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Palm Trees from around the World
For years I have wondered why palms are not present in all homes where house plants are enjoyed. I have about come to the conclusion that price and a general misunderstanding about these wonderful plants are the main culprits. The price for a developed palm plant can be quite staggering. Even the smallest palm in a five gallon container can cost around twenty-five to fifty bucks. A mature tree palm delivered to your home can cost from several hundred to several thousand dollars.
A misconception about palms is that they will only grow in the tropics and deserts. While it is true that many of the over three thousand species of palms do thrive in these hot humid areas, it is also true that some are quite cold hardy and with some degree of protection can be raised in areas where it freezes. And it is very true that almost every palm makes a good houseplant although some of the tree types will eventually out grow their limited surroundings.
Another unknown about palms it that they can be easily raised from seed at a cost of less than a dollar each. They require little maintenance and add beauty and value to your home.
Here is a selection of my favorite palms. I hope you will try a few.
TRZ027 Silver Bismarck Palm ( Bismarckia nobilis )
This massive tropical palm commands attention and inspires awe wherever it is grown. The Bismarck palm's stout trunk and symmetry of the huge crown lends a formal note while the startling blue green foliage amplifies the visual impact of this big beauty. It grows a single trunk that is smooth on mature specimens but young individuals retain old leaf bases.
This palm may reach an ultimate height of 50-60 feet with a spread of 20 feet or more. Even young specimens that have yet to form a trunk sport full crowns of about 25 leaves with the maximum spread. The huge palmate leaves are bright light blue, waxy and are up to 10 feet across. They are supported on 6 foot. stems that can be 10 inches in diameter. The leaf bases split where they attach to the trunk and the leaf stems are armed with small sharp teeth.
This palm is adaptable to many kinds of soil.It prefers full sun but is tolerant of some shade. Once established this palm is drought tolerant.
USDA Zones 10 - 11. Bismarck palm can be grown in the warmer parts of Zone 9 where it is occasionally damaged by freezing temperatures from which it can recover in a season.
Because of its huge ultimate size and mass, the Bismarck palm is not recommended for small yards as it dominates its space, dwarfing and obscuring adjacent structures. This palm is best planted where it can serve as a focal point. Planted against a dark backdrop of foliage, it serves as living sculpture adding drama and interest to the landscape.
This palm may reach an ultimate height of 50-60 feet with a spread of 20 feet or more. Even young specimens that have yet to form a trunk sport full crowns of about 25 leaves with the maximum spread. The huge palmate leaves are bright light blue, waxy and are up to 10 feet across. They are supported on 6 foot. stems that can be 10 inches in diameter. The leaf bases split where they attach to the trunk and the leaf stems are armed with small sharp teeth.
This palm is adaptable to many kinds of soil.It prefers full sun but is tolerant of some shade. Once established this palm is drought tolerant.
USDA Zones 10 - 11. Bismarck palm can be grown in the warmer parts of Zone 9 where it is occasionally damaged by freezing temperatures from which it can recover in a season.
Because of its huge ultimate size and mass, the Bismarck palm is not recommended for small yards as it dominates its space, dwarfing and obscuring adjacent structures. This palm is best planted where it can serve as a focal point. Planted against a dark backdrop of foliage, it serves as living sculpture adding drama and interest to the landscape.
TPF265 Cliff Date Palm ( Phoenix rupicola )
The cliff date palm, growing to only about 20 feet, is smaller than the more commonly planted Canary Island and true date palms. It is a tidier tree with a a neater appearance as the trunk is clean, not retaining the old leaf bases like other date species. As the leaves die they are shed leaving a smooth trunk ringed with narrow scars at the point of attachment.
It is the canopy of fronds that really sets this Phoenix palm apart from the rest. The leaves, which grow to about 10 feet long are bright green color and are arranged in plane on the stem which gives the fronds a flat appearance that combined with their unique, natural curving, arching and twisting form results in a very graceful palm.
The purplish red fruit is about 0.75 inch long and has a thin layer of edible flesh although the fruit is not this palm's best quality.
The cliff date is a very ornamental palm and therefore is mainly used as an accent or specimen palm in both residential and commercial landscapes in warm climates. This is a very beautiful palm for zones 10-11, or as a patio plant.
It is the canopy of fronds that really sets this Phoenix palm apart from the rest. The leaves, which grow to about 10 feet long are bright green color and are arranged in plane on the stem which gives the fronds a flat appearance that combined with their unique, natural curving, arching and twisting form results in a very graceful palm.
The purplish red fruit is about 0.75 inch long and has a thin layer of edible flesh although the fruit is not this palm's best quality.
The cliff date is a very ornamental palm and therefore is mainly used as an accent or specimen palm in both residential and commercial landscapes in warm climates. This is a very beautiful palm for zones 10-11, or as a patio plant.
IForest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
TRM020 Foxtail Palm ( Wodyetia bifurcata )
Wodyetia bifurcata - a beautiful solitary palm with a canopy of eight to ten leaves. The leaflets encircle the rachis and are full, thus creating the appearance of fox's tail.
The trunk is self-cleaning, slender, gray in color, tightly ringed and slightly swollen at the base. It's crown shaft is a creamy green and very smooth.
The Foxtail Palm is very durable and adaptable to many environments. Discovered growing in an open woodland rainforest, on eroded granite slopes reaching as high as 1300 feet. With a very deep root system the Foxtail can withstand a great variance in water and temperature.
It is moderately salt tolerant and grows well in a variety of soils but good drainage is a must. It loves sun, even at an early age. It can tolerate light frost and does well in temperate to tropical climates. Prolonged hot dry winds can cause damage to the fronds. The root system allows planting near walkways or structures. A fast grower - the Foxtail can grow as much as three feet per year. There are no major pest problems. Hardy to about 30 degress.
The trunk is self-cleaning, slender, gray in color, tightly ringed and slightly swollen at the base. It's crown shaft is a creamy green and very smooth.
The Foxtail Palm is very durable and adaptable to many environments. Discovered growing in an open woodland rainforest, on eroded granite slopes reaching as high as 1300 feet. With a very deep root system the Foxtail can withstand a great variance in water and temperature.
It is moderately salt tolerant and grows well in a variety of soils but good drainage is a must. It loves sun, even at an early age. It can tolerate light frost and does well in temperate to tropical climates. Prolonged hot dry winds can cause damage to the fronds. The root system allows planting near walkways or structures. A fast grower - the Foxtail can grow as much as three feet per year. There are no major pest problems. Hardy to about 30 degress.
Z2477 Chilean Wine Palm ( Jubaea chilensis )
Probably the most massive and undoubtedly the most
cold-tolerant of all pinnate palms, this species, although
unfortunately not common in cultivation, hardly needs any
introduction. Native to central Chile, it is well suited to
temperate and subtropical climates.
It is highly drought tolerant but will also do well in cold and humid conditions. It does not need hot summers to grow well and in winter it can take severe frost down to -16°C (3°F) unharmed. For many temperate climates it is the only large pinnate palm which is cold-tolerant enough to be successful long-term. Many fine, centennial examples can be admired for instance in California, Australia and along the Mediterranean, in southern Switzerland, along the windy Atlantic coast of France and even in Britain. And there are many other areas where it would do well but has not been tried much.
Germination and establishment are slow but easily accomplished and young plants are sought after and of high value as they are rarely found in the nursery trade.
It is highly drought tolerant but will also do well in cold and humid conditions. It does not need hot summers to grow well and in winter it can take severe frost down to -16°C (3°F) unharmed. For many temperate climates it is the only large pinnate palm which is cold-tolerant enough to be successful long-term. Many fine, centennial examples can be admired for instance in California, Australia and along the Mediterranean, in southern Switzerland, along the windy Atlantic coast of France and even in Britain. And there are many other areas where it would do well but has not been tried much.
Germination and establishment are slow but easily accomplished and young plants are sought after and of high value as they are rarely found in the nursery trade.
TRZ151 Silver Saw Palmetto Palm ( Serenoa repens "Silver " )
Welcome to the world of Serenoa repens var. Silver Silver Saw Palmetto - a boon for health and a marvel of nature. A slow-growing and long-lived variety distinguished by its ornamental silver-colored leaves, this plant boosts your wellbeing with its range of health benefits. The fruit, with a sweet-soapy flavor and a potent vanilla-like aroma, improves digestion and aids weight gain when consumed regularly. Notably, Saw Palmetto berries act as a tonic that assists in treating debility and urinary tract problems, besides reducing enlarged prostate glands. The large reddish-black fruit, seen as an important food source for wildlife and humans alike, matures on extremely slow-growing plants which can live up to 500-700 years, particularly in Florida. The anatomical advantages extend to light green and silvery-white leaves possessing sharp teeth or spines that demand careful handling. Discover the resilient and health-boosting properties of Serenoa repens var. Silver - Silver Saw Palmetto. Zones 8-11.
Image:Kahuroa, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
LET812 New Zealand Cabbage Tree Palm ( Cordyline australis )
Cabbage Tree is a flowering, evergreen, single or multi-trunked tree in the asparagus family and one of the most recognized plants in its native New Zealand. The plant can reach a height of 30 to 60 feet in its native habitat at maturity. It can also be grown as an ornamental in a container and, in that environment, will slowly develop a cane-like trunk or trunks and reach a height of 15 feet. The small, fragrant flowers of the Cabbage Tree bloom in late spring. The leaves of the tree are sword-like with a 3 foot length and 3 inch width and cluster at the tips of the branches.
Cabbage Tree tolerates a wide range of soils ranging from wet boggy conditions to dry ones. If grown outdoors, it does best in moist, fertile, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. When grown in containers outside on patios in summer, it can be brought in over the winter or grown indoors year-round as a houseplant. If grown in a container, keep soils consistently moist in summer but reduce moisture indoors in winter and site the plant in bright sunny spots in the home or greenhouse. Also note that container-grown plants rarely flower.
Cabbage Tree has a taproot that needs the root space of a large and deep container for best growth. Young plants consisting of a fountain of grass-like leaves with no trunk are often sold as houseplants. Zones 8-11, or inside plant for colder zones.
Cabbage Tree tolerates a wide range of soils ranging from wet boggy conditions to dry ones. If grown outdoors, it does best in moist, fertile, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. When grown in containers outside on patios in summer, it can be brought in over the winter or grown indoors year-round as a houseplant. If grown in a container, keep soils consistently moist in summer but reduce moisture indoors in winter and site the plant in bright sunny spots in the home or greenhouse. Also note that container-grown plants rarely flower.
Cabbage Tree has a taproot that needs the root space of a large and deep container for best growth. Young plants consisting of a fountain of grass-like leaves with no trunk are often sold as houseplants. Zones 8-11, or inside plant for colder zones.
TRZ102 Windamere Palm ( Trachycarpus latisectus )
Trachycarpus latisectus (formerly Trachycarpus sikkimensis) is an attractive palm tree with large leathery leaves with exceptionally wide segments and a thick, bare and ringed trunk. Its fan-shaped leaves resemble those of Livistona. It has a bare trunk and its seeds resemble those of T. martianus.
It is commonly known as Windamere palm, for the locality where its first botanical description was made, the garden of the famous Windamere Hotel in Darjeeling, India. It was formally photographed and collected for the first time only in 1992 during the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Sikkim Expedition. It is considered a temperate palm, and has been reported to withstand a wide range of climates, from tropical, subtropical to cold and wet conditions. It is native to Sikkim in the Himalayas, where it has been reported from a range of elevation between 3500 to 7000 feet. It remains in the wild in just one tiny, heavily altered location which is immediately threatened by deforestation. Cold hardy to about 28 degrees.
TRZ092 Kentia Palm ( Howea forsteriana )
Kentia palm is highly prized for its elegant fronds and slender
trunk. Kentia palm has a canopy of about three dozen gracefully
drooping leaves which produce an airy and poised look. The
leaves are pinnate (featherlike) and grow up to 12 ft (3.7 m)
long with thornless 4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m) petioles (leaf
stems).
Kentia palms tolerate and adapt to a wide variety of soils including those that are neutral, acidic, clayey and slightly alkaline, but they perform best in rich loamy soil with excellent drainage. Kentia palms are traditionally slow growers, however regular fertilization with palm-grade fertilizer promotes maximum growth. A balanced (e.g., 18-18-18) slow-release palm fertilizer with minor elements should be used during the growing season. Magnesium and potassium nutritional deficiencies have been noted, particularly in older kentias. Mineral supplements should be administered in recommended amounts to prevent or treat such deficiencies. Kentia palms in pots or tubs can be left in the same container for many years due to their slow growth.
USDA Zones 9B - 11. Considered cold hardy in frostfree locations. Mature and established specimens can tolerate occasional temperatures down to 25ºF (-4ºC) without incurring significant damage to foliage.
Kentia palms tolerate and adapt to a wide variety of soils including those that are neutral, acidic, clayey and slightly alkaline, but they perform best in rich loamy soil with excellent drainage. Kentia palms are traditionally slow growers, however regular fertilization with palm-grade fertilizer promotes maximum growth. A balanced (e.g., 18-18-18) slow-release palm fertilizer with minor elements should be used during the growing season. Magnesium and potassium nutritional deficiencies have been noted, particularly in older kentias. Mineral supplements should be administered in recommended amounts to prevent or treat such deficiencies. Kentia palms in pots or tubs can be left in the same container for many years due to their slow growth.
USDA Zones 9B - 11. Considered cold hardy in frostfree locations. Mature and established specimens can tolerate occasional temperatures down to 25ºF (-4ºC) without incurring significant damage to foliage.
1A445 Silver Queen Palm ( Syagrus romanzoffiana Litoralis )
A robust cultivar of the Queen Palm from Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil, where it is found to over 3300 ft. altitude, with a thicker, sturdier trunk that supports a compact crown of arching leaves with particularly thick and wide leaflets. It is very hardy to cold and is said to survive temperatures down to 15°F undamaged. Apparently this palm has already been in cultivation in the U.S. for a while, most popularly under the name Silver Queen. Reportedly, the palm received that name in Florida not because its leaves or any other of its parts are silver, but rather because after a hard freeze that killed all the more tender Queen Palms, the ones that survived, the Silver Queens, had leaflets that appeared in a strange, translucent silver tone in sunlight, the result of a light frost damage.
Image: Prenn [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
AW60 Clustering Fishtail Palm ( Caryota mitis )
This beautiful tropical palm/ornamental plant is most commonly found in households and gardens. This palm can be used in shrub borders and outdoor container plantings. It tolerates heavy shade and is often used in interior plantings in commercial buildings. It does well in indoor containers. The leaves can also be used as floral decorations.
The Clustered Fishtail Palm is probably the most widely grown of its kind, and for good reason. This foliage plant germinates and develops quickly, becoming an attractive, bushy, medium-sized palm, sporting many dark green, bipinnate leaves with fishtail-shaped leaflets that are unique to Caryota.
It is native to Southeast Asia. It is a well-tested, easy-to-grow, and really reliable palm, and will grow in nearly any frost-free climate from warm temperate to tropical.
Best suited outside for zones 9-10.
The Clustered Fishtail Palm is probably the most widely grown of its kind, and for good reason. This foliage plant germinates and develops quickly, becoming an attractive, bushy, medium-sized palm, sporting many dark green, bipinnate leaves with fishtail-shaped leaflets that are unique to Caryota.
It is native to Southeast Asia. It is a well-tested, easy-to-grow, and really reliable palm, and will grow in nearly any frost-free climate from warm temperate to tropical.
Best suited outside for zones 9-10.
TRZ112 Fiji Fan Palm ( Pritchardia pacifica )
A striking fan palm to 30 with straight smooth trunk with some fiber patterning at the base. Its numerous palmate leaves are 4 wide, 5 long and undivided with many pleats. Fast grower. Fragrant brownish flowers. Tropical. Plant at 1" depth using a well draining soil mix. Requires bright light and high humidity. Keep warm and damp. Zone 10 and higher.
TCB040 Parlour Palm ( Chamaedorea elegans )
The parlour palm is species of small palm tree native to the rainforests in Southern Mexico and Guatemala. The parlor palm is one of the most heavily sold houseplant palms in the world. It is one of several species with leaves that are harvested as xate.
It is used in gardens in sub-tropical climates, such as the Southeastern United States, and in tropical areas, growing to 6-7 feet tall inside, ( may reach about 12 feet outside in zones 9 and higher ) with slender, cane-like stems.
It is often cultivated in temperate regions as a houseplant, where it grows to 6 feet tall with very slow growth, tolerating low levels of humidity and light, though it prefers medium to high humidity and bright indirect light.
It is a versatile and almost no-maintenance plant that is able to grow in most indoor and outdoor conditions. These plants are not tolerant of frost and must be kept indoors in winter in non-tropical climates.
It is used in gardens in sub-tropical climates, such as the Southeastern United States, and in tropical areas, growing to 6-7 feet tall inside, ( may reach about 12 feet outside in zones 9 and higher ) with slender, cane-like stems.
It is often cultivated in temperate regions as a houseplant, where it grows to 6 feet tall with very slow growth, tolerating low levels of humidity and light, though it prefers medium to high humidity and bright indirect light.
It is a versatile and almost no-maintenance plant that is able to grow in most indoor and outdoor conditions. These plants are not tolerant of frost and must be kept indoors in winter in non-tropical climates.
JB155 Cat Palm ( Chamaedorea cataractarum )
This is one of the more commonly grown palms for indoors and outside in warm areas. It is not only a great landscape palm, but a good indoor palm as well.
Also called the Cascade Palm, it produces large, dense clusters of trunkless plants, about 4 feet tall, with soft, dark green leaves. It is one of the best palms for indoor decoration, but will also do well in warm temperate or tropical gardens, in both shady and sunny spots.
Cat Palms can tolerate cold down to 25°F and is great for growing in USDA Zones 9b-11.
Also called the Cascade Palm, it produces large, dense clusters of trunkless plants, about 4 feet tall, with soft, dark green leaves. It is one of the best palms for indoor decoration, but will also do well in warm temperate or tropical gardens, in both shady and sunny spots.
Cat Palms can tolerate cold down to 25°F and is great for growing in USDA Zones 9b-11.
Image: KENPEI [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
IP302 Seifriz's Bamboo Palm ( Chamaedorea seifrizii )
This is a small graceful palm that is commonly used in landscapes and indoor decoration. It is very popular and can be found at most nurseries. It is very easy to grow and maintain.
A shade loving palm particularly suited to growing in pots either indoors or on patios and verandas. Named 'Bamboo Palm' due to its multi-stemmed growth habit, resembling that of bamboo. A great air-purifying plant for indoor spaces and offices.
It can be grown outside in zone 9 and higher, but is most commonly found as houseplant or patio plant.
A shade loving palm particularly suited to growing in pots either indoors or on patios and verandas. Named 'Bamboo Palm' due to its multi-stemmed growth habit, resembling that of bamboo. A great air-purifying plant for indoor spaces and offices.
It can be grown outside in zone 9 and higher, but is most commonly found as houseplant or patio plant.
TRZ133 Teddy Bear Palm ( Dypsis leptocheilos )
This moderately-sized, pinnate palm from Madagascar has a smooth, waxy-white trunk, and a furry, brick-red crownshaft. 'Teddy Bear' obviously refers to the velvet hairs that cover it, creating a cuddly and soft look.
Teddy Bear Palms are very drought tolerant, and does not need much water at all once it has established itself. It is good to water it regularly for a start to give it a boost, and also make sure you fertilise it regularly, and mulch it well. This palm grows best in full sun to light shade, and needs a well draining soil. Will tolerate cold down to about 32 degrees, this is a palm best suited for warm climates and heated greenhouses.
Teddy Bear Palms are very drought tolerant, and does not need much water at all once it has established itself. It is good to water it regularly for a start to give it a boost, and also make sure you fertilise it regularly, and mulch it well. This palm grows best in full sun to light shade, and needs a well draining soil. Will tolerate cold down to about 32 degrees, this is a palm best suited for warm climates and heated greenhouses.
P65 Royal Palm roystonea regia
With smooth grey trunks resembling cathedral pillars there is not a more impressive palm with which to line a boulevard. Ranks of Royal Palms lend a distinctly unique look to Miami's Biscayne Boulevard.
Royal palms provide a sophisticated look to thoroughfares throughout the Caribbean. Assembled into a grove on an expanse of lawn, Royal Palms create an eye-catching focal point.
The Royal Palm is native to the cypress swamps of south Florida. It is disappearing from the wild but nice stands can still be seen at the Royal Palm Visitors Center near Homestead, Florida in the Everglades National Park.
Roystonea regia is a large palm which reaches a height of 60 to 100 feet tall and a stem diameter of about 20 inches. The trunk is stout, very smooth and gray-white in color with a characteristic bulge below a distinctive green crownshaft. Trees have about 15 leaves which can be up to 13 feet long. The flowers are white with pinkish anthers.
Hardy for zones 10 and above.
Royal palms provide a sophisticated look to thoroughfares throughout the Caribbean. Assembled into a grove on an expanse of lawn, Royal Palms create an eye-catching focal point.
The Royal Palm is native to the cypress swamps of south Florida. It is disappearing from the wild but nice stands can still be seen at the Royal Palm Visitors Center near Homestead, Florida in the Everglades National Park.
Roystonea regia is a large palm which reaches a height of 60 to 100 feet tall and a stem diameter of about 20 inches. The trunk is stout, very smooth and gray-white in color with a characteristic bulge below a distinctive green crownshaft. Trees have about 15 leaves which can be up to 13 feet long. The flowers are white with pinkish anthers.
Hardy for zones 10 and above.
1A129 Chinese Fan Palm ( Livistonea chinensis )
Very popular broad leaved fan palm to 40' with thick trunk. Its
large fan shaped leaves have numerous pleats. It is seen often
in tropical landscapes and is one of our most popular palms.
Chinese fan palms do well in full sun and are used in masses in both outdoor landscapes and interior spaces. Young plants like it better with part shade. The leaves are magnificant and may grow up to 5 feet in diameter and form a dense canopy on a solitary brown trunk. Small specimens look great in pots and planters while mature plants make a nice specimen in the landscape. Flowers are not significant but large bunches of fruit are spectacular.
Hardy for zones 8-11.
Chinese fan palms do well in full sun and are used in masses in both outdoor landscapes and interior spaces. Young plants like it better with part shade. The leaves are magnificant and may grow up to 5 feet in diameter and form a dense canopy on a solitary brown trunk. Small specimens look great in pots and planters while mature plants make a nice specimen in the landscape. Flowers are not significant but large bunches of fruit are spectacular.
Hardy for zones 8-11.
JB156 Dunlap's Royal Palm ( Roystonea dunlapiana )
A large and stately palm from southeastern Mexico to Honduras and Nicaragua, where it is locally common at low elevations. It has a tall, pale gray, columnar trunk, a huge, green crownshaft, and a handsome crown of large, feathery leaves. While similar to other Roystonea, it can be distinguished by its very straight, not spindle-shaped trunk and very long inflorescence bracts that are as long as the crownshaft. Roystonea dunlapiana is very fast growing and does well in some frost free warm temperate and most tropical climates. It is the perfect choice for coastal areas. Zones 9b and higher.
Image:Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University
AW93 Texas Palmetto Palm ( Sabal mexicana )
Texas palmetto is grown as an ornamental for its robust, stately form, drought tolerance, and hardiness to USDA Zone 8. Texas palmetto is a very clean looking fan palm with little litter and can be used in mesic and oasis landscape design themes, great for use around pools or landscape water features.
A mature palm can grow from 30 to 60 feet. It also makes a wonderful patio container plant for many years. This is usually a stout tree to 50 ft. tall, with a trunk to almost 3 ft. in diameter. Large, blue-green, fan-shaped leaves, up to 3 ft. wide, are divided into many palmate segments. The leaf stalk is stout, equally or exceeding the leaf in length. Dark purple fruits hang in showy clusters.
The wood is resistant to decomposition and shipworms, making it desirable for use in wharf pilings and fence posts. The leaves are used for thatching and making straw hats. The drupes and palm hearts are eaten. For zones 8-11
A mature palm can grow from 30 to 60 feet. It also makes a wonderful patio container plant for many years. This is usually a stout tree to 50 ft. tall, with a trunk to almost 3 ft. in diameter. Large, blue-green, fan-shaped leaves, up to 3 ft. wide, are divided into many palmate segments. The leaf stalk is stout, equally or exceeding the leaf in length. Dark purple fruits hang in showy clusters.
The wood is resistant to decomposition and shipworms, making it desirable for use in wharf pilings and fence posts. The leaves are used for thatching and making straw hats. The drupes and palm hearts are eaten. For zones 8-11
P41 Sabal Palmetto Palm ( Sabal palmetto )
The Cabbage Tree Palm is a large robust palm with a single unbranching trunk that grows to about 50 feet but may occassionally reach heights of 70 feet. The crown is relatively small being 12-18 feet in diameter. Like many palms the crown is typically wider when grown in shade and more compact when grown in full sun.
The large leaves have a dull finish and are a medium green, sometimes yellow-green, in color depending on the individual and situation. Each leaf is up to 12 feet long overall including the spineless petioles (leaf stems) which measure about 5-6 feet in length. They are up to 6 feet in width with drooping leaf segments about 3 ft (0.9 m) long and 2-3 in (5.1-7.6 cm) wide. These segments are split to about half the width of the leaf and typically slough off tan fibers at the edges. Cabbage palm leaves are said to be costapalmate meaning that the leaflets are arranged on the stem in a pattern that is midway between palmate (leaflets arranged like the fingers on the palm of your hand) and pinnate (feather shaped).
The large leaves have a dull finish and are a medium green, sometimes yellow-green, in color depending on the individual and situation. Each leaf is up to 12 feet long overall including the spineless petioles (leaf stems) which measure about 5-6 feet in length. They are up to 6 feet in width with drooping leaf segments about 3 ft (0.9 m) long and 2-3 in (5.1-7.6 cm) wide. These segments are split to about half the width of the leaf and typically slough off tan fibers at the edges. Cabbage palm leaves are said to be costapalmate meaning that the leaflets are arranged on the stem in a pattern that is midway between palmate (leaflets arranged like the fingers on the palm of your hand) and pinnate (feather shaped).
Unlike the royal palm, the cabbage palm has no crownshaft. Leaves emerge directly from the trunk which is often covered with old leaf stem bases that are arranged in an interesting criss-cross pattern. Depending on the individual these may persist to the ground even in very old palms. Other trees in the same vicinity may shed their leaf attachments or "boots" as they are sometimes called very early in life revealing a rough fibrous brown trunk. Eventually the trunk will age to gray and the surface will become smooth.
The cabbage palm's creamy white flowers are arranged on a long branched inflorescence that appears in summer. In mid-summer the cabbage palm bears creamy white flowers on a long branched inflorescence that is held completely within the crown. Flowers are followed in late fall or early winter by black spherical fruit that is about one third of an inch in diameter. Inside is a shiney brown seed that is about one quarter of an inch in diameter. Squirrels, raccoon and many other species of mammal and bird enjoy visiting the cabbage palm for dinner feasts of fruit and seed.
This southeastern U.S. native palm occurs near the coast, from the North Carolina barrier islands to South Carolina, to Georgia, down to the Florida Keys and then up the Gulf Coast to the northwestern Florida panhandle. Sabal palmetto is also native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It is often planted all along the Gulf Coast. Cabbage palm occurs along beaches, sandy bay and estuary shores. It inhabits the margins of tidal flats and marshlands where it often crowds into extensive groves. It's also encountered inland in hardwood hammocks and pine flatwoods.
Sabal palmetto is very salt and drought tolerant and can be used in beachside plantings. It is able to adapt to most types of soil. Cabbage palms are easy to transplant if they have at least six feet of trunk.
Requires Full sunlight to some shade. Trunk development is suppressed in heavily shaded specimens. Average moisture will do. Tolerates drought, standing water and brackish water. Hardy to USDA Zones 8-10. This is a hardy frost tolerant palm that can survive many degrees below freezing.
Two cabbage palmettos shade a bayside picnic area while framing Tampa Bay's Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The cabbage palm is used as an ornamental and street tree, well adapted for group, specimen or avenue plantings. This palm is very salt tolerant and can be grown on the beach or directly at the water's edge of bays and inlets. The state of Florida has been planting cabbage palmettos by the hundreds along the state's freeways. The palm groves refresh the eye and absorb the road noise providing a calming influence for both motorists and the environment. Cabbage palm is very low maintenance and drought resistant making if a perfect choice for urban plantings.
Young potted cabbage palms will take up to ten years before they begin to form a trunk. They grow slowly these first years as root system and the crown forms. Once the trunk does begin to develop the growth rate increases somewhat. The growth rate of cabbage palm can be significantly increased with regular watering and feeding.
Cabbage palm is the state tree of Florida and is displayed on the state flag of South Carolina whose nickname is the "Palmetto State". The durable trunks are sometimes used for wharf pilings, docks and poles. Brushes and brooms can be made from young leaves, and the large fan shaped leaves have been used by the Seminole Indians in Florida as thatch for traditional pavilions, called chickees.
TRZ150 Dwarf Palmetto Palm ( Sabal minor )
This is a small species of palm that can be found in the southeastern and south-central United States, as well as northeastern Mexico. This fan-shaped palm can withstand cooler temperatures and is one of the most frost tolerant palms, surviving temperatures as low as 0°F. Sabal minor is a stemless shrub, usually growing 5-10 ft tall with leaves up to 4 feet wide. It produces white blooms followed by black fruit in long clusters.
This species is best suited for subtropical and warm temperate climates, but it has been successfully cultivated in areas such as central Tennessee and the greater Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Sabal minor is a recommended horticultural plant and is a popular choice for coastal resort areas from Virginia Beach to southern Texas. Get your Sabal minor Dwarf Palmetto today and bring a unique touch of nature to your landscape.
This species is best suited for subtropical and warm temperate climates, but it has been successfully cultivated in areas such as central Tennessee and the greater Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Sabal minor is a recommended horticultural plant and is a popular choice for coastal resort areas from Virginia Beach to southern Texas. Get your Sabal minor Dwarf Palmetto today and bring a unique touch of nature to your landscape.
1A128 European Fan Palm ( Chamaerops humilis )
Popular landscape palm. Slow grower, eventually clustering, and
with age may produce branching. Palmate leaves may be
unpredictably green or glaucous blue. One of the hardiest palms
- to 20 degrees F.
TRZ115 Bird Leaf Palm ( Arenga caudata )
Also known as Miniature Sugar Palm. Makes a wonderful houseplant and patio plant that will do well in larger planters, indoors it will require bright light.
A small, shrubby, understorey palm to 7 feet tall in warm zones, with densely clustering, thin, canelike stems and small leaves that are dark green above and silvery white below. The leaflets are roughly fishtail shaped and have jaggedly toothed margins. Widespread over Southeast Asia and does well in a shady spot in the tropical or warm subtropical garden. Zones 9b and higher outside
A small, shrubby, understorey palm to 7 feet tall in warm zones, with densely clustering, thin, canelike stems and small leaves that are dark green above and silvery white below. The leaflets are roughly fishtail shaped and have jaggedly toothed margins. Widespread over Southeast Asia and does well in a shady spot in the tropical or warm subtropical garden. Zones 9b and higher outside
Image: By C T Johansson [CC BY 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
P55 Pygmy Date Palm ( Phoenix roebelenii )
This is a palm that truly everyone should have. It makes a
great houseplant or lawn ornament. It only grows to 10 ft. (
smaller in containers ) and forms a perfect miniature palm. It
has a slim, solitary trunk with soft feathery green leaves. The
seeds germinate easily ( usually within six to eight weeks )
and the plant requires little maintenance or attention.
Tolerates low light and abuse. This palm is a must for any
deck. Zones 9-11 outside.
TRN673 Brittle Thatch Palm ( Leucothrinax morrisii )
Slow growing, this mid-sized palm has a slender, smooth trunk and circular, fan-shaped leaves with silvery undersides, arranged in a dense crown. It is native to the Florida Keys and much of the Carribean region, where it grows in open woodlands and coastal areas. Zone 9b or higher outside.
3628 Florida Thatch Palm ( Thrinax radiata )
Excellent patio or container plant when young. Has a slender grey trunk with dark green fan leaves at the top.
It produces white flowers that grow on the yellow stems to 3-4ft long.
Flowers are followed by green round fruit that turns white when it is ripe. Fruit is around 1-1.5 inches wide.
This slow growing palm can get up to 15 feet tall. It likes full sun but can also grow in broken shade. It does best in moist sandy soil with good drainage. Like a lot of palms it likes humid weather. It tolerates salt and drought very well. It adapts to a lot of different conditions.
This palm is not very cold hardy palm; it can tolerate cold down to 30F. The Thatch Palm is a wonderful palm tree in any landscape, especially those landscapes which love to adorn a hammock. Thatch Palm Tree can also grow indoors very easily. The almost-circular leaves can reach a diameter of 3 feet, and were used by early inhabitants as roofing material.
Flowers are followed by green round fruit that turns white when it is ripe. Fruit is around 1-1.5 inches wide.
This slow growing palm can get up to 15 feet tall. It likes full sun but can also grow in broken shade. It does best in moist sandy soil with good drainage. Like a lot of palms it likes humid weather. It tolerates salt and drought very well. It adapts to a lot of different conditions.
This palm is not very cold hardy palm; it can tolerate cold down to 30F. The Thatch Palm is a wonderful palm tree in any landscape, especially those landscapes which love to adorn a hammock. Thatch Palm Tree can also grow indoors very easily. The almost-circular leaves can reach a diameter of 3 feet, and were used by early inhabitants as roofing material.
TRZ072 Buri Palm ( Corypha utan )
This palm is truly gigantic in all its parts! Its massive gray trunk reaches to 100 feet tall, and its enormous crown, spanning approximately 27 feet in diameter, is formed by about 30 huge, dark green leaves that are 10 feet in diameter, large enough to easily shelter more than ten people from the rain. The terminal inflorescence, which is formed after 50 to 80 years of vegetative growth, holds the record of being the world's largest flowering structure and produces literally millions of flowers and tens of thousands of seeds. It will ultimately end the life of the tree once the fruit have matured. Its native range extends from northeastern India all over tropical Asia, east to the Philippines, and south to northern Australia. In cultivation, it does best in a hot, tropical climate and is one of the most breathtaking landscape trees available for large parks and gardens.
Zones 10 and higher outside.
Zones 10 and higher outside.
Image: By Gabriele Kothe-Heinrich [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
TRZ111 Mazari Palm ( Nannorrhops ritchiana )
Nannorrhops ritchiana, the Mazari palm, one of the very
hardiest palms in the world was, until recently, also one of
the rarest in cultivation. Finally, after several years of
work, literally hundreds of faxes and phone calls, and not
least of all, a trip to Pakistan (not our favorite holiday
destination), we located what we hope will be a regular source
of seeds of this tough and attractive palm. Its high altitude
desert origin in Northern Pakistan and Afghanistan (to about
1700m/5600ft a.s.l.) gives an indication of its requirements
is: hot, dry, and bright. Mature Nannorrhops ritchiana are
successfully cultivated in such diverse places as Florida,
California, Texas, Italy, France, and Venezuela, indicating
that it will thrive in temperate areas just as well as in the
cooler tropics. In winter, if kept dry, it may resist
temperatures as low as -20C (-4F). With summer heat it is
relatively fast growing, and will develop into a large shrub
with several short, erect trunks and very thick, blue-green,
leathery fan-shaped leaves. It is a palm which surely everyone
will want to have in their collections.
Image: By The original uploader was Neoneo at Italian Wikipedia (Transferred from it.wikipedia to Commons.) [CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
P35 Edible Date Palm ( Phoenix dactylifera )
This palm is grown commercially throughout the Middle East for
its delicious and abundant fruit. It can be easily grown
indoors. Outside, it will grow to a height of 80 ft. with a 12"
trunk that is covered with attractive leaf scars. The leaves
are feather shaped with a beautiful gray-green coloration. It
is a fast grower. Everyone should have one of these plants.
Zones 8b and higher.
Zones 8b and higher.
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SF405 Madagascar Palm ( Dypsis madagascariensis )
This is a medium sized solitary or clustering palm. It has a
plumose leaf and nice color (blue-green, white and some black)
to the crown. It is a moderate to fast grower and likes to be
in full sun. A great palm for gardens in Southern California.
Cold tolerance is in the 30°s.
Unusual shaped foliage and stems that are slender and jointed bamboo like. This is a very unusual palm that requires warmth. Difficult to germinate and raise, but well worth the effort.
Unusual shaped foliage and stems that are slender and jointed bamboo like. This is a very unusual palm that requires warmth. Difficult to germinate and raise, but well worth the effort.
TRZ064 Fragrant Cuban Thatch Palm ( Coccothrinax
fragrans )
Excellent contain plant. A small palm native to Cuba, very
similar to C. argentata, sporting dark green fan leaves with
silvery undersides. It is a slow growing and robust palm, best
suited to tropical and mostly frost free warm temperate
climates and can take quite a bit of coastal exposure. Zone 9 and higher outside, but a very good container plant for inside.
Image: DaffaHapidzK [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
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D9608 Sealing Wax Palm ( Cyrtostachys lakka )
A stunning feather palm with a bright red trunk. Cyrtostachys renda, commonly called lipstick palm or sealing wax palm, is a tropical palm that is native to swampy rain forest areas of the Malaysian peninsula, Indonesia and Borneo. It is perhaps best known for its glossy scarlet red crown shafts and leaf stalks which bring stunning accent and contrast to landscapes or indoor areas. Common names are in reference to the red coloration. In the wild, this palm will grow to 12-15' tall. Pinnate leaves to 4-5' long are deep green above and gray-green underneath. Small greenish white flowers in panicles bloom in summer.
It makes a good houseplant if grown in small tubs and a great patio plant if brought in during cold weather, it does not like tempeatures below 50 degrees. Zones 10b and higher outside, most commonly grown as houseplant or patio plant in cooler zones.
It makes a good houseplant if grown in small tubs and a great patio plant if brought in during cold weather, it does not like tempeatures below 50 degrees. Zones 10b and higher outside, most commonly grown as houseplant or patio plant in cooler zones.
P18 Traveler's Palm ( Ravenala madagascariensis )
The Ravenala Madagascariensis, also known as the Traveller's Tree or Traveller's Palm, is an evergreen tree with a majestic fan-like crown. Towering up to 100 ft tall, this giant showcases cylindrical stems with large, banana-like leaves. Those leaves can grow between 8-15 ft long and span to 80-150cm wide. This unique fan-shaped arrangement lends itself to the tree's name, collecting rainwater and plant secretions, which historically served as a refreshing drink for thirsty travellers.
Endemic to Madagascar, this rainforest dweller thrives in sheltered, warm, humid, and per-humid areas near the coast, anywhere from sea level up to 3000 ft. The Traveller's Tree is known to produce an edible seed, used locally, and often grown for its striking ornamental value.
Traveller's Tree is a pollinator hub, attracting a multitude of pollinators like lemurs, bats, and birds. Fascinatingly, in full bloom, a new flower opens every 2-3 days, predominantly at night, resulting in a stunning floral display.
Despite its grandeur, this evergreen marvel does take up to 10 years before flowering. However, it's the foliage rather than the blooms that draw people to this magnificent tree. Therefore, if you're seeking a breathtaking feature for your garden or landscape, look no further than the Traveller's Tree.
For zones 9b and above outside.
Endemic to Madagascar, this rainforest dweller thrives in sheltered, warm, humid, and per-humid areas near the coast, anywhere from sea level up to 3000 ft. The Traveller's Tree is known to produce an edible seed, used locally, and often grown for its striking ornamental value.
Traveller's Tree is a pollinator hub, attracting a multitude of pollinators like lemurs, bats, and birds. Fascinatingly, in full bloom, a new flower opens every 2-3 days, predominantly at night, resulting in a stunning floral display.
Despite its grandeur, this evergreen marvel does take up to 10 years before flowering. However, it's the foliage rather than the blooms that draw people to this magnificent tree. Therefore, if you're seeking a breathtaking feature for your garden or landscape, look no further than the Traveller's Tree.
For zones 9b and above outside.
Image: Forest & Kim Starr / CC BY
P16 Queen Palm ( Syagrus romanzoffiana )
The queen palm really does strike a regal pose in the landscape. Growing to maximum height of about 50 feet, this plam has a smooth straight grey trunk ringed with evenly spaced leaf scars and topped with a large canopy of feathery plumes. These lacy fronds are a dark glossy green and have double rows of leaflets. These droop to the ground like double rows of fringe to cast shady patterns on the lawn. Informal groupings of three or more queens provides soft filtered sunlight perfect for shade gardens.
During the summer season the queen decks herself out with impressive infloresences. In early winter she takes on a sporty look when huge amounts of fruit appear. Bright orange 1 inch oval "dates" hang in impressive 6' bunches creating a colorful show.Native to Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina in South America. This palm is now widely planted as a landscape item. It is especially popular in Central Florida from Orlando to Tampa-Saint Petersburg where it is seen almost everywhere.
Full sun is best but will tolerate some shade.
It will withstand some drought but keep watered for best looks and fastest growth. Hardiness:USDA Zones 9-11. Cold damage appears at 25°F, the plant freezes and dies at about 20°F.
During the summer season the queen decks herself out with impressive infloresences. In early winter she takes on a sporty look when huge amounts of fruit appear. Bright orange 1 inch oval "dates" hang in impressive 6' bunches creating a colorful show.
Full sun is best but will tolerate some shade.
It will withstand some drought but keep watered for best looks and fastest growth. Hardiness:USDA Zones 9-11. Cold damage appears at 25°F, the plant freezes and dies at about 20°F.
P18 Traveller's Palm ( Ravenala madagascariensis )
An extremely popular tub plant for patios decks.
This famous Banana relative is a popular ornamental in tropical regions throughout the world. Its most conspicuous characteristic is the distichous leaf arrangement, which gives the entire plant the appearance of a huge fan. Easily produced from seed, it is Very fast growing.
A very large plant with large leathery leaves that reach 60 ft. tall or more when mature outside. Rather easy to raise inside or out, makes a wonderful patio or tub plant for cooler areas.
It has now been planted in frost free areas around the world, including far southern Florida into the Keys, southern Texas, southern California and Hawaii. This plant features an unbranched trunk (to 12" diameter) which is topped by a fan-shaped single plane of enormous, long-stalked, banana-like, deep green leaves (20-30 per trunk). Each leaf blade is 5-10' long by 2-3' wide and appears at the end of a thick, grooved leaf stalk (petiole) which is as long or longer than the leaf blade.
Leaf margins are sometimes split as is the case with some bananas. Up to one quart of rain water will accumulate in the expanded and cupped base of each leaf stalk, thus giving rise to the common names for this plant which suggests an emergency drinking water source for travellers in need.
For zones 9b and above outside.
This famous Banana relative is a popular ornamental in tropical regions throughout the world. Its most conspicuous characteristic is the distichous leaf arrangement, which gives the entire plant the appearance of a huge fan. Easily produced from seed, it is Very fast growing.
A very large plant with large leathery leaves that reach 60 ft. tall or more when mature outside. Rather easy to raise inside or out, makes a wonderful patio or tub plant for cooler areas.
It has now been planted in frost free areas around the world, including far southern Florida into the Keys, southern Texas, southern California and Hawaii. This plant features an unbranched trunk (to 12" diameter) which is topped by a fan-shaped single plane of enormous, long-stalked, banana-like, deep green leaves (20-30 per trunk). Each leaf blade is 5-10' long by 2-3' wide and appears at the end of a thick, grooved leaf stalk (petiole) which is as long or longer than the leaf blade.
Leaf margins are sometimes split as is the case with some bananas. Up to one quart of rain water will accumulate in the expanded and cupped base of each leaf stalk, thus giving rise to the common names for this plant which suggests an emergency drinking water source for travellers in need.
For zones 9b and above outside.
Z2824 Waggie Palm ( Trachycarpus wagnerianus )
The medium cold hardy Miniature Chusan Palm is more commonly known as the Waggie Palm or just plain Waggie. It is also known as the Dwarf Chusan Palm, however the Miniature Chusan Palm is not so miniature as this palm has been spotted reaching heights up to 30 ft. It's rare in the United States to see a waggie this tall, as they are extremely slow growers.
One of the slowest growing palms in the palmae family. Very similar to its brother the Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), the Miniature Chusan Palm has distinctive characteristics that differentiates it from the Windmill Palm. The Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) has and overall appearance of being more dainty and leggie.
The Miniature Chusan Palm (Trachycarpus wagnerianus) has and overall appearance of being more compact. It has smaller leaves that are much more stiff and deeply-cut. The leaves are green to dark green in color and are rounded in outline and held on shorter stems. Therefore having shorter stems they are more resilient and will not bend under the weight of snow or ice. The Waggie Palm is very cold hardy withstanding temperatures down to 0 degrees and below with little to no damage. It has shown no leaf damage in Zone 6 and will make it through anything this climate can throw at it.
The Miniature Chusan Palm is also disease free and worry free. This palm enjoys full sun to partial shade and will do best with well drained soils. It is adaptable for both containers or gardens, making it the ideal choice for the tropical look with no worries of freezing cold temperatures.
This palm tree will make a great addition to any home office or landscape. It will give a sense of the tropics with little cost.
One of the slowest growing palms in the palmae family. Very similar to its brother the Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), the Miniature Chusan Palm has distinctive characteristics that differentiates it from the Windmill Palm. The Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) has and overall appearance of being more dainty and leggie.
The Miniature Chusan Palm (Trachycarpus wagnerianus) has and overall appearance of being more compact. It has smaller leaves that are much more stiff and deeply-cut. The leaves are green to dark green in color and are rounded in outline and held on shorter stems. Therefore having shorter stems they are more resilient and will not bend under the weight of snow or ice. The Waggie Palm is very cold hardy withstanding temperatures down to 0 degrees and below with little to no damage. It has shown no leaf damage in Zone 6 and will make it through anything this climate can throw at it.
The Miniature Chusan Palm is also disease free and worry free. This palm enjoys full sun to partial shade and will do best with well drained soils. It is adaptable for both containers or gardens, making it the ideal choice for the tropical look with no worries of freezing cold temperatures.
This palm tree will make a great addition to any home office or landscape. It will give a sense of the tropics with little cost.
P77 Saw Palmetto Palm ( Serenoa repens )
Saw palmetto is a small hardy fan palm whose stem usually
remains below ground or runs just along the surface. In some
cases, it develops an erect or arching trunk that may lift the
whorl of leaves 2'-8' above ground. The palmate leaves are
2'-3' across and green or bluish green. The cluster of leaves
gets about 4'-6' high with a similar spread. In the wild, saw
palmetto often grows in clumps 20 or more feet in diameter. The
petioles (leaf stems) are about 2' long and sharply
saw-toothed. The fruits are round, black and about an inch in
diameter.
Saw palmetto occurs naturally on the coastal plain from
South Carolina to southeastern Louisiana. It grows in a wide
range of habitats from seaside sand dunes and dry scrub to
moist forests, pine flatwoods and even wetlands. Saw palmetto
can be the dominant ground cover in certain southeastern pine
forests, sometimes covering hundreds of acres. Culture: Once
established, saw palmetto is virtually maintenance-free.
Light: Prefers full sun, but can tolerate partial sun.
Moisture: Tolerates drought but can also tolerate moderately
moist soils.
Hardiness: Fully hardy to zone 7, this palm has been seen
growing in zone 6, but does suffer foliage damage at 10 degrees
F. and complete foliage loss at 3-5 degrees F.
Saw palmetto is a beautiful little palm and richly deserves a place in the ornamental landscape. Plant saw palmettos in front of clumps of larger palms, or even underneath large palms. They look good massed in clumps in mixed borders, or as framing hedges. Use as accents to trees or in foundation plantings.
Features: The berries of saw palmetto are used as a treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or enlarged prostate gland. They are also used as a diuretic to tone the bladder, improve urinary flow, and decrease urinary frequency. They may help prevent prostate cancer.
Image: By Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons
P52 Jelly Palm ( Butia capitata )
This beautiful feather palm has long fronds that arch and
recurve towards the ground from atop a thick stout trunk. The
trunk can grow to 20’, but normally reaches
12’-15’ with a diameter of 1’-1½’.
Typically, the old leaf stalks persist for years, although
specimens with clean trunks are not uncommon. Leaves range from
light green to bluish gray. The palm produces light orange
fruits (often called pindo dates in the deep south). These
palms vary in form. Specimens raised in dry and/or infertile
soils tend to be smaller in stature with smaller leaves. Light
also affects the plant’s form -- those grown in full sun
are more compact. The orange fruits are edible and widely used
to make a delicious jelly, thus the name.
Grown regularly in zone 8, this palm has been proven to survive 0° F. when heavily mulched and protected. Generally considered safe to grow in zone 7 if heavily protected, it is suspected it could survive zone 6 under certain conditions.
Grown regularly in zone 8, this palm has been proven to survive 0° F. when heavily mulched and protected. Generally considered safe to grow in zone 7 if heavily protected, it is suspected it could survive zone 6 under certain conditions.
1A450 Hardy Jelly Palm ( Butia odorata )
This popular, hardy, feather-leaved palm has recently been separated from Butia capitata to clear up a very old taxonomic mess. This palm is native to southern Brazil and Uruguay and is widely cultivated around the world, usually under the name B. capitata. It is a large, robust plant with recurved, strongly keeled, blue green leaves, a stout trunk and deliciously edible, yellow fruit with round or slightly elongated seeds. The true B. capitata is a plant from the highland of central Brazil in the sates of Bahia, Goias and Minas Gerais. It is a much smaller plant, has larger, spindle-shaped seeds and is virtually unknown in cultivation. Butia odorata will succeed in all but the coldest temperate and warm temperate climates, but does not like tropical climates. One of the few truly hardy feather palms, it will tolerate extremely low temperatures when older.
It produces bright orange fruit, called pindo dates in the US, and as Jelly is made from these it accounts for the common European name,'Jelly Palm'. Although the fruit is supposed to be delicious, there seems little evidence of it being grown commercially as a fruiting palm. The flowers are numerous, very small, creamy yellow and are borne on 3-4 feet long inflorescences bearing separate male and female flowers. Pollination is by wind and insects.
The 1" yellow to orange fruits are round or oval shaped, and hang in large bunches. Each fruit contains a single large seed which looks like a tiny Coconut, with the characteristic 3 pores at one end. The sweet, but tart, flavour is a mixture of apricot, pineapple and banana. Fruits are harvested as they ripen, or if the whole bunch is harvested they tend to ripen all at once. They can be eaten fresh or puree'd, and make excellent jelly as well as wine. They can be stored for about a week refrigerated.
Cold hardy to about 10 degrees for short periods of time.
It produces bright orange fruit, called pindo dates in the US, and as Jelly is made from these it accounts for the common European name,'Jelly Palm'. Although the fruit is supposed to be delicious, there seems little evidence of it being grown commercially as a fruiting palm. The flowers are numerous, very small, creamy yellow and are borne on 3-4 feet long inflorescences bearing separate male and female flowers. Pollination is by wind and insects.
The 1" yellow to orange fruits are round or oval shaped, and hang in large bunches. Each fruit contains a single large seed which looks like a tiny Coconut, with the characteristic 3 pores at one end. The sweet, but tart, flavour is a mixture of apricot, pineapple and banana. Fruits are harvested as they ripen, or if the whole bunch is harvested they tend to ripen all at once. They can be eaten fresh or puree'd, and make excellent jelly as well as wine. They can be stored for about a week refrigerated.
Cold hardy to about 10 degrees for short periods of time.
Image: Christophe.Finot, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
P75 Mexican Fan Palm ( Washingtonia robusta )
Like the closely related Washingtonia filifera (California Fan Palm), it is grown as an ornamental tree. Although very similar, the Mexican Washingtonia has a narrower trunk (which is typically somewhat wider at the base), and grows slightly faster and taller; it is also somewhat less cold hardy than the California Washingtonia, hardy to about 19 degrees.
The Palm was originally introduced to Los Angeles to beautify the town for the 1932 Summer Olympics. Many Palms planted then in Los Angeles are near the end of their natural lives and are fully mature. Most of these trees are not being replaced with other Mexican Washingtonia Palms but with other full-spread trees like oak trees and sycamores which trap more air pollution and provide more shade.
From Los Angeles the Palms began to spread to other areas in the U.S.A.. Unlike Washingtonia filifera, which has been cultivated as far north as Oklahoma and Southwestern Utah, the Mexican fan palm can be grown mainly around areas of the southwestern United States, such as California and the coast of Oregon, Arizona, Southern Nevada, and New Mexico. It may also be seen along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida and may also be found in coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
The Palm was originally introduced to Los Angeles to beautify the town for the 1932 Summer Olympics. Many Palms planted then in Los Angeles are near the end of their natural lives and are fully mature. Most of these trees are not being replaced with other Mexican Washingtonia Palms but with other full-spread trees like oak trees and sycamores which trap more air pollution and provide more shade.
From Los Angeles the Palms began to spread to other areas in the U.S.A.. Unlike Washingtonia filifera, which has been cultivated as far north as Oklahoma and Southwestern Utah, the Mexican fan palm can be grown mainly around areas of the southwestern United States, such as California and the coast of Oregon, Arizona, Southern Nevada, and New Mexico. It may also be seen along the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida and may also be found in coastal Georgia and South Carolina.
2270 California Fan Palm ( Washingtonia filifera )
A 50' fan palm indigenous to California. Distinguished by its
large shag of dried leaves that have remained attached to the
trunk for many years. The thickness of the old leaves is such a
large mass that it's appearance is that of a grass hut.
Hardiness: to high teens; recovers from damage quickly, more
cold hardy than W. robusta.
Image: Alejandro Bayer Tamayo from Armenia, Colombia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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P49 King Palm ( Archontophoenix alexandrae )
A common sight in the tropics and subtropics. This is a
majestic palm with huge silvery-green leaves and a light gray
trunk, often swollen at the base. Bears cream colored flowers
and can be raised inside if given high heat and humidity. Seeds
germinate within a few weeks. Outside, the tree will reach a
height of 60 ft. Cold hardy to about 25 degrees.
Image: Matti Blume, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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P28 Canary Island Date Palm ( Phoenix canariensis )
From the Canary Islands off the Coast of Africa, this palm is
widely grown as an ornamental tree. It is tolerant of cold and
drought and can be easily raised from seeds if given heat.
Outside, it will grow up to 60 ft. with a 3 ft. diameter trunk.
Inside, its growth can be regulated by the size of container it
is raised in. It has a distinctive spiky, architectural
appearance that is a must for any home. It bears 2 in. long
fruit that is orange when ripe. The old leaf scars on the trunk
form diamond shaped patterns. Cold hardy to 20 degrees.
Image: DanielCD~commonswiki
Z2001 Sago Palm ( Cycas revoluta )
One of the most primitive living seed plants, they are also
very unusual and popular ornamentals. A rugged trunk, topped
with whorled feathery leaves has lead to the common name "Sago
Palm", however it is actually related to conifer and Ginko
trees - all cone bearing plants which trace their origins back
to the ancient flora of the early Mesozoic era. Often called
"living fossils", Cycads have changed very little in the last
200 million years.
Regardless of age or size, Cycas revoluta is one of the easiest plants to grow, indoors or out, by beginner or expert. This subtropical adapts to a wide range of temperatures from 15 to 110 degrees F (-11 to 42 degrees C), accepts full sun or bright interior light, thrives with attention, and tolerates neglect. In addition, Cycads are extremely long-lived. A 220 year old specimen of Encephalartos, a relative of Cycas revoluta, is on display at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew England; the restoration of the famous Palm House required it to be temporarily transplanted to a holding area for more than a year; the move was successful and is an example of the durability of these ancient "living fossils".
This is an excellent opportunity to raise these expensive plants yourself for less than a buck a plant.
These are fresh seeds that will germinate in a few months. If kept in the refrigerator, these seeds will remain viable for over a year.
Excellent container plant or outside garden plant for warm climates.
Regardless of age or size, Cycas revoluta is one of the easiest plants to grow, indoors or out, by beginner or expert. This subtropical adapts to a wide range of temperatures from 15 to 110 degrees F (-11 to 42 degrees C), accepts full sun or bright interior light, thrives with attention, and tolerates neglect. In addition, Cycads are extremely long-lived. A 220 year old specimen of Encephalartos, a relative of Cycas revoluta, is on display at the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew England; the restoration of the famous Palm House required it to be temporarily transplanted to a holding area for more than a year; the move was successful and is an example of the durability of these ancient "living fossils".
This is an excellent opportunity to raise these expensive plants yourself for less than a buck a plant.
These are fresh seeds that will germinate in a few months. If kept in the refrigerator, these seeds will remain viable for over a year.
Excellent container plant or outside garden plant for warm climates.
Jim's Notes:
Give roots ample room to grow by picking a pot or container that is a minimum sixteen inches deep or more.
The Sago Palm can be grown inside the house near a bright window. Like other cycads, they do not want to be over-watered.
Let the soil dry out a bit before watering.
Try to avoid overhead watering; this may cause rot and possibly total decay of the plant. The soil mix should be quick draining.
The plants are quite cold hardy and can tolerate temperatures below 20°F. Overall, it is an outstanding species that is quite versatile and easy to grow. It is usually free from pests but can occasionally get into problems with scale or mealy bug, which should be treated.
Fertilizing with a balanced tropical fertilizer with microelements will usually suffice. Sagos typically throw a new set of leaves during the Spring or Summer.
It is quicker and easier to grow Cycas revoluta in the ground as opposed to a container. In general, Sago Palms need sun to grow well. In coastal areas, it is best to plant them in full sun.
In more interior locations or desert localities, they still prefer good sun or at least part day sun. Growing the Sago Palm in the shade typically gives one lanky, stretched-out leaves that are weak.
If in too much shade, this species can actually just stall and do nothing (such as refusing to throw any new leaves).
P63 Panama Hat Palm ( Carludovica palmata )
Again, not a true palm although you wouldn't know by its
appearance. It has handsome pleated fan shaped leaves that
appear in tiers in a spiral arrangement. Leaves are used in hat
production. A very special plant. Zone 9 outside, but often grown as patio plant in colder zones and moved inside during winter.
P68 Chinese Windmill Palm ( Trachycarpus fortunei )
Chinese Windmill palm is one of the most cold hardy palms available. It is beautifully compact and grows to heights of 20-40 feet. Windmill palm has a rather slender single stem that is 8-10 inches in diameter and is typically a bit narrower at the base than at the top.
Trunks are usually covered with a loose mat of coarse gray or brown fiber. In older individuals the fiber sloughs away to reveal a smooth ringed surface.
Has light to dark green palmate leaves that are lighter, almost silvery (glaucous), on the underside.
It is commonly grown as a landscape specimen in central and northern Florida, the southeastern U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, and in mild areas along the west coast. It has been sighted in northerly latitudes from Charlotte, North Carolina to Atlanta, Georgia to Vancouver, British Columbia.
This palm makes a great accent which fits well into small areas like courtyards and entries. It is a tough plant and survives in hot urban landscapes and even thrives there if watered and fed. This palm is perfect for containers if care is taken that they are well drained.
Hardy to zone 7b.
Trunks are usually covered with a loose mat of coarse gray or brown fiber. In older individuals the fiber sloughs away to reveal a smooth ringed surface.
Has light to dark green palmate leaves that are lighter, almost silvery (glaucous), on the underside.
It is commonly grown as a landscape specimen in central and northern Florida, the southeastern U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, and in mild areas along the west coast. It has been sighted in northerly latitudes from Charlotte, North Carolina to Atlanta, Georgia to Vancouver, British Columbia.
This palm makes a great accent which fits well into small areas like courtyards and entries. It is a tough plant and survives in hot urban landscapes and even thrives there if watered and fed. This palm is perfect for containers if care is taken that they are well drained.
Hardy to zone 7b.
SF123 Sombrero Palm ( Braha dulcis )
A beautiful fan palm producing blue-green leave. Ideal for warm
dry regions and is frost resistant. Very slow growing - to 20'.
The fronds are more finely cut than most within the genus and
this feature gives a more delicate appearance. Produces sweet
edible cherry sized fruits. Native to Guatemala and Mexico. Zone 8 and above outside
AW29 Guadalupe Fan Palm ( Brahea edulis )
A good cold hardy palm for patios or lawn, cold hardy to about 20-25 degrees.
Small black colored fruit with a taste resembling a date in clusters.
Endangered in its own habitat on the Guadalupe Islands, this palm is becoming popular in other parts of the world. The sweet pulp from the fruit adds to its attraction, along with its bluish-green fan leaves. It grows to 30 feet tall and drops its dead leaves forming scars on the trunk where the leaves once were. It takes full sun with occasional summer water and does well along the coast.
Small black colored fruit with a taste resembling a date in clusters.
Endangered in its own habitat on the Guadalupe Islands, this palm is becoming popular in other parts of the world. The sweet pulp from the fruit adds to its attraction, along with its bluish-green fan leaves. It grows to 30 feet tall and drops its dead leaves forming scars on the trunk where the leaves once were. It takes full sun with occasional summer water and does well along the coast.
Image: Hermann Luyken, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
TRZ116 Pacaya Palm ( Chamaedorea tepejilote )
Also known as Tepejilote Palm. A fast growing, desirable and tall Chamaedorea with prominent rings on a rather husky trunk. Long leaflets that are dark green. Looks good in multiples. Makes a nice houseplant.
It will grow about 15 feet tall outside, but makes a wonderful patio plant when young. Cold hardy to about 25 degrees.
It will grow about 15 feet tall outside, but makes a wonderful patio plant when young. Cold hardy to about 25 degrees.
Image:Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
TRZ117 Distichous Fishtail Palm ( Wallichia disticha )
Also known as False Sugar Palm. The palm has a very unusual looking appearance. It is distichous, meaning the leaves come out in two ranks only, with leaves forming just two rows on either side of the trunk. The trunk is covered in a criss-crossed fibre mat giving it a very unusual appearance along with it's unusual leaf pattern. It can grow up to 30 feet tall in its native habitat,and is a short-lived tree, living approximately 15 years.
It is widely cultivated in subtropical and warm temperate regions and is surprising cold hardy capable of surviving freezing temperatures down to 28 degrees.
It is widely cultivated in subtropical and warm temperate regions and is surprising cold hardy capable of surviving freezing temperatures down to 28 degrees.
Image: By Raffi Kojian (http://Gardenology.org) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
P20 Ponytail Palm ( Beaucarnia stricta )
One of the most widely raised palms in the world. Very easy
from seeds. Has the familiar swollen trunk and grass like
leaves. The perfect houseplant. Zone 9 and higher outside.
Jim's Plant Growth Stimulator
To see the results for yourself, we advise using it on some plants and not on others and see the difference.
Note: We only ship this product to addresses inside the USA. The following ingredients are used in making Jim's Plant Growth Stimulator:
Gibberellic Acid
Gibberellic Acid is EPA approved, and is commercially used to grow most fruits and vegetables we eat.
B1 Vitamins and Plant Hormones
Micronutrients
Other ingredients
Each 8 ounce bottle of JPG01 Plant Growth Stimulator makes 16 gallons spray-on solution, you can also use a drench and pour it around the base of the plant if you prefer. The bottle comes with a 1/2 ounce measuring spoon, simply mix a half ounce of plant growth stimulator with a gallon of water and spray onto the plants, or drench the soil around the plant. :
JPG01 Plant Growth Stimulator
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