.  Hardy to 28 degrees.  

Chamaedorea microspadix:
A cute suckering, pinnate palm that gets to about 8 feet, likes filtered light, and tolerates down to 26 degrees.  Has beautiful orange-red fruit and is easy to grow.  Makes a nice houseplant.

Chamaedorea tepejilote: 
A great, stately Chamaedorea with thick trunks and prominent rings.  It has long pinnate leaves and demands shade or strong filtered light in our area.  Cold tolerant to 28 degrees.  A great houseplant.  It is single trunked.

Chambeyronia macrocarpa: 
This plant is a winner!  Single trunk, crown shafted, thick leaflets and pinnate.  And, a new red leaf!  Slow growing but worth it.  Does best in filtered light.  Takes to 28 degrees.  Chambeyronia hookeri has a cream colored crown shaft and similar cold hardiness.

Coccothrinax species: 
There are multiple Coccothrinax that take 28 degrees or colder.  All are single trunk, fan palms with thin trunks.  Some have matting on the trunk and C. crinita is the “old man palm” with a hairy trunk.  Prefer bright full sun.

Copernicia species:  
There are multiple of these fan palms that take 28 degrees or colder.  Most are single trunk.  All are fan palms.  They like heat and full sun.  Some get quite big!  It’s been reported that Copernicia glabrescens will take down to 20 degrees.

Cryosophylla species:
A beautiful fan palm with a thin trunk and silver color to the underside of the leaves.  Like strong filtered light or sun along the coast.  Many species will take 28 degrees.

Cyphophoenix elegans:  
An elegant single trunk, crown shafted palm with a thin trunk and graceful leaves.  From New Caledonia.  Takes down to 28 degrees.

Dypsis ambositrae: 
A single trunk sometimes suckering, crown shafted palm that will tolerate full sun and temperatures to 26 degrees.  It is medium sized with red and brown colors on the stem and petiole.

Dypsis baronii:
A great suckering, crownshafted pinnate palm for strong filtered light or possibly full sun in some areas.  It develops a silver colored trunk.  Hardy to about 28 degrees.  Size to about 15 feet.

Dypsis decaryi: 
The Triangle Palm will take down to about 28 degrees and is unique with its swirl of leave bases making the “triangle”.  It likes full sun and heat.  Height to about 25 feet in Southern California.

Dypsis decipiens: 
A naturally suckering, crownshafted, pinnate palm with a beautiful crown shaft and large leaves.  It’s about the size of a King Palm but suckers.  It is surprisingly cold hardy to at least 24 degrees, with some claiming it can take down to 20 degrees.  It’s a real winner!

Dypsis lutescens: 
A golden colored, medium sized, suckering, crownshafted palm that is known at the Butterfly Palm and the Areca Palm.  Not particularly rare, but it is a great landscape item that goes down to about 25 degrees.  Overall height to 15 to 20 feet.

Dypsis utilus:
A unique suckering (dividing trunk) palm with a hairy trunk and quick growth habit.  Tolerates to 28 degrees.  Overall height uncertain in the garden, but should reach 20 feet.

Euterpe edulis: 
A slender, elegant, pinnate and crownshafted palm that will reach 35 feet and grow in AM or full sun.  It is quick growing and cold hardy to 26 degrees.  Most people that see one have to have it.

Gaussia maya: 
A unique palm with a swollen belly at the ground that suddenly disappears with age.  It is pinnate and only holds 4 to 5 leaves.  Cold hardy to about 26 degrees.

Howea forsteriana: 
What a great palm the Kentia palm is.  Graceful, elegant, beautiful pinnate foliage.  Gets to about 30 feet or taller.  Prefers AM or filtered light.  It can tolerate coastal full sun.  Great house plant.  Cold hardy to about 26 degrees.

Howea belmoreana: 
Another winner!  It is like the Kentia but with re-curved leaves and more leaflets.  It is also somewhat slower growing and hard to find.  Prefers filtered light.  Tolerates to 28 degrees. 

Hyphanae species:
All this class are fan palms, many with silver color to the leaves.  They all sucker or branch and love full sun.  They don’t like a lot of water.  Some will tolerate down to 28 degrees.

Laccospadix australasica:
Another winner!  It’s like a miniature suckering Howea.  Looks best in filtered light, suckers (although there’s a single trunk form) and takes down to about 26 degrees.  Beautiful red fruit.  A garden favorite.

Licuala ramsayi: 
A narrow trunked, tropical fan palm with divided leaves.  Prefers filtered light and will tolerate 28 degrees.  Very exotic appearing.  It is single trunked.

Licuala elegans (L. peltata var. elegans): 
A great solid leaf, tropical fan palm that is slow growing and worth the wait.  It likes filtered light and is hard to find.  Takes to 28 degrees and does not sucker.

Licuala spinosa:  
A suckering Licuala that takes 26 to 28 degrees and likes filtered light.  It is slow growing. 

Linospadix monostachya: 
The Walking Stick Palm is very cute, single trunked, with irregular widths to its pinnate leaves.  It gets up to about 8 feet and likes filtered light.  It tolerates 27 to 28 degrees. 

Livistona species other:  
There are multiple Livistonas that will take 28 degrees or colder.  All are fan palms and rather large.  Species to try would include L. drudei, L. inermis, L. mariae (rigida), L. muelleri (very cold hardy to 22 degrees), and L. nitida.  A charming but wicked plant is Livistona saribus with huge leaves and large, black re-curved spines on the petiole.

Normambya normambyi:
An elegant, thin trunked palm with chopped leaflets (fishtail like) and a tropical appearance.  I like it best in strong filtered light.  It takes down to about 28 degrees. 

Oraniopsis appendiculata:  
A surprising single trunked pinnate palm that gets quite tall with a lot of time and is native to the Mt. Lewis area of Queensland.  It takes down to about 27 degrees and is real fun.  Somewhat slow growing, however.

Parajubaea cocoides:
A large pinnate palm native to high elevation in South America.  It likes full sun and has huge seeds.  Cold hardy to 26 degrees.

Parajubaea torallyi: 
An even taller species of Parajubaea that is glaucous and strikingly beautiful.  Very rare and expensive.  Tolerates down to about 24 degrees.  Wants full sun.

Phoenix roebelenii:
The Pigmy Date Palm is single trunked, pinnate and very dainty.  It demands full sun and is quite easy to grow.  It gets to about 12 feet and is fairly common.  It takes down to about 25 degrees.

Phoenix rupicola: 
A large single trunked pinnate palm with spine armor that is smaller than the P. canariensis and has a smaller leaf.  The leaflets are shiny green and softer to the touch than some of the more wicked Phoenix species.  It tolerates 25 degrees.

Polyandrococcos caudescens: 
A unique single trunked pinnate palm with beautiful orange fruit.  It gets to about 20 feet and will tolerate temperatures to at least 27 degrees, possibly lower.  It has a silver color to the leaflets, giving it a “ceroxylon appearance”.

Pritchardia species: 
There are quite a few Pritchardias that will take 28 degrees.  There are also some that don’t.  This is where your palm grower comes in.  All are beautiful, all are fans, and most are medium sized.  Good ones for 28 degrees include P. affinis, remota, minor, and a few others.

Pseudophoenix sargentii:
The Cherry Palm is slow growing.  When I say slow, I mean slow.  But, because of it’s unique bulging trunk, silver colored crown shaft, and gorgeous overall appearance, it is worth the wait.  Cold tolerance to 28 degrees.  Likes full sun and to be put in the ground.

Ptychosperma elegans:
An elegant single trunked pinnate palm with a gorgeous overall appearance.  It is a good growing, think trunked and crownshafted.  Cold hardy to 28 degrees, at which temperature it might show some damage.  Prefers strong filtered light or coastal sun in some cases.

Ravenea glauca: 
A rather small Ravenea with a trunk about 4 inches in diameter and a height of about 20 feet.  Very dainty and pretty.  It takes down to about 27 or 28 degrees and likes sun or filtered light.

Ravenea madagascarensis:  
A somewhat silver tinted pinnate palm with a thin trunk and a preference for full sun.  Crownshafted.  Takes to about 26 degrees.

Ravenea rivularis:
The Majesty Palm is a thick trunked, fast growing pinnate palm that likes water, nutrition, and room.  It looks best in AM sun, not full sun (unless you’re a good grower).  The girth gets quite large.   Takes to about 27 degrees.

Rhapis humilus: 
This gorgeous suckering fan palm is a knockout.  It gets quite tall (to 16 feet), prefers filtered light, likes moisture, and is very exotic.  It’s miniature cousin,  the related palm Rhapis multifida, is just as gorgeous but smaller.  Both take down to about 28 degrees.

Rhopalostylis bauerii:  
A very attractive crownshafted pinnate palm that prefers filtered light and is from New Zealand.  It is somewhat slow growing, single trunked, and tropical appearing.  It takes down to 26 or 27 degrees, about the same as a Kentia Palm. 

Rhopalostylis sapida: 
 The Shaving Brush Palm or Nikau Palm has similar cold tolerance as the R. bauerii, but takes more sun.  It likewise is slow growing but worth the wait.  Every palm enthusiast must have one.  Plant in filtered light unless you’re right on the coast.

Roystonea regia: 
This is a drop-dead beautiful, single trunked, crown shafted pinnate palm with a large grey trunk with bulging at the base.  It takes down to about 28 degrees or colder and gets very tall.  It demands full sun.  Persistent cold can cause its demise.

Sabal species: 
There are lots of Sabals worthy of trying that can take down to 28 degrees or lower.  All tend to be large, although some are small.  All are fans and like full sun.  Sabal bermudiana is quite large with huge leaves; Sabal causarium has a thick trunk and gets very tall (may tolerate down to 20 degrees); Sabal etonia is near trunkless and likes full sun; Sabal mauritiform (the Tropical Sabal) is very gorgeous with a full circle leaf; Sabal rosei is quite large and has recurved leaves; Sabal uresana is blue and a knockout.  There’s lots more Sabals.  Talk to your palm nursryman.

Syagrus coronata:  
A medium sized, sun loving pinnate palm that doesn’t look like a Queen Palm at all.  Very unique and single trunked.  Cold hardy to about 26 degrees.

Syagrus sancona:
This is a much larger species that approaches the size of the Queen Palm.  It has a thick trunk, pinnate leaves and is quite beautiful.  Cold hardy to about 27 degrees.

Syagrus schizophylla: 
A unique Syagrus that is smaller than the S. sancona and can be grown in sun or strong filtered light.  Takes down to 28 degrees.

Synecanthus fibrosa: 
Single trunk, pinnate, understory with irregular widths to the leaflets.  Gets up to about 10 feet and takes down to 28 degrees.

Thrinax species:  
All these take 28 degrees or less, are thin trunked fan palm that like full sun.  Try Thinax excelsa, parviflora, radiata or others.

Trachycarpus species other: 
There are multiple new to the market Trachycarpus that take 28 degrees or colder.  Try species like T. martianus, nanus, oreeophilus, latisectus and others to have some fun.  All are fan palms and like sun or strong filtered light.  Most are small or medium sized.

Wallichia disticha: 
A unique feather palm with matting on the trunk and a single plane arrangement of the leaves.  It’s fat from one side, thin from the other.  Looks like a Caryota.  Cold tolerance to about 28 degrees.  Its cousin, W. densiflora is also about the same cold tolerance, but this species suckers.

Wodyetia bifurcata:  
The foxtail palm can take down to about 26 degrees.  It is single trunk, pinnate, likes full sun and lots of heat, and should get to about 25 feet.  Well grown, it is a knockout!