You might get by with Canary Island date palm, if you can get it through adolescence. They're cheap to buy in 1 or 2 gal containers.

Here in 8a San Antonio, we get a few nights of low 20s, and have many mature CIDPs decades old.

Phoenix sylvestris

Sabal texana.

Look around you area and see what mature palms there are.

Chamaerops humilis should be able to grow, but would likely need protection on those nights that make you a zone 7a, that is, temps in the lower single numbers. The temperatures you usually experience should NOT pose a problem for this lovely palm.

I would love to grow a CIDP but i'm a little it may get a little large for the space I planning on planting. I may have to give it a try in a different spot, they are such beautiful palms. To be quite honest, I have never seen a palm in my area but there also aren't a lot of gardeners around here either. I work as a landscape foreman and not too many people get excited about plants around here, haha. I have researched enough that I believe I could have some luck growing a few palms. I guess it wouldnt hurt to give it a try. If it fails, it fails but at least I gave it a shot.

I am a little worried about the Chamaerops humilis on those nights that could get down to 0' but I'm hoping I may get lucky. I have read these palms will defoliate in lower temperatures but as long as they grow back in the spring, i'm fine with that.

Thanks again!

I think i'm going to go ahead and try both. I have another question though, I found some Trachycarpus Wagnerianus palms in 1-gallon containers that I would like to buy. Would it be ok if I bought the palm now and kept it indoors and wait to plant in the spring?

"I have researched enough that I believe I could have some luck growing a few palms. I guess it wouldnt hurt to give it a try. If it fails, it fails but at least I gave it a shot."

Yeah you have a shot. In case you haven't been around this board much we have people in Michigan and Illinois growing palms. lol

When I read your first post I thought, "try both", but I see that you have already made that decision. Go for it and good luck!

Personally, I'd wait and buy it in the spring. But if they are hard to come by out there and you must have it now, its definitely doable.

Haha, I guess the reason why I have always thought that palms won't grow in this area is because that is what everybody has always said. If you mention palms at a nursery around here, everybody thinks your crazy. Even though this isn't the best time of year, I can get the Chamerops for $10 in a 5-gallon but I might wait on the Waggie unless I was able to keep it inside through the winter.

You could try a Chinese Windmill Palm. I live in a cold climate and mine is doing great!!! Diana55

Brahea armata
Nannorrhops ritchiana
Washingtonia Filfera

What city do you live in? I am working with over twenty species/varieties that could thrive under your climate conditions.

I am living in Clovis, NM near the Texas line.

The waggie has 10 degrees of hardiness over the med. fan. And yes, you can buy it now and keep it as a houseplant until spring. I think you can grow the med but it will require more protection in the beginning.

Jrod,
Here are some palms that might work if you are willing to provide some protection when lows approach near lethal temperatures, especially for their first few years until they develop a robust root system. I have added the lowest temperatures generally accepted below which heavy damage starts to occur.

Trachycarpus wagnerianus 13F

Once established, these particular palms will be able to sustain periods of drought.

Chamaerops humilis 16F
Nannorrhops ritchiana(grey-green)10F
Phoenix theophrastii 18F
Rhapidophyllum hystrix 5F
Sabal "Birmingham" 0F
Sabal uresana 18F
Sabal xtexensis 8F
Sabal louisiana 5F
Sabal palmetto 10F
Sabal tamaulipas 5F
Sabal minor(Arkansas and North Texas forms) 0F
Brahea armata 14F
Washingtonia filifera 12F

Thanks Fred. I think i'm going to go ahead and get the Waggie. I went back to get the Chamerops and they were all sold out. Oh well.

Thanks for that list Steve. I'm assuming that your winters are more wet than the winters here, so things may be a tad different but that gives me a good idea. My only problem w/ the Sabal's are that I have heard they are very slow growing and the same goes for the needle palm. What sabal is the fastest growing for you? And what would be your favorite out of the list?

Needle Palms have recovered from -20F and Sabal Minor from -15F. Some Trachycarpus have recovered from -8F in NC. I know of one that has made it through -7F here in Northern Virginia.

Well a little good news I found out this weekend. I went to Las Cruces because I will be attending NMSU in the spring and there are palms everywhere there. I mostly saw Mediterrean, California, and Mexican fan palms but did see a few CIDP's. The climate in Las Cruces is similar to Clovis and I think I should have some good luck. I also talked with a local nursery and here is a direct statement from their website.

"In the Southwest the Mediterrean fan palm is the most hardiest followed by the California, Mexican, Sago and Windmill palms. All fronds in the southwest need trimming in spring after frost damage".

But anyways, I went from choosing 2 palms but now I plan to try a few different types and see what one works best for me. I just thought I would share that and I will let you know how everything works out.