• Pygmy Date Palm.palmetto palm tree leaves image by Jorge Moro from Fotolia.com
  
  The pygmy date palm (Phoenix Roebelenii) grows to a height of about 10 feet and lends a tropical feel to gardens. It is hardy to temperatures as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The tree produces clusters of small fruit that can be messy. The leaves have sharp spines that make removing dead leaves a treacherous task. There are other small palms that would make wonderful replacements for the pygmy date palm.
  
  

European Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis)

• Fan Palm Tree.palm tree leave3 image by Heng kong Chen from Fotolia.com
  
  The European fan palm features large, fan shaped leaves and a slender trunk. It is often planted in clusters of 3 to 5 trees like the pygmy date palm. It grows to about 10 feet and is cold tolerant down to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. This tree makes an excellent replacement for the pygmy date palm.
  
  

Fiji Fan Palm (Pritchardia pacifica)

• The Fiji fan palm is another small palm, growing to around 10 feet. It is cold tolerant to 30 degrees Fahrenheit, so it cannot replace the pygmy date palm in colder regions. The fan-shaped leaves are large and the trunk is smooth. A single tree would replace a single pygmy date palm or a cluster. It is a specimen tree that stands out on its own.
  
  

Lady Palm (Rhapis excelsa)

• The lady palm grows 5 to 10 feet and is used more as a shrub than a tree since it grows in clumps. It is cold tolerant down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit. The lady palm grows in full sun but prefers partial shade. Although it does not resemble the pygmy date palm, it can lend the same tropical air to the garden with its delicate, leaves and slender stems.
  
  

Needle Palm Tree (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)

• The needle palm is a native of Florida and grows in a clump or mound that reaches 6 to 10 feet tall. The leaves are fan shaped. Hardy to -5 degrees Fahrenheit, this palm can replace the pygmy date palm throughout its climate range. The needle palm grows in full sun.
  
  

Ponytail Palm Tree (Beaucarnea recurvata)

• The ponytail palm is a unique palm with a large, bulbous base leading to a slender trunk. The leaves are unlike other palms--they are grass-like and radiate from the top of the trunk. The ponytail palm is a specimen tree, meaning that one tree would replace a single pygmy date palm or a cluster of pygmy date palms. It is cold tolerant to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This tree cannot take overwatering, so build up a mound if the site is routinely wet.