The best choices:

Texas Sabal palm (Sabal texana) is a slow-growing palm with thick, smooth, spineless leaf stems and is cold-hardy to about 10 degrees. Sabal minor is the dwarf form of this plant. It doesn't develop a trunk at all and is very slow growing, but it makes a beautiful understory planting.

Pindo palm (Butia capitata) is a beautiful blue-green palm that is cold hardy to 12-15 degrees. This selection made the second-choice list because some specimens came through the harsh winter just fine and it is an elegant looking palm.

Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) is cold-hardy to about 15 degrees. It is a nice, small-growing palm that had no problems in protected spots but had some cosmetic damage in some gardens.

California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera) is cold-hardy to 10-15 degrees. It is superior for us here in North Texas to the commonly sold Mexican fan palm (W. robusta) that is cold-hardy to only about 20 degrees. Mexican and California fan palms look similar.

Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia Robusta) is cold-hardy to 10-15 degrees. It is superior for us here in North Texas to the commonly sold Mexican fan palm that is cold-hardy to only about 20 degrees. Mexican and California fan palms look similar.