For zone 7 you are at the low limit for a trachycarpus fortunei to go unprotected. As long as you are a solid zone 7 or even better zone 7b then you should be ok. Other palms that you could try is sabal minor, rhapidophyllium hystrix and perhaps some other sabal species like palmetto.

I am in a zone 8b/9a here in Canada and we have no problems with these species. There are many very large trachycarpus fortuneis in Vancouver. We also have some large chamaerops humilis, trachycarpus wagnerainus, butia capitata, rhapidophyllium hystrix and some smaller sabal minors, jubaea chilensis, brahea armata, brahea edulis to name a few.

To be honest whatever, there is no palm in existence that will surivive long term in zone 7 without some sort of protection while young and during extreme cold snaps. I know a few guys in Tennessee that are growing needle palm, trachys, sabal minors, sabal birmingham, sabal palmetto and butias, but all use some form of protection.

Craig

alright thanks.

protection in some cases can be as easy as mulching heavily. Don't let protection methods scare you off. If you are going to the trouble of finding, buying, planting, nurturing and fertilizing your palm(s), spending 30 minutes twice a year to cover and uncover is a small price to pay for growing palm trees in Kentucky. There I said and I feel better.

Kent is exactly right. It's not hard and there are many successful ways to do it.

Well put Kent,

I see many people in my area wrapping up not so tender evergreens and Japanese Maples. To spend an hour protecting a palm while it gives your months of beauty in the spring-fall is not unreasonable.