Plot & PetalWindmill palm
Trachycarpus fortunei
- true palm
- one of the most cold-hardy landscape palms
Safety
ASPCA lists Trachycarpus fortunei by name as non-toxic (its Windmill Palm page names dogs and cats specifically). NC State's species page independently confirms non-toxic to dogs, cats, AND horses. This is an exact-species match on both sources, not a family-level inference.
Poison control
If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.
Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.
Quick facts
- Hardiness zones
7a-11b per NC State; UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions separately gives 8A-11 (cold hardy to about 10 degrees F). Both kept rather than picking one -- a real disagreement between two extension sources, not a typo.
- Water needs
Prefers good drainage or consistently moist soil; not notably drought tolerant compared to desert-adapted palms.
- Mature size
8-10 ft tall in cultivation (20-40 ft in the wild) per NC State; UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions instead describes cultivated specimens as rarely exceeding 25 ft with a 6-10 ft spread and fronds 1.5-3 ft wide. Both kept rather than picking one -- the two sources give meaningfully different cultivated-height expectations.
Full field manual in the app
Step-by-step care
The numbered steps for caring for this plant, where we have them.
Why each step works
The reasons behind the steps, where we have them.
Problems and fixes
What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.
Soil, feeding and pruning
How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.