Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)

Vancouver streets, here these Windmill Palms go! 

Prized as one of the most cold-hardy palms, you can find these fan-leaved glories growing anywhere from South America to Canada.  Unlike other palms, Windmill palms , there’s no lack of uses for the Chinese Windmill Palm. Their leaves are used for thatched roofs, and leaf shaft fibers can be made into hats, brooms, mats and rope. 

Native to the highlands of Asia, these Chinese Windmill Palms will withstand temperatures as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit (just keep them out of the wind). They’re characterized by their multi-directional fanned leaves which resemble a windmill and their solitary trunk, covered in fine fibers of old leaf sheaths and have lovely yellow blossoms in summer.