I don't know about zone 7 or colder but it is growing here in a wet zone 8. This is a very hardy palm once it gets some size to it. It is a very slow growing species but could do better in a hot dry climate. I am sure with protection in the winter and hot summers it could survive a normal zone 7 winter.

Thanks!
It will be the next palm I will try, hopefully it will make it in a zone 5b. Just knowing that it lives in a cool wet zone 8 gives me hope! So far the needle palm is the only real survivor here that I have.

I have two Trithrinax campestris I have been growing in pots. they are about a foot tall. I plana to plant them out this next Spring here in the SC upstate zone 8a. I alos will try to grow the Alligator Palm(A. wrightii-can"t spell the genus, lol)I have heard it may grow here. It is a pretty glacous blue palm as well.I grow a lot of different Agaves and lots of Sables, Tracy's, Butia and other palms here. I am attempting to grow a Rhapis excelsa here also. We will see. It is in avery protected spot beside my chimney out of any wind and shaded from noon onward. I am hoping for the best.I am going to grow some bananas next year. The Basjoo gets very large here without any protection.

DesertZone,

How are you caring for your Needle Palm in a Zone 5b which is similar to where I live just north of Toronto?

Regards 🙂

Hi and welcome PhilMusa 😀
I don't do much to help my needle palm along. It was a very small plant when I bought it and still is, except the leaves are divided now 🙂 It has shot up two new plants since I have had it 🙂 , I tried to trance plant one, but had no luck with it 🙁 I cover it every winter, becuase it is the only one I have right now, and I also paid alot for it. I will cover it as long as it stays small enough to do so. I don't think it needs to be covered, but is just insurance 🙂
I keep it in full sun, and have found that it does not like to be in the wind. I think it might do better if it was in part shade, because it grows slower in the heat of summer 😕 It has put on more growth in the past month then it has all summer 😯
P.S. I cover it with one thing or another -hot caps, a plastic milk jug, or what ever else I can find that lets light in and moisture out, make shure there is a hole near the top.

DesertZone, I would not move your needle to the shade. I don't grow that palm because I don't have the heat it needs. Remember that palm grows in Florida, where temps in the 100's are common. You might water it more in the heat though. It is native to hot humid conditions. It is a naturally slow growing palm, I am impressed it is doing as well as it is. The nice thing about it staying smaller...it's easier to protect.

Yea...I don't want to plant it in total shade, but I am think some afternoon shade might be nice 🙂 , I will try another one in part shade and see if it does better, even my yucca rostrata on the north side of the house does better then the one on the south side of the house, but I don't think it is going to like the winter back there. 😆 I think you are right, they like the warmer weather, but here in the desert plants like it when the soil cools down. Even my agaves grow more in the spring and fall (late summer) here. 😀

Thanks Aaron for the info.

Thank you. 😀
If I can ever be of help let me know. 😀 The info I give may not be the best, but seems to work best for me. I change my mind all the time if I find new or better ways and what works well here my not be good for other gardners in other states or conditions.

I have some that I grew from seed a couple of years ago. I will plant them in another year or so. I keep them in my unheated greenhouse. Joe

Hi Joe,
How hard was the seed to start? I have never been good at sprouting palm seeds unless they are from the sable palms. 🙂

Aaron, I had no problem germinating them at all. I germinated them in my greenhouse. I also grow Rhapis excelsa in a sheltered spot now coming into Winter number 4. I'm impressed with it. I've had one survive 5 Winters once, but it perished from lack of Summer irrigation. Cheers, Joe

Hi Joe and Aaron . I have just taken my seeds out of the fridge where they have been for a month to cold stratify them. I was wondering what my best meathod for germination with Trithrinax campestris would be? I was thinking baggie meathod would be best as then I could check for mold ,any thoughts?
John

Can you answer that question for us Joe? Baggie method or plant in ground, how did you get yours started?
Thanks 😀