British Columbia: What is the most Tropical Palm to Survive in Vancouver?

What is the most tropical palm or plant that could survive in Vancouver? I know that not just trachycarpus palms can survive in Vancouver. I was thinking Butia capitata, Jubaea Chilensis, and possibly even Washingtonia palms. But then again I'm not an expert on palms so I wanna know.

 

Probably Parajubaea cocoides, I think. That one's from the equator and points a bit south, but very high up in the Andes where it occasionally sees snow. Chile isn't technically tropical - it's temperate, like Canada.

 

Thanks! Those look really pretty. I can assume it would need some protection in the winter but I could definately see that surviving there!

 

Here's a link to that palm, regarding its hardiness in Northern California. Looks a little dicey for Vancouver if it can't withstand 16 degrees F.

Informational link: http://www.goldengatepalms.com/public_html/coconut.htm

 

Young Quito Palms can't withstand sustained 16 F (-9 C) for more than 2 weeks without protection, in my experience. My friends up at 4,500 meters above sea level have a thriving patch of them, and their weather is almost identical to Vancouver's in the wintertime. Once the plant is about 3 years old it's typically good for up to 3 weeks of sustained -10 C. They burlap the young ones when they get a cold snap.

Country Palms has the advantage, too, of Osoyoos, which has a warmer microclimate than Van proper.

 

Wait so does that mean I could grow one right here in Osoyoos? That would be amazing but our cold snaps are way colder than Van so I would assume that it would need a lot more protection right? Plus it gets quite hot here in the summer.

 

Hot's not a problem. I have Quito palms and my days go over 40C quite often - they don't seem to mind, it just makes them grow faster. You'll likely need a bit more protection for them while they're still young, but after a few years they'll likely acclimate to the cold as well - if you pick a fairly sheltered spot in the garden, that will help immensely - in Edmonton I had one that grew close to the house on a South exposure, in a nook that was wind-sheltered; I don't know if it's still there; the folks who moved in after I left weren't really plant people. They're quite feasable for you in Osoyoos, though.

 

You tried growing one in Edmonton? Did it survive? I will certainly have to try it myself! Also Vancouver rarely goes below -5C in the winter and it doesn't snow a lot. They might survive better there as long as they love the rain.

 

It did quite well - I kept it in a large pot for the first three years, until it had established itself, then gradually worked it into full outdoorsness by exposing it to more and more cold weather each year until at 7 years I plugged it into the soil for good. I took two crops of nuts off of it before moving to Ecuador for permanent; I'd assume it's still there in its sunny corner unless the new tenants really screwed something up.

Quito, where these palms grow in almost every park, is a very rainy place. They should do fine.