Probably any of the zone 7B-9a subtropical palms (Windmill, Pindo, Sabal palmetto, Sabal minor, Med fan, Washingtonia, Phoenix, etc) could winter over in the garage provided they get some light and it doesn't get much below 35 degrees. I'm wintering over Pindo, Canary Island Date, and Sago in my garage with no problems. Gets down to about 45 minimum with a small electric heater. Some light from windows. They go outside during mild spells in the winter.

As far as more tropical palms indoors, I've had good luck with Spindle, Rhapis, and Dypsis lutescens. I'm sure there are many more!

Dave pretty much hit all my suggestions. i would add sabal Palmetto. (State tree of Florida and S. Carolina). They are slow growers (especailly when in cool temps). I have two in one pot I got in April 2007. They did great next to a south facing window. It is cool hardy enough to move outside when lows are mid 30s. Here is a picture of my two (there are two seperate plants in there). They have picked up nicely since it's warmed up.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Hey thanks guys! Dave, that sago palm looks great! Its a lot bigger than mine. How old is it? Also what is the name of the big one next to the sago? Yesterday I went to the local nursery and I found a spindle palm thats about 3 1/2 tall for $17.00, so of course I bought it. Its looks really nice, hopefully I can keep it that way!
Linda

just remember that Sago Palm is a misnomer, it is not a Palm at all, not even closely related. It is a Cycad. There are some important cultural requirements with Cycads so make sure you research that for yourself.

In my experience with true Palms, the following have done very well in pots:

Phoenix roebellini (Pygmy Date)
Phoenix canariensis (Canary Isle Date)
Hyophorbe lagenicaulis (Bottle)
Hyophorbe verschaffeltii (Spindle)
Dypsis decaryi (Triangle)

The main limiting factor is of course size. Eventually some of these will outgrow your ability to maintain them in containers.

My personal favorite is the Bottle Palm, FWIW

x

These are my favorites for container cultivation in the north as indoor/outdoor palms (in no particular order):

Howea
Raphis palm
Phoenix roebellini
Chamaedorea (most any species here)
Livistona chinensis (a bit big and domineering for many interiors though)

Linda, the Sago is about 25 years old -- started from seed I collected in Galveston. It's starting to send up a lot of pups now. Next to the basketball pole is my pindo (Butia capitata) -- also started from a seedling I pulled out of an old leaf petiole boot on a large palm down in Hilton Head many years ago. It's probably at least 15 years old. What I like about these subtropicals is that they can take some cold weather. I leave them out until early December, then drag them into the garage during cold spells. They would NOT fit in the house. Well, actually they would, but just one would fill up a room.

Outside -- permanently planted in the ground around the house -- are three Windmill palms, Sabal palmetto, Sabal 'Birmingham', Sabal 'Louisiana', Sabal minor 'McCurtan', two other generic Sabal minors, and two Needle palms. I have planted palms on all four sides of the house. Neighbors think I'm nuts, I suppose. I don't care.

I forgot to add, that the neighbor kid (11 years old boy) really likes the palms and he asked his parents for one for his birthday! They got him a Majesty palm, which I'm afraid might not be a good long-term palm for him, but he's gotta learn somehow. Can't tell you how many plants I killed when I was just starting out!

WOW! I didnt know you could grow a Sable (cabbage) Palmetto in a pot! Where do you find pot sized specimines?

And yeah, Sago Palms are really not Palms at all. In fact, If I remember reading correctly, they are fairly closely related to what we know today as conifers (pine trees) They are cone bearing plants, just like conifers. Also in that same "family" of plants is the Ginko. Cycads (sago palms) are thought / known to be actually the eldest of, and beginning of the whole conifer family if I am not mistaken. They were extremely common during the paleolithic era, which I believe was dinosaur times.

NovaPlantGuy-
My parents go down to St. Augustine every April. They brought those back for me in April 2007. They have done well so far. They are fairly slow growers but do pick up when it is hot. The average high here the past 5 days has been about 89. I've seen noticeable growth and one has pushed up a new spear. I keep debating whether or not to cut down the slower groing one and let the quicker one get the benefits of getting all fo the water, sun and fertilizer to itself.

Hey thanks guys for all the great suggestions. I just ordered a bottle palm off of ebay, don't have it yet. I think this obsession may get a little out of control...I do have to remember all of these palms will have to come in the house or the garage for the winter. I have to leave room for the car... LOL! I have traveled to a lot of tropical places and it has never occured to me to look for seeds that I could start. I am planning a trip to Daytona Beach for the race next February so I will have to keep that in mind. I have been considering planting a windmill palm outside in the ground next to the southside of my house which I am sure is warmer than the zone 6 they say I am. Maybe I will get brave and try it.

Dave, I think it is pretty cool the little neighbor boy is interested in plants. Maybe you could be his "palm tree mentor".
Linda

tropic lover

keep in mind that the Bottle Palm is a true tropical plant and while it will survive temps below about 40, it really should not see temps lower than the 50's - and definitely higher for it to grow.

That being said, due to its relatively slow growth, it will remain smaller than most palms for a long time and will be happy in a pot.

In ideal conditions it can probably throw a new spear every 2 months or so, but realistically you'll get about 3-4 fronds a year.

When it's hot, they can take all the sun, water and fertilizer you can give them, as long as the substrate is well drained. This will help plump up their trunks.

DO NOT LET IT SIT IN A SAUCER! And when you water, it must be enough so that water flows out the bottom - EACH TIME! You can place a brick or something similar into a saucer and then the pot on top so drained water does not go back into the pots.

They are sensitive to high nutrient solute concentrations from drained water, which manifests as browning leaf tips.

Another amazing thing about this palm - for me it does not need to acclimate to the sun after being indoors all winter. Most of my other palms need to be slowly babied into sunshine, but the Bottles just go right into the sun.

x

X, thanks for all the great info on bottle palms! Its good to know they can take the sun more than some of the other palms. I also recently bought a spindle palm and was told they burn easily so I put it in mostly shady spot.

What kind of fertilizer do you use on your palms and how often do you use it? Also do you water them everyday in the hot summer? I usually have to water all my pots at least once a day, sometimes more, when it gets really hot. I don't want to overwater it though. It does get pretty hot here in the summer but not much humidity.

Thanks again!
Linda

In the spring I add the 5-6 month formulation Osmocote Plus with micros, plus lots of gypsum for calcium and sulfur (helps decrease the pH), slow release magnesium sulfate and manganese. That's enough to cover all possible nutrient deficiencies. By the winter when growth is much slower, I assume most of the soluble fert has been used up, so I supplement with Algoflash.

Since I don't water as often in the winter, I add hydrogen peroxide to the watering, but whether or not there's any benefit is debatable.

I water them several times a day, but I use a porous mix that is impossible to overwater. The constant water ensures that minerals and salts are leached, the root zone is oxygenated and is nourished.

During the marginal months when days are warm and nights are still on the cool side (April-early May, mid Sept-October), I roll my Bottle indoors at night to take advantage of the warmer temps indoors. Growth occurs mainly in the evening.

Those mentioned are all nice palms but a few more you might try are Ptychosperma Sp {{gwi:1139630}}

Areca vesteria red

David, Those are some really nice palms you have!!! I really like the last one, I haven't seen one like that before. I will have to look and see if I can find one. You are so lucky to live in Florida where you can grow all these cool palms outside and not have to worry about bringing them in for the winter.
Linda

Thank you. There are many you can grow indoors like kentia palms (howea forsteriana)that I cant grow outdoors that looks tropical and very easy to take care of. Good luck

Any suggestions for palms in pots on pool side deck in zone 8 A which can be left year round !

"Any suggestions for palms in pots on pool side deck in zone 8 A which can be left year round !"

Probably, NONE. How big are the "pots" going to be? Pots are MUCH, MUCH colder than in-the-ground, soil temps. I think even Chamaerops, Butias, Trachys, and Sabals would not survive pot conditions in zone 8 over the winter. If you could even provide a garage as winter protection, some palms would work (Phoenix canariensis, Washingtonias, Butias, Chamaerops, Trachys, Sabals, and Queens would work). Bananas are also very tropical, but you would have to protect the corms over the winter.

Thanks

this particular palm will be in an atrium atmosphere open on the top enclosed all around

so a trachy or majestic can work ?

i am trying to do a mixed container with other foliage around it

thanks for your suggestions

Sorry the pot is around 28" to 30"

I never said anything about a Majesty. No, that one will NOT work at all year round in a container in Zone 8a! Your problem is not your ZONE for palms, it's the fact that they will be in CONTAINERS year round. I don't think there are any that will survive in CONTAINER year round in Zone 8a. (Containers are COLD in the winter; the ground is relatively WARM. Maybe wrong, but that is my opinion.

Thanks for your input

I got it

Containers Are cold no doubt ... than having the palms in ground .