DuckSouth.com

I live in Brandon and want to get a couple of palm trees around the pool. Anybody ever have any??? What are your thoughts? Are they hard to keep alive in this climate?? Is there a particular type I need to look at?

I just built a house in Ambiance and the landscaper has been using palm trees. I asked him if they held up to the cool weather and he said yes. He said the kind they were using were raised here.

I've been removed from the landscaping business for a while now so I'm getting a little rusty, but if my memory serves me the Windmill Palm was about the only one I ever had much luck with. There are other more cold hardy varieties out there.

Where are you planting? If you look at new climate zone maps you'll see that much of the MS delta (as far north as SW TN on some maps) has been changed to a more coastal climate zone. If that hold true you might get away other types as well with a little TLC during the winter.

Do you know what kind he is planting one more pass

I would not plant Robellini, majestic, queen, or pony tail palms. Couple of years back I lost all of my palm trees during a severe cold snap down here on the Coast ( I was not here to cover them, and honestly I wouldnt had gone to the extent of covering them enough to protect them). I will be going back with some Washingtonias, Sagos, and some other fan varieties as soon as money allows.

A question from a guy who has lived his whole life in the Delta...and I am not considering planting palm trees. Do all palm trees make coconuts?

Nope. Dates (not the kind they advertise in those social website pop-up ads) come from palm trees. There are date palms, coconut palms, and probably others including non-fruiting varieties as well.

OT...But early 70's at Marathon Keys on a dive trip got up next morning at motel and roof of da Gran Torino was badly dented.....from falling coconut....

Windmill palm is the only cold hardy one I know.