Hardy palms are any of the species of palm (Arecaceae) that are able to withstand brief periods of colder temperatures and even occasional snowfall. A few palms are native to higher elevations of south Asia where true winter conditions occur, while a few others are native to the warmer parts of the temperate zone in North America. A few of these temperate climate palms can tolerate hard freezes with little or no damage. Many of these "hardy " species can be cultivated in warmer parts of temperate climates. The cold hardiness of palms varies by species. The hardiest species are found in the tribe Trachycarpeae, Washingtonia, and Rhapis, with species which are found in the wild in areas where the mean temperature of the coldest month of the year is not much less than , and Trachycarpus, with species which are found in the wild in areas where the mean temperature of the coldest month of the year is as low as . Members of the above palms and other genera are sometimes grown in areas where they are not truly hardy, overwintering with the aid of various kinds of artificial protection. Fan palms The fan palms (Arecaceae tribe Corypheae; palms with fan-shaped leaves) include all of the hardiest palms. Windmill Palms (Trachycarpus fortunei, T. takil) – is considered the most cold hardy arborescent palm in the world. These tough species are native to eastern China, Myanmar, and the Himalaya mountains where severe (though brief) winter conditions occur. Hardy to about , they grow at high altitudes where temperatures are cool. It is also tolerant of low summer temperatures. Mature Trachycarpus trees have been successfully grown in high latitude locations as far north as 58°N in northern Scotland and Stavanger Norway (59° N). Mature specimens can also be found in the southern coast of Ireland, the southern coast of England, southwestern Canada (in the city of Vancouver and on Vancouver Island), Southern Switzerland (Ticino). Trachycarpus is also grown extensively in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States Trachycarpus is cultivated along the Pacific coast and as far north as Washington State and along the Atlantic coast as far north as southern Connecticut. Large mature specimens can be found from Maryland south to Georgia, though numbers decline toward southern Georgia south toward Florida. Across the interior of the United States, there are reports of long term specimens that have