Do palm trees grow in Houston
Isabella Wilson
Published May 14, 2026
Despite the obstacles, palm trees can thrive in Houston. In fact, Texas has two native palm trees that grow in the wild, the Mexican palmetto (Sabal mexicana) and the dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor). If palms can grow in the Texan wilderness, they can grow in your yard, too.
Do palm trees grow well in Texas?
Several palm trees will grow well here in North Texas. Some are quite winter-hardy, and all of them will grow in sun or shade. … Few palms have problems with extreme heat, but my top palm choices for general toughness and cold-hardiness are the windmill palm and the needle palm.
Are there palm trees in Galveston Texas?
The lofty trees — there are more than 20 species of palms on Galveston Island — are surprisingly resilient, able to withstand the region’s volatile climate from hurricanes and tropical storms to the occasional frost.
Can you grow tropical plants in Houston?
Located in Zone 9a of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map, Houston, Texas is the perfect spot for growing tropical plants. The city and environs have hot, humid summers and mild winters during which temperatures may sometimes drop to 20 degree Fahrenheit. The area rarely experiences freezes.Where do palm trees grow in Texas?
- Bismarck Palm Tree – Zones 8b – 11 (15 to 20F)
- Caranday Palm Tree – Zones 9a – 11 (20 to 25F)
- Mexican Fan Palm Tree – Zones 8b – 11 (15 to 20F)
- Mazari Palm Tree – Zones 6b – 11 (-5 to 0F)
- Triangle Palm Tree – Zones 10a – 11 (30 to 35F)
- Saw Palmetto Palm Tree – Zones 7a-11 (0 to 5 F)
How fast do palm trees grow in Texas?
However, Palm trees in Texas grow as much as 3 feet per year. Some of the palm trees in Texas are the Bismarck Palm, Mazari Palm Tree, Mexican Fan Palm, Cadanday Palm tree, Triangle Palm tree, Saw Palmetto Palm tree, and Pindo Palm tree.
Can palm trees grow in Dallas TX?
These palms can be found growing from the Dallas/Fort Worth area to the north all the way down to the Texas gulf coast due to their tolerance to cold, moisture, drought and hot humid summers.
Can tropical trees grow in Texas?
Tropical plants offer bright colored blooms and elegant foliage through the spring and summer months. Tropical plants for North Texas give us the opportunity to enjoy the exotic look of tropical paradise in your own front or backyards.Can mango trees grow in Houston Texas?
Being tropical, mango trees like a frost-free environment. Despite our warm winters, only some varieties of mangos can be grown in Texas, and those produce fruit in the summer months. … The Tommy Atkins mango, another variety which will grow in Houston, is sweet and mild, boasting a long shelf life.
Can tropical fruit grow in Houston?html. Broadly, most tropical fruits are safe within 12 miles of the Gulf and in the Hermann Park area. In most other parts of urban Houston south of I-10 and inside the loop (perhaps even to Hobby), tropicals will do well in protected areas.
Article first time published onAre the palm trees in Houston dead?
The Public Works Department estimates an astounding 90% of the city’s palm trees are dead. … Experts say the longer rotting palms are left standing, the heavier they become and the more likely to snap on unsuspecting pedestrians and drivers.
Why are all the palm trees dead in Texas?
AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas freeze this February killed plenty of plants and trees. In Austin, the Public Works department initially estimated as much as 90% of palm trees died because of the cold and storms. … The freeze also killed thousands of bats in Austin.
Will palm trees survive the Texas freeze?
According to Peterson, the best palms for San Antonio that can tolerate freezes are Sabal minor, Sabal Mexicana, Sabal palmetto, and Washingtonia filifera. He adds that the Canary Island date palm is a good feather palm choice. Windmill palms will also likely survive.
Do palm trees grow in Austin TX?
Palm Trees to Plant in Greater Austin Greater Austin (Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Georgetown) falls under USDA Hardiness Zone 8b. That means that of the 2,500+ species of palms in the world, your choices are limited to the especially cold-hardy varieties.
How do you grow palm trees in Texas?
Palms do not need excessive soil preparation. Just blend our Covington’s Soil Builder (compost, expanded shale, and greensand) to the existing soil as you back fill around the root ball, then top the whole planting off with at least a 2″ layer of mulch to cover.
Do palm trees grow in Central Texas?
ANSWER: There are two cold-tolerant palm species native to Texas. … Like all palms, it grows slowly, but ultimately can reach 50 feet in height. Sabal minor (Dwarf palmetto), on the other hand, only grows to about 5 feet and is found in Central Texas.
How tall do palm trees grow in Texas?
Texas Sabal Palm – Sabal texana or S. This Texas native palm is cold hardy and can grow to 50′ in height with a trunk diameter up to 30”. Individual, fan- shaped fronds can reach 15′ in length. These fronds create a canopy of foliage between 8′ – 25′ in diameter.
Can coconut palms grow in South Texas?
If possible, maintain a sunny location and temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit to keep a coconut palm healthy. … In the warmest winter areas of southernmost Texas, around McAllen and South Padre Island, an outdoor-planted coconut palm may survive to live a few years.
Can palms survive in shade?
Palms. Though most palm trees require full sun, some — such as the curly palm (Howea belmoreana), the Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) and the narrow-leaved palm lily (Cordyline stricta) — thrive in partial to full shade.
How long do palm trees live?
The average lifespan of a palm tree is between 7 to 8 decades. However, some only live for forty years, and others can live up to a whopping 100 years. Since this entirely depends on the species of the palm tree, it is best to research the different types before finalizing on a specific one.
How much do palm trees grow in a year?
Outdoors in a suitable climate they’ll grow by three to ten inches a year but indoors this will be much lower. In ideal conditions they can reach eight or more feet high, but it can take them a long time to get there.
Can avocado trees grow in Texas?
In Texas, production is so small that it is not reported in U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics. The only Texas counties that are suitable for commercial avocado production are in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, where avocados represent a very small percentage of commercial farm acreage.
Can you grow jackfruit in Houston?
Keep in mind that jackfruits can grow pretty tall and branch out. So if your keeping it in a greenhouse, it may not fit… I find that if you grow any tropical in the shade in a pot while young, it acclimates to the Austin weather really well. Then slowly introduce it to the Texas sun, so that it won’t burn.
Can mangosteen grow in Texas?
Native to Indonesia and Malaysia, mangosteen trees require a highly tropical, humid climate, and they cannot be grown commercially in the contiguous United States, although a few determined enthusiasts have coddled them to fruiting in the warmest parts of Florida.
How do you care for a palm tree in Texas?
Palm trees should get a three-foot deep soaking in a six-foot wide basin every ten or twelve days, rather than a shallow watering once a week. Don’t Mutilate Your Palm Trees! Palm trees receive too much attention from hard-working, unskilled workers who want to cut out a lot of leaves and remove last year’s leaf bases.
Is Southern Texas Tropical?
The southern tip of Texas is actually at the same latitude as central Florida. Technically this area is humid sub tropical.
Do palm trees grow in Zone 8?
Palms always add a tropical look to a landscape. Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis), and Pindo palm (Butia capitata) are all suitable for planting in zone 8.
Can sugar apples grow Texas?
Although their exact origin is unknown, sugar apples thrive in the tropics. They can be grown outdoors in the U.S. only in the southernmost areas of Texas and Louisiana, the Florida peninsula, southwest Arizona, and the coastal and valley regions of California.
Can you grow guava in Houston?
Avocado, guava, jaboticaba, mango and starfruit — though their flavors are exotic, they can easily be grown here in the home garden. These tropicals tolerate temperatures to around 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping them small in containers or in the ground allows for quick cover if colder temperatures threaten.
Can palm trees survive ice storm?
If a freeze is only partial, some palm material may survive and be able to grow, but the damaged areas will never recover. Brown, drooping fronds can be removed or left to fall on their own. If a palm survives, new fronds will grow, but it will take time for them to grow to the size of the mature fronds.
Can a palm tree survive winter?
No palm can survive in regions where the ground is frozen solid for weeks or months at a time, but a surprising number of palm species can tolerate occasional snow and temperatures as low as 20 degrees—and, sometimes, even lower. Here are 11 hardy palms that can withstand cold winter weather.