Foxtail palms (Wodyetia bifurcata) are some of the most beautiful and sought after palm trees to include in your yard. But are they cold hardy enough to survive where you live?
Foxtail palms are not a particularly cold hardy palm tree and won’t survive if you don’t live in zone 10a or above. Foxtails will die after reaching less than 27 degrees Fahrenheit.
Foxtails have a similar level of cold hardiness to a coconut palm or royal palm.
There are some things you can do if you want to grow fox palms but don’t live in one of these warmer zone 10 or 11 climates.
Keep reading to find out how.
Foxtail Palm Cold Hardiness Zone
Foxtails can only sustainably grow long term in zone 10a or higher.
If properly winterized and planted in a place of protection such as close to a warm wall of your house, foxtails have been known to survive for several years in zone 9b. However, during an odd cold snap you risk losing your foxtail for good.
The lowest cold hardiness zone that foxtails can survive in is zone 10a.
| Thrives at | Zone 10+ |
| Coldest possible | Zone 9b |
How to Grow Foxtails in Colder Climates
There are a few things you can do if you still want to grow a foxtail palm and you don’t live in hardiness zone 10a or higher.
If you live in hardiness zone 9b
If you live in zone 9b you still have hope of growing a foxtail palm outside. Due to temperatures getting down to 25 degrees during the winter you will have to do a few extra things to help your palm survive.
The first thing you should do is protect it from cold wind currents. To do this you will want to plant your foxtail tree close to windbreak like a fence or up by your house.
You may also want to grow your palm indoors for the first few years for the trunk to develop. Once the palm trunk is thick it will be much hardier to cold and you can transplant it outdoors.
If you live in hardiness zone 9a or lower
If you live in zone 9a or lower you will need to plant your foxtail palm in a moveable pot. Unfortunately you will need to bring your palm tree indoors over the coldest months of the winter or you risk your palm dying.