Deer Resistant
Drought Tolerant
Cold Hardy
| Hardy Zone: | 7a-11 |
| Cold Hardy: | Yes, 5°F with drops to 0°F for short duration |
| Mature Height: | 2-6' in USDA Zone 7a-8 |
| Spread: | 3-5' in USDA Zone 7a-8 |
| Shape: | Shrub |
| Growth Rate: | Slow, approximately 5" a year |
| Sun Preference: | Full Sun to Partial Shade |
| Maintenance: | Easy |
| Water Needs: | Average |
| Soil Preference: | Well Drained |
| Drought Tolerant: | Yes |
| Deer Resistant: | Yes |
Cold-Tolerant Shorter Palm Tree that’s native to Georgia and withstands temperatures down to zero. It is a slow growing clumping palm that thrives with basic care.
Why Choose a Dwarf Palmetto Palm?
Although not as large as many varieties of palms, Dwarf Palmetto Palms bring robust attractiveness wherever utilized in the landscape. They are cold-hardy down to 5° but can also tolerate short drops to 0°F, making them the perfect addition to northern landscapes and gardeners that always wanted a palm but felt their environment was too cold.
These slow-growers have a clumping habit, maturing to around 2 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide in USDA zone 7a-8. The round, bluish-green, fan-like fronds are divided into segments and attached to smooth stems growing up to 5 feet tall. It typically forms multiple trunks but can be trained into a single trunk specimen. White flower stalks bloom in summer followed by small blackberries.
The Dwarf Palmetto’s shrubby form and large fronds make it stand out as an accent plant or specimen. It also works well planted as a group or screening plant to cover fences or pool equipment. This plant is also beautiful as a standalone palm as well as under the canopy of larger palms or trees.
Is it Cold-Hardy in My Area?
If you’re looking for an elegant palm that is cold-hardy and sturdy, then the Dwarf Palmetto may be the palm for you. This Georgia native withstands temperatures down to 5° F and will even tolerate short bouts of drops to 0°F. These trees grow well throughout USDA hardiness zones 7a through 11.
In the event of an extreme freeze, water the palm deeply the day before the expected cold weather is to arrive to insulate the roots and help keep them warm. Add a thick layer of mulch over the planting site to also help insulate the roots.
You can even string some holiday lights through the canopy. This not only helps keep the Dwarf Palmetto Palm warm but also brings a cheery appeal to the area at night.
How Big Does It Get?
Although not big in size, the Dwarf Palmetto Palm is big in its good looks. The slow-grower grows approximately 5" a year and matures anywhere from 2 to 6 feet tall with a width of around 3 to 5 feet in USDA zones 7a-8. This makes it a good choice for smaller landscapes.
How Much Sun Does It Require?
Dwarf Palmettos are versatile when it comes to their light tolerance. The palm grows well located in full sun to partial shade. If your area is extremely hot and dry throughout summer, the palm will appreciate a site that receives some shade during the hottest portion of the afternoon.
What About Soil and Water Requirements?
Another quality about Dwarf Palmetto Palms is they tolerate a wide range of soils from well-drained to those that are occasionally wet. However, well-drained soils that are fertile produce the best growth.
Newly planted palms should be watered several times weekly for a couple of months while they establish themselves in the planting site. Dwarf Palmetto Palms are drought-tolerant once established and weekly to every other week water applications are sufficient. The palm won’t punish you if you forget to water.
Is It Easy to Maintain?
If you don’t want to spend hours tending fussy plants then the Dwarf Palmetto is the plant for you. It also won’t be creating a mess, as it’s relatively maintenance-free and doesn’t suffer pest or disease problems.
Its compact size makes pruning this palm an easy task. You only need to prune the completely brown fronds. Watch out for pruning them off too early as the palm is still gaining nutrients from fronds that contain even just a bit of green.
Although palms are relatively easy to care for yourself, we encourage our professional maintenance service 3 times a year. We offer the Perfect Palm Maintenance Service with only the best products and professionals for your palms.
What About Fertilizing?
Dwarf Palmetto isn’t a big feeder and in fact, once established they don’t need feeding at all to grow healthily. However, you can feed them with a slow-release fertilizer specific to palms two to four times yearly. Follow package directions on amounts and always water in well after applying.
Q: Do you deliver?
A: We deliver within a 60 mile radius of our Alpharetta, GA nursery location. We offer two pricing tiers for delivery. For delivery up to 30 miles from our Alpharetta, GA nursery location the cost is $95. For delivery 31-60 miles of our Alpharetta, GA nursery the cost is $195. For potential delivery beyond 60 miles, please call us at (770) 400-9897.
Q: Do you install?
A: Yes. However, we currently only install in the greater Atlanta area. Installation cost varies by product. Once you place your products in the cart, it will display delivery and installation costs. We only install AtlantaPalms.com palm trees and plants. Installation requires delivery by us.
Q: Do you offer a warranty?
A: Yes
Perfect Palm Guarantee™: We guarantee you will receive healthy, high quality palm trees and plants. If you're not satisfied with the health or quality of your purchase within the first seven (7) days of receiving your plants, please give us a call at (770) 400-9897 or email us at support@atlantapalms.com so we can make things right!
60-Day Warranty: Atlanta Palms offers a free 60 day warranty on all plants and trees. If your plant dies during the 60 day warranty, please give us a call so we can discuss a one-time replacement. Replacement plant shipping cost, taxes, delivery, and installation is at the customer's expense.
Purchase a 2-Year Extended Warranty
We also have an extended warranty option on most items available at checkout.
Plants and trees are subject to the forces of nature and may not survive due to extreme drought or temperature extremes. We offer a two-year warranty to ease the worry of these acts of God and protect you from loss. At checkout, you can easily add a two-year warranty to any or all of your plants for an additional fee (determined at checkout).
This is a two-year, one-time replacement warranty. Shipping costs, taxes, delivery, and installation are at the customer’s expense. We do require you to submit a photo to verify that your plant has not survived. Once we have verified your claim, we will issue a store credit to order your replacement.
In order for our trees and plants to thrive they require adequate watering, fertilization, and suitable planting conditions. Neglect or purchasing plants that are not suitable for your growing zone void our warranty guarantee. Submitting a warranty claim is easy. Simply give us a call at (770) 400-9897 or email us at support@atlantapalms.com.
Want to add our 2-Year Warranty to an existing order?
Contact us within 7 days of receiving your order and we will get you set up!
Q: Do you accept returns?
A: All sales are final. We do not accept returns of plants and trees.
We do accept returns of non plant and tree products within 60 days of receipt. Shipping and delivery fees are non-refundable.
Q: What payment methods do you accept?
A: We accept all major credit cards and cash.
Q: What are your hours of operation?
A: Monday - Friday: 8:30-5:00 / Saturday: 9:00-2:00
Q: How often should I water my palms?
A: Newly planted palms should be watered 3-4 times a week for the first month or until the root system is established. The amount of water used depends on the size of the palm. Make sure you water thoroughly to make sure the bottom roots receive water at every watering. The amount of water per palm may range from 2 gallons for small containerized material to 15 gallons for larger palms. Make sure the soil is draining correctly, adding sand to the soil mixture allows water to drain more effectively. Overwatering or bad drainage can cause permanent damage to the roots over time. Placing mulch over the roots can help with water retention. Use caution not to allow the mulch to touch the base of the palm, otherwise it can cause it to rot.
Watering varies depending on the time of year and the outside temperature and weather. Here is a guideline for how much to water in any given season:
Winter: (60 degrees or less) no need to water, except for the first 30 days after installation.
Spring: (75 degrees or less) water palm once a week.
Beginning of summer: (90 degrees or less) 2-3 times a week.
Heat of summer: (90 degrees and above) 4-5 times a week.
Palms in a container or Pot: Palms in a container or pot need more frequent watering than those in the ground. 1-3 times a week depending on the season and weather.
Q: When do I apply fertilizer to my palm tree?
A: Newly planted palms should not be fertilized until they put out a new spear. Apply fertilizer only during the growth season (between April 1 and August 1).
Q: It is a good idea to correctly support larger, newly planted palms?
A: Some large palms will require bracing to maintain stability during the first eight months after installation. Three equidistantly-spaced braces are used to support the palm. If Atlanta Palms installs your palm tree, we will handle the bracing.
Q: When should I prune my palm tree?
A:The only time you should prune your palm tree is when the fronds are discolored, broken or pointing to the ground at more than a 90 degree angle with respect to the trunk. Palms get most of their energy from their fronds, so it’s important to be careful not to remove too many, especially if they are still partially green.
Q: Why are drip irrigation systems preferable to sprinklers?
A: Both drip irrigation and sprinklers are good irrigation systems for your palm trees. Drip irrigation is designed to have deeper saturation into a specific area. Sprinklers (spray irrigation) will only saturate the top 3-5 inches per watering cycle whereas Palms root balls are 2-3 feet deep and require a deeper water saturation to develop new roots. Newly planted palms can suffer root loss in deep water saturation especially during the hotter and drier summer months.
Customer Reviews
United StatesDwarf Palmetto
Great palm at a great price. Really nice customer service
United StatesNice treed
Atlanta Palms was great. They sold me two trees and when they didn't have the smaller one they gave me a larger one for the same price. The quality of the palms was evident. I may need another palm in the future and I will definitely go back to them
United StatesLove The Palms
The trees are great, Atlanta Palms is great. They were out of stock on the one I ordered and they gave me a larger one for the same price.
United Statesgreat service!
great service! palm is healthy and happy in its new home!
United Statesgreat experience with Atlanta Palms
We purchased the dwarf palmetto palm and had a great experience with Atlanta Palms. They were quick to contact me after I purchased to set up a delivery/install. Installation was quick and they did a great job.
United StatesGreat place to get Palms
Great place to get Palms. Love what I purchased for my front yard and they came and installed them. People were nice and courtesy.
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