Palm Tree Types

Different Types of Palm Trees include a variety of over 2000 palm tree species around the world grouped in types of palms based on similarities of different species types. Different Palm Tree types range from small landscape palm plants to majestic, type palms reaching a 100 feet tall or more. Different Palm tree types will add depth and atmosphere to your landscape. Nothing says tropical like a palm tree. Add a few to your garden or landscapes and have a tropical escape right in your own backyard. The following are the different palm tree types.

Palm Trees Types - Different Types of Palm Trees

Palm tree types in Florida, Texas, California thrive just like specific palm types for New York and Canada. Types of palm species are rapidly growing up North. The types of palms grown in Florida, California and Texas are matched in beauty by several Northern palms for the Northern States. With over 2000 types of palm trees, selecting a palm can be arduous. In colder winter northern environments there are still opportunities to buy: Dwarf Palms, Winter Palms, Indoor Palms, Small Palms, Fast Growing palms but now the primary interests are the cold hardy palm trees types which are the Northern palm types. Caring for the different types of palm trees is listed at palm tree types care and maintenance.

Cold Hardy Palm Trees - Palm Tree Types

The Cold Hardy Palm Tree Type has ability to tolerate certain winter, freeze and cold snaps. First you must have the right palm species in a suitable climate environment. Cold Hardy Types of Palm Trees are listed below with the minimum temperature threshold they can withstand. But there are more factors involved such as is the type of palm in healthy condition prior to a winter cold snap, how log does the freezing cold last, how is the palm type protected during the cold winter snap and there are many other environmental factors involved. That will be covered in Palm Tree Types Care and Maintenance.

Cold Hardy Palm Tree Species Comparison

There are many different types of palms and cold hardiness depends on the type of palm and a variety of other factors. Duration of cold weather, palm health, genetics, and the palm's microenvironment all impact how successful types of palms will grow.

Palm tree types growing in North America based on their estimated minimum temperatures for survival which can be changed drastically by proper palm tree care are listed below.

Cold Hardy Palm Trees can survive in lower USDA zones if the palm tree types are protected during the cold winter snaps. These types of palms have become extremely popular.

Palm Trees Types - Palmate (Fan Palms) or Pinnate (Feather Palms)

Types of Palms are also classified on the basis of leaf structure. Palmate: The leaf structure of this palm tree has the lobes spreading out from one center point. The pattern can be compared to the palm of our hand. Pinnate: The leaf structure for this species has individual leaflets branching out from one common axis. The pattern strongly resembles a feather.

For identification purposes, palm trees can be divided into two major types: those that have palmate or fan-shaped leaves; and those that have pinnate, or feather-shaped leaves. The palmate-leaved species are characterized by a leaf structure in which all leaf segments arise from a single point, similar to the structure of a human hand. Pinnate leaves are characterized by leaves along each side of a central axis, similar in design to that of a feather.

A fan palm tree is the illustrative name which makes reference to a group of palms having fan palm leaves (instead than pinnate leaves). The majority of widespread fan palm trees will be Sabal palm, Lady palm, Needle Palm, Thatch palm, Mexican Fan Palm, California Fan Palm and also some others.

Palm Tree types both feather (pinnate) and fan (palmate) are very popular and they are cold hardy palm trees in both the fan and feather palm tree types. Both Northern and Southern Palms consist of fan and feather shaped leaves.

Palm Trees Types - Northern or Southern Palms

Palm tree types can be classified on their growing locations or environments. Palms Trees Types can be divided into Northern Palms and Southern Palms. Southern Palms grow in warmer and very hot environments like Florida palm trees, Texas palm trees and California Palm Trees. Even though Southern Palms are associated with hot environments, there are many popular and majestic looking Southern Palm trees that grown in more Northern Environments. Several Southern Palm Species grow in North America for example and have cold tolerance thresholds in the mid-teens. With proper care and protection during cold spells in winter, these types of palms can grow much further North than just Florida, Texas and California.

The Southern Palm tree types have a minimum cold temperature tolerance between 15 to 22° degrees Fahrenheit.

Northern Palm types identified on Palm-Trees.net have a minimum cold temperature tolerance between 0 to 15° degrees Fahrenheit, however there are palm varieties that can tolerate temperatures below minus 20 degrees.

Palm Tree Types - Northern and Southern Palms

Palm Tree types are listed with their minimum temperature "Min Temp" in the above chart which represents the minimum temperature that a certain type of palm tree can withstand. But there are many more factors involved that determine whether a particular palm tree types will survive extreme cold weather. The palm tree's genetic make up, length of the cold spell, and the palms microclimate are a few things that factor in to whether palm tree types will survive the cold winter snaps. Palm tree types are grown further North than the recommended palm plant cold hardy zone and for the palm trees to survive winters often they will need cold protection.

This palm tree type, the Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) to the left is surviving in a snowstorm.

Palm Tree Types