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Top 5 Palm Trees to Plant in North Dallas

June 2, 2026
, Trees

As summer approaches, many homeowners want to bring a bit of the beach to their North Texas landscape, adding tropical flowers and plants, specifically palm trees. Palm trees, while visually appealing, are often incredibly difficult to take care of in places with harsh climates like Texas. The unpredictable climate and weather changes make it challenging for tropical-climate plants such as palm trees to adjust and thrive. However, below you will find a list of palm trees that will be able to withstand harsh Texas climates and add a tropical feeling to your summer landscape.

Needle Palm

This palm tree makes a wonderful addition to any yard. It is generally low maintenance, performing best in partial shade and withstanding harsh weather conditions. It produces yellowish-brown flowers in the summer and has a dark reddish-brown trunk with black needles (generally good to keep away from children and pets), hence the name “needle palm”. It grows slowly but will get decently large at 10 feet in height and width at its full maturity.

Foliage Color: glossy dark green
Sun Requirement: full sun-partial shade
Soil Needs: moist, well-drained
Mature Height: 10 feet
Mature Width: 10 feet
Hardiness: the most hardy of all palms

Windmill Palm

Although high maintenance, the Windmill palm tree is suitable for landscaping around pools, patios, and urban landscapes and is often used in harsh climates because it is cold hardy. It has silvery green foliage and produces irregularly shaped, showy fruit and gold, yellowish-green flowers. The leaf petioles have small teeth along the edges, making them appear like a windmill.

Foliage Color: silvery green
Sun Requirement: full sun-partial shade
Soil Needs: loamy soil and sand, moist/well-drained soil
Mature Height: 20 feet
Mature Width: 10 feet
Hardiness: cold hardy

Texas Sabal Palm

The Sabal Palm tree is a shockingly large palm, reaching a height of 35 feet and a width of 20 feet at full maturity. It is the most cold-hardy of all palms, suited for subzero temperatures. It thrives in full-partial sun, and though adaptable to many soil types, it thrives in well-drained soil. It is generally low-maintenance and only requires heavy water during the first period of growth.

Foliage Color: deep emerald green to light green
Sun Requirement: full-partial sun
Soil Needs: well-drained soil
Mature Height: 35 feet
Mature Width: 20 feet
Hardiness: most cold-hardy of all palms

California Fan Palm

The California Fan Palm tree makes a wonderful, striking addition to any property, with a shocking height of 50 feet at full maturity. It is not as hardy as other palms and not well suited for very extreme temperatures. However, it is generally low maintenance, thriving in full sun and well-drained soil like many of its kind. Its dark green foliage and fan shape are much like a classic palm once fully grown.

Foliage Color: dark green
Sun Requirement: full sun
Soil Needs: well-drained soil
Mature Height: 50 feet
Mature Width: 18 feet
Hardiness: mildly hardy, not suited for very extreme temperatures

Pindo Palm

This species is one of the hardiest of the feather-leaved palm trees. It has striking blue-gray foliage, giving it a silver appearance in the sun, and produces white flowers and gold/burgundy fruit. It is slow-growing but has a graceful fountain-like growth. It grows best in full sun and partial shade (for the leaves) and is adaptable to most types of soil, making it a great addition to any yard.

Foliage Color: blue-gray
Sun Requirement: sunny-partial shade (leaves grow better)
Soil Needs: suited to wide variety, including clay
Mature Height: 20 feet
Mature Width: 15 feet
Hardiness: cold-hardy

Frequently Asked Questions About Palm Trees

What palm tree is native to Texas?

Although most palm trees are native to more tropical climates, some are native to the Texas area. In particular, the Texas Sabal Palm is native to Texas.

Do palm trees need to be covered during winter in North Dallas?

Although many palms are cold-hardy and can withstand harsh climates, it is always a good idea to cover palm trees in North Dallas to protect them from severe winter temperatures and ice storms, as they can be extreme and unpredictable. This can be done with a natural burlap or special frost cover.

Do palm tree fronds fall off in the winter?

Fortunately, palm trees are evergreen, meaning their leaves, or fronds, remain intact throughout the year. This means that the fronds will not drop in winter.