Can I plant palm trees in Delaware? If so where can I buy them?

Dia5689719
by Dia5689719
  11 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on May 02, 2017

    Palm Trees are considered house plants in your area.

  • Beth Shorts Beth Shorts on May 02, 2017

    The last time I was in Rehoboth Beach, De, I saw some palm trees along side a local restaurant. I went in and asked them how they managed to keep them alive during the winter.. and the owner laughed and told me "we RENT these palm trees every spring and return them to the rental place every October".... Sooooooooooo... I think if you want palm trees in Delaware, you will have to grow indoor ones...

    • See 2 previous
    • Luis Arroyo Luis Arroyo on Jul 15, 2018

      I donk know why they'd say that.

      Maybe they're tired of explaining it.....but I have a theory....


      I think the place has new management since the yucca and other subtropicals have been removed from the sidewalk area.


      I learned of these palms on the "DC Tropics" blog. (Still active on Facebook)

      While I'm sure the succulents & tropicals go to storage, the Trachies & yuccas remain year round & the 2014-15 "polar vortex" killed the north facing Trachies in the rear.



  • Dia5689719 Dia5689719 on May 02, 2017

    Found out I am in zone 7 and I can plant Windmill Palms and Pindo Palms. I just wanted to put a few around my pool.

  • Shirley Heikkinen Shirley Heikkinen on May 03, 2017

    Good luck, and be sure to protect them during the harsh winters there.

    • Donna R Hornock Donna R Hornock on Jul 27, 2017

      most of Delaware has winter temperatures which do not drop below 5 degrees f, and snowfall which exceeds 1 foot per year. Needle palms and dwarf palmetto are hardy outside south of Christiana.

  • Dia5689719 Dia5689719 on May 03, 2017

    Will do and thanks.

  • Donna R Hornock Donna R Hornock on Jul 29, 2017

    Ty Ty Nursery, an online retail site sells both needle palms and dwarf palmetto. Their claims of hardiness for other palms is greatly exaggerated, unless you live at Lewes or other shore points, I wouldn't try them (other than needle palm or dwarf palmetto.)

  • Joseph Weaver Joseph Weaver on Aug 20, 2019

    If Delaware was meant to have Palm trees(which to me are warm weather trees) we would see them, yet there are none to 0, so with that said, travel south to south Carolina, that is where you will really start seeing pam trees, clear to the end of the keys. Palm trees 35 miles south of philly just does not seem right. As much as we want to be san Francisco, we are not. enjoy your blue spruce and embrace cold weather in winter, and hot and sticky in august and September. At least we have beautiful springs, and crisp autumn days are so awesome, with a blue sky second to none. especially travelling through upper new castle county when the trees are so beautiful and in full color.

    • Donna R Hornock Donna R Hornock on Nov 14, 2019

      Needle palms can be grown outside in southern New Castle County (Glasgow, Bear , and Delaware City southward.) We have four needle Palm and a Southern live oak that are growing well. Our home is in Glasgow 6 1/2 miles south of Newark.


  • Joseph Weaver Joseph Weaver on Nov 15, 2019

    Hi, The palms I was referring to are the tree type. I haven't seen any in Delaware. They type in the photos are very pretty for landscaping purposes for sure, and I will probably look into purchasing a few for the landscaping at my Home in Bethany Beach Delaware. Thank You.

  • Gary Gary on Jan 07, 2024

    So, we have a vacation place in Ocean View right a side of Bethany beach. I planted a windmill palm in 2014 and it’s still doing great. Also have a pinto palm for about 5 years now also doing good. All I do is fertilize them in the spring and fall, and wrap the trunks, and the top where the fonts come out with the old-fashioned mini Christmas lights, not LEDs and let them on all winter long. My windmill palm is over 12ft tall now.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Jan 07, 2024

    A really interesting question. Here in the Baltimore, MD area, I see banana trees planted and are left in the ground all winter, just cut back. I know you asked about palms, not sure how they would do, but bananas are ok.

  • Mogie Mogie on Jan 08, 2024

    They don't get common until down in the Carolinas, though. It's a gradual change, but around Delaware/Maryland is where weather gets warm enough to where winter frost isn't frequent enough to kill palm trees; these areas usually hover right around freezing in winter. call your local nurseries for more detailed info concerning your area.