Windmill Palm Tree in zone 5 (Iowa)?

Question

I would love to have a windmill palm tree. We have an above ground pool and it would look so nice by it. Could it possibly survive here? Or could I have one as an indoor plant and keep it potted? Or keep it potted and move it inside in the winter?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Trachycarpus fortunei is only hardy to about zone 7. They typically do not do well indoors and just don't seem to liked to be transplanted. So the brief answer is "No, sorry"

Answer 2

I grow Trachycarpus fortunei in England, and they are also known to grow in Manhattan, though I'm sure these 2 places are warmer in winter than Iowa.  

There is hope for you, as you can protect yoru palm in winter time, either keeping it potted, and then moving it to a sheltered spot, or inside with good levels of sunlight.  

The other option used by many growers of tender plants is to construct a protective enclosure around your palm.  This could be made from wooden posts, surrounded with plastic, and then filled with straw/dried leaves. You can also add some garden fleece over your palm, which keeps the temperature below a few degrees warmer, but allows light and moisture to pass through.  As your palm matures it will get somewhat hardier, but it is important to protect its growing point, as it grows from this single point - this is where you could pack some more protection.  Otherwise, you could add some old carpet etc, on really freezing nights, to give extra protection, or form some type of tent over it.  There's one growers experience here, from Colorado Springs - http://hometown.aol.com/fitzroya/myhomep...  (they also mention other cold hardy palms).

Hope this helps - let me know if you'd like any further help, as I grow many palm species.  Good luck!  Rob