Palm Trees for Full Sun

Livistona australis is nice looking & grows fairly quickly. It does well with full sun. Plus, it can take temporary lows of 20^oF/-6.6^oC. Zone 9-11.

Australian Cabbage Palm is a Stunning Palmate, Getting to 60ft/18m.

Livistona decipiens has stunning inflorescences emerging floppily upward from the crown. Showing nice yellow flowers.

Give it all it needs for quick sunny growth to 70'/21m. And you can grow it easily from seed! Zones 9-11, but 8b can be doable.

With a weepy look from its long pendant leaf segments.

Bismarckia nobilis has bluish tinged fronds that love full sun.

Be cautious if temps go into the 20F/-6.6C+. Cold Damage can happen if they're chilled too long.

Zone best: 9-11. Tops off at 60ft/18m.

Dazzling Bismarck Palms seen when touring with the Mission Hills Garden Walk.
Photo: KM @Flickr - CC BY 4.0

Washingtonia filifera loves inland hot sun. Can even go as low as 15F/-9.4C. Native to northern Mexico, Western Arizona & low deserts in So-Cal. Zone 8-11 in areas with humidity, 7 in dry climates.

Not so tall as its cousin, the W. robusta.

We're well familiar with this commonly named California Fan Palm. In Tucson Arizona, where we live, they're delightfully placed on many property fronts.

Grove of filifera palms, called the Cotton Palm in the UK. Lots of petticoats!

Brahea edulis has a fat trunk that takes it right through those springtime desert winds.

Full sun is okay. With caution tolerates temps as low as 18^oF/-7.8C in dryer places. But ideal for Zones 9-11.

Can be easily grown from seed. Getting up to 35 ft./10.5m tall. Photo: Herve Rey - CC-BY-SA

Acoelorrhaphe wrightii is only advised if good watering available. Long been growing in Florida's Everglades.

It's one of those palm trees for full sun that's not drought-friendly. But known to tolerate temps to lows of 20^oF/-6.7C, if temporary. Grows to 40'/12m, while clustering. Best Zones: 9b-11.

Known as Everglades Palm or Paurotis Palm.

With Brahea aculeata, full sun is a must.

It can temporarily do temps down to about 20^oF/-6.6^oC. Slow-growing for Zones 9-11. Dry parts of 8b possible with care.

Sinaloa Hesper growing nicely at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami
Photo: David J Stang - CC BY-SA 4.0

Yes, Phoenix canariensis is native to the Canary Islands.

Majestic, slow-growing, specimen. Among The Tallest Palms. Their full round crowns enjoy catching our desert sun.

Even while loving some sunny warmth, they can limitedly go to 15^oF/-9.4oC. Zone 9-11, even 8b in dry climes.

We see plenty in our Sonoran Desert town. Beauties with a full round crown.

Attalea cohune is impressively large & attractive.

Can get 100ft/30m tall. Its pinnate fronds, themselves, are 30'/9m long! With leaflets about 3'/90cm. Takes young Cohunes lots of time to form a solitary trunk. Then growth speeds up

Best for Zones 10-11. Can try 9b, with care.

Seeing Its Youth, With Lengthy Palm Fronds

Chamaerops humilis spreads out bush-like.

It sits well in full sun. And quite cold-tolerant, briefly down to 10^oF/-12.2C! Brrrr!! Zones 8-11.

Also Known as: Mediterranean Fan Palm

Nannorrhops ritcheana is small, and pretty.

A clumper with either bluish or green fronds. Loves hot deserts. Plus fleetingly tolerates a lowest temperature of 15^oF. Zones 8-11, plus 7 for arid deserts.

Showing Off its Lovely Palmate Leaves at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, Florida

Phoenix roebelenii is small-sized. Wants sun & heat. Not much for cold, but short periods at 20^oF/-6.7C could be okay. No lower.

AKA Miniature Date Palm - Loving this arrangement! They Max Out at 15ft/14.5m.
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr - Attribution 4.0 International.

Allagoptera arenaria is native to sunny seaside Brazilian regions.

But if you're inland, it'll be fine. Temps must go no lower than 28^oF/-2.2C, for minimal time-frame. Zone 8b-11. Smaller size, to about 8-ft/2.4m, slowly. Fruits are edible.

Avoid planting near tall trees or buildings, if they cast shade. They don't want that!

Can do some shade time. Though small, can't tolerate indoor light.
Not easily found to purchase! But possible.
It will grow from seed! If you have patience for up to a 2-year wait!

Phoenix dactylifera may be the most historically cultivated for fruit production. It's a true desert sun & heat lover. Still, can tolerate low temps of 18^oF, for a bit. Gets pretty tall, to 90'/27m.

Going to Sample Date Fruit With a Picnic Under the Date Palms
In Arizona's Sonoran Desert

Butia capitata, nicknamed for the Palm Fruit people turn into jellies.

It loves the desert climate. So it manages drought well. Fairly cold-tolerant, too. Handling temporary temps down to about 16^oF. Zone 9-11, can do 8 for Mediterranean climates.

A shorty (35'/10.5m) that's great to consider for your Landscape Planning.

This very hardy pinnate is also called Pindo Palm.
Photo: Herve Rey - CC-BY-SA

Brahea armata is maybe the ideal inland desert palm.

Loves (Zone 8b-11) dry full sun & heat. But can also take momentary Fahrenheit plunge to about 16^oF/8.8C.

Exquisite palmate leaves look like sunbursts. Stalks with creamy flowers arch upward past the fronds & then droop.

Only gets to 30'/9m tall. Also called Blue Hesper Palm. This one slowly grows in Tenerife.
Photo: Berthold Werner via CCby-SA3.0

Dypsis decaryi is uniquely shaped. You can't miss it!

Native to Madagascar, so it loves heat. Sun is good, too, but some recommend a bit of shade. Can go occasionally to about 26^oF/-3.3C without injury. Zone 10 & 11, can try 9b with aridity.

Also nicknamed Neodypsis decaryi. Gets to 40'/12m upward. Growing on a Maui property of Lilikoi Gulch Haiku
Photo: Forest & Kim Starr - CC BY 4.0

Butia eriospatha is related to the Jelly.

But not as cold tolerant. Needs protection as temps go to low of 20^oF/-6.6C. 

Named for its woolly looking tomentum-covered (hairy matte) spathe, the woody boat-shaped Palm Part sheltering new inflorescences (flower stems).

No trouble with hot, full desert sun!
Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek - CC BY-SA 4.0