Are you a homeowner or landscape enthusiast in Florida and looking for a palm tree to add to your landscape or garden space? Here is the article for you.
When it comes to the most desired and elegant palm trees, Florida, popularly called the Sunshine State, has many different types of palm trees silhouetted against its beautiful beaches.
Most times, it becomes tricky to figure out which one is which. In this article, we take a look at the top palm trees that will complement any Florida landscape. Let’s get started.
Top Palm Trees In Florida
Several different species of palm trees thrive in Florida, which makes choosing the right one for the desired appearance and healthy growth a bit challenging.
To help you out, here is a list of the top palm trees in Florida:
Bottle Palm Tree (Hyophorbe Lagenicaulis)
Does the name sound funny?
Bottle palm tree earns its name from its look. The palm tree has a thick, short trunk with a somewhat swollen base that makes it look like a bottle.
Although this palm is native to Mauritius, it has been naturalized in Hawaii and Florida, the only two states in the US that adequately support its growth.
This palm tree can grow up to 10ft (3m) high. However, in rare cases and with time, this ornamental palm can grow up to 15 feet to 20 feet (4.6m to 6m) high.
This palm can develop about three to four huge palm fronds of about 12 feet (3.7m) long with 2ft (61cm) long leaflets at the top of the trunk.
Bottle palm tree’s beautiful flowers are small and white. These flowers are developed on 30in (76cm) long stalks and green-black, 1.5in (3.8cm) long berries that change colour to black once ripened.
As said earlier, a Bottle palm is a short palm. So, it can be easily grown in a container, especially if you live in a cold region. That makes it possible to bring your palm indoors during winter to keep it safe.
Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
The ornamental Queen palm originated in South America, but it is grown as an ornamental tree in Florida and all over the world.
Cocos pulmosa, as it is also called, is a single-trunked, fast-growing palm. It is a medium-sized tree and can grow up to 30ft or 50ft (12m to 15m) high.
This palm has dropping, glossy, dark green pinnate leaves with multiple leaflets that can create an elegant 25ft (7.6m) wide canopy. This makes Cocos pulmosa a beautiful landscape date palm tree.
In summer, Queen palm produces large ornamental clusters of small bright orange or creamy dates that attract birds and mammals. If not properly maintained, the dates can mature into messy, sticky fruits.
This easy-to-grow palm is drought and frost-resistant because it is a hardy tree. For the best performance, plant this palm in acidic soil in full sun or partial shade. Also, fertilize the palm twice a year with a manganese-rich fertilizer.
Red Sealing Wax Palm (Cyrtostachys renda)
This is one of the palms with a unique appearance.
Unlike other palms with thick trunks, this palm has very thin green and bright red trunks. It has red stems that bear green feather-like leaves that grow upwards above the tree.
Red Sealing Wax palm, also called lipstick palm tree, requires less maintenance and can grow up to about 30ft to 40ft, or taller if properly cared for. You can also prune it to keep it regularly to maintain its height.
It does well in moist soil and both full sun and shady spots. This means that you can grow this palm in your unusually shady garden.
Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis)
Another palm species with a special appearance is the Canary Island date palm, also called the pineapple palm or the Canary palm tree.
At maturity, this palm will develop a trunk with pineapple-like sections that is about 30ft (9m) thick in diameter, with ferns coming out of it.
Canary is a tall palm trees that can grow up to 65ft (20m) in height and spread about 40ft (12m) in width.
However, this palm is a slow-growing plant, and can only reach about 10ft (3m) in its first 15 years.
This palm bears dark-green pinnate leaves, which can grow between 11ft to 20ft (3.3m to 6m) long to form an attractive crown at the top of the tree. Each leaf has about 80 to 100 leaflets.
You must be careful when handling the fronds because of the sharp spikes at the base of the large, divided leaves.
In summer, Canary palm trees will develop gray or white flowers, after which they will produce ornamental orange to yellow, 0.8in (2cm) long dates.
Although the dates are edible, they don’t taste so good and aren’t used in any food recipe.
Bismarck Palm Tree (Bismarckia nobilis)
This is a unique palm tree to grow in South Florida.
The Bismarck palm tree prefers moderately wet and well-drained soil. However, it can also tolerate drought with average water requirements.
It has an unusually short, fat trunk that can grow to a height of about 40ft (12m) and a diameter of about 18in (46cm).
At maturity, the crown can grow to a width of about 10ft to 16ft (3m to 4.9m). It also develops attractive silvery-blue or silvery-green costapalmate leaves that typically grow to about 4ft (1.2m) long.
This palm loves the humidity and heat that the Florida seasons bring. It thrives in warm climates and sunny areas. However, it can also withstand temperatures of 15°F (-9.5°C) once established.
The Bismarck palm is a slow-growing palm tree and doesn’t require pruning too often.
It’s important to note that this palm trees are dioecious. This means that there are distinct male and female versions of the tree.
Other popular palm trees in Florida that you can consider include coconut palm tree, royal palm tree, African oil palm, European fan palm, areca palm, Chinese fan palm, cabbage palm, foxtail palm, Christmas palm, and pygmy date palm.
How do I care for a palm tree in Florida?
You can care for your palm tree by observing the following:
- Watering: While established palms may be drought-tolerant, young palms need regular watering, especially in dry periods.
- Pruning: Some palms require minimal pruning to remove damaged or dead fronds or fruits. This is ideal for maintaining a healthy appearance.
- Fertilizing: Apply palm-specific fertilizer every three to four months to ensure proper nutrient uptake.
- Protection from winter cold: Although most Florida palms are cold-tolerant, some may need protection during the unusual winter cold. If you want to learn how to protect plants in winter from frost and freeze, go through our detailed guide.
How can I choose the right palms for the Florida landscape?
Choosing the right palm for your landscape involves considering the following:
- Your available space and palm size: Consider the size of the palm you chose to plant at maturity and your available garden space. If you have a limited or tighter space, choose small palm trees.
- Available sunlight and soil type: Soil type can also influence your palm choice. Consider your garden soil type and match it with the palm’s soil requirement. Does your garden offer the best soil for growing the palm? Also, some palms thrive in full sun, while some prefer partial shade.
- Maintenance: Consider the level of maintenance and care the palm requires, such as pruning and fertilization, to know if you can provide.
Conclusion
There are many types of palm trees suitable for Florida’s diverse climate. These Florida palm trees come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Some can even be grown in pots, indoors, or outdoors.
Some palm trees are grown as decorations, while others can provide shade. Irrespective of what you need the palm tree for, the low-maintenance palms listed above are palm trees perfect for Florida garden, yard, or tropical-feeling landscape.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The most common palm trees in Florida include the Bottle palm, Queen palm, and Red Sealing Wax palm. Each thrives in different Florida climates and landscapes.
The Cabbage Palm (also known as the Sabal Palm) is the state tree of Florida. It is highly adaptable and can be found throughout the state.
Coconut palms thrive best in Florida’s southern regions, where temperatures are warmer year-round. They are less common in the northern parts due to occasional cold snaps.
