Overwinter Windmill Palm – Wrap Trunk and Crown

Overwinter Windmill Palm – Wrap Trunk and Crown guide illustration

Wrap the trunk and crown of windmill palm before a hard freeze. Keep the growing point dry, and unwrap on mild days.

Overwintering Windmill Palm care summary diagram

Wrap the trunk and crown before a hard freeze

FactorRecommendedAvoid
WhenBefore a hard freeze, especially on a young or newly planted treeDo not wait until the spear is already frozen
WrapBurlap or horticultural fleece around the trunk and bunched fansDo not put plastic sheets against the fans
HeatA strand of old incandescent lights inside the wrap on a harder nightDo not use LED strings as the only heat, and do not rest a lamp on the tissue

Windmill palm takes a freeze down to about 10 degrees once it is established. A first-year tree, a pot, or a windy corner needs help sooner. Wrap before that harder night, not after the spear has frozen. [1] [2]

  1. Mulch the root zone, and keep the mulch off the trunk.
  2. Gather the fans upward and tie them loosely so the wrap does not bend them over.
  3. Wrap the trunk and the bunched crown with burlap or horticultural fleece. Leave the fiber on the trunk; do not shave it first.
  4. On a harder night, thread a strand of old incandescent lights inside the wrap, away from the fans, then close the top of the cloth.
  5. Brush heavy snow off the bundle so the fans do not snap. [3]

How cold can windmill palm take?

An established tree takes a freeze down to about 10 degrees. Wrap a young plant, a new planting, or an exposed tree before a harder night.

Keep the growing point dry, and unwrap on mild days

Water sitting in the crown can freeze and kill the bud. Stuff dry straw into the crown before you wrap, and keep plastic off the fans. Open or remove the wrap on a mild day so the crown can dry, then put it back before the next hard freeze. [4]

  1. Stuff dry straw into the crown so rain does not pool on the spear.
  2. If rain will sit for days, drape a loose plastic cover over the wrap, not against the fans, and leave the bottom open for air.
  3. Unwrap or vent the bundle on a mild day. A closed wet wrap is worse than a short freeze.
  4. Take the wrap off for good once the hard freezes have passed. Leave green winter-burned fans until they are fully brown; that cut is on How to Prune Windmill Palm.
  5. A pot still comes indoors before a hard freeze. That bring-in is on How to Grow Windmill Palm.

Can I wrap windmill palm in plastic?

Do not put plastic against the fans. Use burlap or fleece on the plant. A loose rain cover over the wrap is fine if the bottom stays open so the crown can dry.

Wrap before the hard freeze, keep the crown dry, and unwrap on a mild day so the growing point does not sit wet.

FAQ

Do I wrap an established windmill palm every winter?

Not if the tree is sheltered and the night stays near 10 degrees. Wrap a young plant, a new planting, or an exposed tree before a harder freeze.

Should I water under the wrap?

Water the root zone on a mild day if the ground is dry. Do not soak the crown. A wet growing point is what rots in a freeze.

Recommended plants

References

  1. [1] New York Botanical Garden - https://libanswers.nybg.org/faq/223162
  2. [2] Jungle Music Palms and Cycads - https://www.junglemusic.net/Trachycarpus/Windmill_Palm.html
  3. [3] UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions - https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/palms-and-cycads/windmill-palm/
  4. [4] North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox - https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/trachycarpus-fortunei/

This note is part of Trachycarpus Guides.

More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.

Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors

This guide is written for real gardens, not perfect climates. Results vary with site, season, and plant choice. We draw on multiple sources and practical experience; treat the steps here as honest guidance, not a promise that every bed will behave the same.