I hear that the green form is a bit hardier (but the sliver one is much more beautiful in my opinion). Probably cold tolerant to about 10F with damage begining at 15F. I think they would make great palms in a zone 7 but will need protection. I think you should definitely give them a try. They are about as cold tolerant as a sabal palmetto or pindo.

Good luck!
-Alex

my bad. it was the green form that was hardier. i thought silver was. ha sorry

Green form is more hardy. That being said, I lost several this past year when we hit 16* that were planted last year. Several developed spear pull (both green and silver variety)and although several have come back, at least a few have not. The year before, we hit low 20's and while I did not have the ones mentioned above, I did have one in a pot (green form) and it died. I saw a lot of damaged silver ones up in North Florida a few months back that had been planted near the roadside off of I-75 by a on ramp. My Sabal Minors, Sabal Palmettos, Sabal Lisa's, Sabal Louisiana's, Windmill, Euros and Needle palms had zero damage this year.

Not saying don't try them, but protect them the first few years in the ground or they'll be toast for certain.

I have mostly silver forms. All experienced 10.4F for two nights. The silver ones lost 30% of their leaves and my blue-green one lost 75-80% of it's leaves and is only in the last week coming back. The silver ones have been quickly regrowing their leaves since early April.

Thats very good to hear because I like the sliver ones a lot better. So I guess the real answer to this question is to try both of them out yourself and see(with some protection), which one sustains more damage. The sliver ones are really beautiful, I have seen some grown as long hedges and they bring out so much color. If they are able to survive cold better than the green than I would take silver without a doubt. I also think it matters where and how they were grown and that individuals of a species are more tolerant than other individuals of the same species.

Good luck!
-Alex

About a month ago, I planted one of the silver varieties. I read the other is hardier, but I could not resist that color. So far so good but of course this winter will be the test.

HI,

Its worth the try. Clearly you cannot leave them in a pot in cold weather b/c they freeze thru.

In zone 7 they can be planted in the ground but should be covered with at least a plastic garbage can during artic blasts, cold windy days, and any icey/snowy precip. If you do that and plant them on a sunny southside of your home or shed etc - they should do well.

You would think they would be as hardy as the Needle Palm. I remember all those times driving to Florida down I-95. They are the first tropical plant you see- hordes of them in the woods like that photo.

I really love the plastic garbage bag method. Throw some x-mas lights on it and maybe a frost cloth and it will keep temps cool enough to prevent overheating, but warm enough to keep temps at least 15F warmer than actual outside temps. Its very simple and very effective. It works best for young palms and palms that dont get too tall so they fit in well.
I think like most other palms saw palmettos will gain cold tolerance as they age. These palms should show similar cold tolerance to sabal palmettos. The thing I have noticed with these palms and sabal palmettos is they have a pretty northern range (about up to the outer banks and near the Virginia Beach area) but they dont do well too far out of there range, but I think some protection such as the plastic garbage bin method (which worked for my palms including my pindo), will be enough to keep saw palmettos happy. Since they dont get too tall they will always be easy to protect.

Good luck!

Problem with lights is this particular palm is located way in the back far from any outlet. Mulch and a big pot will have to suffice.

I think that will be fine as long as it stays dry. Some of my palms need large extention cords to get to an outlet so it might not be worth it for you if its really far from an outlet.

Good luck!
-Alex

That sounds like good advice Alex.

Placing a pot over it and mulching it is a wise idea and it should survive if in a sheltered spot with boulders facing the sun or against a structure.

I just came home from Va and i stopped at pungo palms. Saw palmetto even gets burned in zone 8a. The silver one had less burn than the green one.

I just came home from Va and i stopped at pungo palms. Saw palmetto even gets burned in zone 8a. The silver one had less burn than the green one.

Shoulda stopped here for a brew. I used to live in New York.

Anyway, most of my flock take some kind of hit from the winter, although I have yet to lose one. I am hoping they will all be able eventually to stand on their own. I guess I will designate the Silver Saw a "special needs", for the near future at least. Its also not in the most optimal spot for sun, but ascetically cannot be beaten for the color contrast.

I should just get it over with and move to Florida.

I hear you Jack. I consider moving one day but wifey needs to be more convinced. Its too far from family.

What region are you located for zone 7a. There a cold and warm 7A locations.

I have seen people on this site thinking palms in our zone can stand on their own, and yes some winters they can make it but eventually die from cold if not protected for years. I have seen where just keeping a palm dry and protected from cold winds in our zone adds another zone. Add lites and get another zone. Plant against a home adds a half of zone. There's lots of ways of doing it. That saw palm would need protection every winter. Its ez to do. place a container over it with bricks on top and remove on winter days that are sunny and warm.

I am just outside Washington, DC, so perhaps the warmer side of it.

I have around 17 palms of various sizes on the Estate Lord aka Waimea East. My Tracyhs and Needles have both survived with only mulch although I am protecting the former again with leaf cages as I moved them from my parents' house to mine (I was an apartment dweller when I became interested) and they were hit with transplant shock.

The Sabals and Meds receive minimal protection although they payed a price with the huge snow blizzard. A leaf cage did not cut it for the Pinto and it took a beating although is recovering quickly. Small greenhouse this winter.

Btw- I did three years in Brooklyn (Park Slope). Great place.

I see this great post is a little old but it has to do with my question. I thought I would revive it. My Grandfather has a place in Englewood Florida (Zone 9b-10a) just south of Sarasota. His yard contains the typical saw palmetto and pine tree ecosystem. I live in Laurel Maryland which is just almost (in not exactly) in the middle of Baltimore and Washington D.C. My Grandfather's yard has old palmettos with large trunks all the way down to tiny seedlings. If I wanted to plant one in my yard which size would be best? Would mulch, a leaf cage, and a frost blanket be enough to protect the palm?

Thanks!
TJ
Thanks!
T.J.

I have read these are pretty cold hardy. Does anyone in colder zones grow these?

T.J.

We have a low growing plant that we have called palmetto for years, originally from So.Ga, live in Tennessee now, have the low growing palmetto in yard and across the road, the one across the road is setting seed pods(never saw this before)and I intend to harvest the seed pods, the palmettos I see described here are NOT the saw palmetto everyone is writing about here, so any idea what variety, genus, or type we have here...PS: These palmettos HERE are defineitely cold hardy, down to the teens...

It sounds like you have a Sabal Minor. They are definitely pretty hardy. When I first planted mine, it would be damaged when temperatures got into the low 20s even WITH protection, but now it sails through winters with just some light protection as a precaution.

I also have a silver saw palmetto. It has survived the past 2 winters with protection. The downfall to that palm is it grows so slowly. Mine pulls out one or 2 fronds a year which isn't actually noticeable growth. I grow it mainly for the novelty now.

Thanks for the info.
-Alex

For the record, both of my Saw Palmettos bit the dust. I protected them only with burlaps.