Alexander Palm
Scientific Name: Ptychosperma elegans (ti-ko-sper-mah elle-e ganz)
Common Name(s): Solitaire Palm, Alexander Palm
Typical Height: 20’
Subfamily: Arccoideae
Classification: Arecaceae
Hardiness Zone: 10B-11
Growth Rate: Moderate
Origin: Australia
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Low
Drought Tolerance: Moderate
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: Moderate, high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate, high
Uses: Specimen tree, interior scape
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 2-3 months
Human Hazards: None
Major Pest Problems: Scale, palm aphid, mites (interior)
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Ganoderma
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; bearing 10-12 leaves in the canopy
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Slender, gray, swollen base, ridged leaf scars
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound reduplicate with 4-5 dozen pleated leaflets that are bluntly jagged at tip
Foliage Color: Green, leaflets grayish brown
Leaf size: 8-10’ long; leaflets to 3’ long, about 2’ wide
Inflorescence: 2-3’ long, branched, yellow; borne below the crownshaft
Petiole: 1’ or less long, with dark brown scaly hairs, unarmed
Crown shaft: Smooth, waxy
Gender: Separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence
Flower color: White
Fruit Size: 3/4″
Fruit Color: Red
Irritant: No
Comments:
Solitaire palm is one of the most common palms for tropical landscaping. Its small stature fits well scaled down residential yards. It is often grown as a multiple specimen, though the species is solitary by nature. It thrives in a site protected from cold and drying winds. Large acclimated specimens are durable interior scape plants.
Arikury Palm
Scientific Name: Syagrus schizophylla (sy-AG-russ skits-oh-FIL-uh)
Common Name(s): Arikury Palm
Typical Height: 15’
Subfamily: Arccoideae
Classification: Arecaceae
Hardiness Zone: 10A-11
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: Brazil
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: Moderate, high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Small tree, interior scape
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 1-2 months
Human Hazards: Spiny
Major Pest Problems: None
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Slightly susceptible to lethal yellowing; ganoderma
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of several dozen crowded leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Dark Brown, clothed with old leaf stem bases in distinctive spiral pattern with fiber in between
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound, reduplicate, arching; with about 80 pointed, lax leaflets in one plane
Foliage Color: Green
Leaf size: 6’ long; leaflets 2’ long, 1’ wide
Petiole: 2-3’ long, narrow, purple-black, with spiny fibers at the margins
Crownshaft: None
Inflorescence: 2-3’ long, borne from among the lower leaves, pendulous, once branched
Gender: Separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence
Flower color: White
Fruit Size: 1” diameter
Fruit Color: Orange
Irritant: No; edible (but insipid)
Comments:
The arikury palm grows well and may even prefer partial shade. Its small stature interesting leaf stem base pattern on the trunk make it striking specimen plant that will not outgrow situation. Young plants are very attractive and are starting to be offered as indoor plants.
Cabbage Palm
Scientific Name: Sabal palmetto (SAI-bahl pahl-MET-toe)
Common Name(s): Cabbage Palm, Sabal Palm, Blue Palmetto, Cabbage Palmetto, Cabbage Tree, Common Palmetto, Guana Cana, Palma Cana, Palmetto
Typical Height: 15’
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Corypheae (will be moved to new tribe in forthcoming reclassification of the palm family)
Hardiness Zone: (7B)8A-11; no damage at 15°F (-9.4°C); thought to be hardy to at least 10°F (-12.2°C)
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: Southeastern United States
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: High
Nutritional Requirements: Low
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seed, germinating in two to three months, remote germination
Human Hazards: None
Major Pest Problems: Palmetto weevils
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Ganoderma, graphiola false smut
Cultivars: Sabal palmetto ‘Lisa’ was described by Robert Riefer, a southwest Florida nurseryman, from a stand of three mature palms that appeared to be the remnant of a once larger population. These three palmettos were characterized by a more compact crown, shorter petioles, thicker and more rigid leaves that were less twisted than those of the typical cabbage palm. It was tentatively concluded that the three palms represented a colony of Sabal palmetto that has twice the usual number of chromosomes. Seedlings from these three plants are currently in production.
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of several dozen leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Gray, smooth; frequently covered with a criss-cross of persistent, split leaf bases
Leaf Type: Costapalmate, induplicate, strongly twisted downward at middle; divided to about 1/2 into numerous segments, some stiff and some dropping
Foliage Color: Dull green
Leaf size: To 6’ wide; segments 3-4′ long, 2-3” wide
Petiole: 4-6’ long, unarmed; leaf base split
Inflorescence: 6-8’ long, openly branched borne among the leaves
Gender: Bisexual flowers
Flower color: White
Fruit Size: 1/2” diameter
Fruit Color: Black
Comments:
The stat tree of both Florida and South Carolina, cabbage palm is one of the most common native palms in the United States, and is widely used for landscaping, adapting well to many different soils and situations. Trees are harvested from wild stands at the fraction of the cost of a similar sized nursery grown palm. Sabal palms transplants well, but cut roots do not branch as they do in all other palms examined, and the palm must therefore produce new roots from the base of the trunk. It has been found that removing all leaves from these palms at the time of digging increases survival rate after installation. Cabbage palm vary in the persistence of their leaf bases. Some remain “booted” for many years; others shed the leaf bases fairly quickly.
Chinese Fan Palm
Scientific Name: Livistona chinensis (liv-i-STON-a chi-NEN-sis)
Common Name(s): Chinese Fan Palm
Typical Height: 25’
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Corypheae (will be moved to new tribe in ta forthcoming reclassification of the palm family)
Hardiness Zone: 10A-11
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: China, Southern Japan
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Drought Tolerance: Moderate to high
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: Moderate, high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seed, germination in one to two months; remote germination
Human Hazards: Sharp teeth variably present on petiole
Major Pest Problems: None reported
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Moderate susceptibility to lethal yellowing (USDA Hardiness Zone 10-11 only), ganorderma
Cultivars: Var. suglobosa has been applied to wild forms with spherical (rather than ovoid) fruits
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of 30-50 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Brown initially, gray with age, closely ringed with incomplete leaf scars, eventually corky below
Leaf Type: Costapalmate, induplicate, divided to about 2/3 into 60-100 deeply split segments that are pendant in their lower half
Foliage Color: Olive green
Leaf size: 6′ diameter; segments 3-4’ long, 2” wide
Petiole: 6’ long, teeth (if present) along margins of lower half
Inflorescence: 6″ long, produced from among the leaves, densely branched
Gender: Bisexual flowers
Flower color: Cream
Fruit Size: 0.5-1” long
Fruit Color: Grayish-blue
Comments:
By far the most widely planted member of the genus, Chinese fan palm makes a slow-growing but handsome specimen, forming a wide-spreading attractive crown even as a young plant. This has even led to their use as a ground cover in landscaping, an outrageous practice since at least half of the palms will require removal as they age. The long leaf segment tips hang gracefully giving the canopy a weeping appearance. They are tolerant of relatively infertile soils, but respond favorable to good nutrition. It is probably the hardiest of the Livistonas, and can withstand several degrees below freezing without any damage. Full sun is best for the Chinese fan palm; in anything more than light shade, the leaves have a tendency to “stretch.”
Cuban Royal Palm
Scientific Name: Roystonea regia (roy-ston-e-ah re ge-ah)
Common Name(s): Cuban Royal Palm
Typical Height: 50’ – 70’
Subfamily: Arecoideae
Classification: Araceae
Hardiness Zone: 10A-11
Growth Rate: Moderate
Origin: Cuba
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Drought Tolerance: Moderate to high
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: High
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Specimen tree, street tree, border
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 2-3 months
Human Hazards: Irritant
Major Pest Problems: Royal palm bug
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Fungal leaf spots, potassium deficiency (Florida), ganoderma, phytophthora bud rot
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of 15 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Light gray, smooth, closely ringed, swollen at base and again at middle or just below crownshaft
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound, reduplicate, several hundred multi-ranked leaflets with conspicuous secondary ribs on either side of midrib
Foliage Color: Bright green
Leaf size: 10’ long; leaflets 3’ long, 2” wide
Petiole: Short, stout, unarmed
Crownshaft: Long, smooth, deep glossy green
Inflorescence: 3’ long, borne just below the crownshaft, tightly branched, the branches straight
Gender: Separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence
Flower color: Yellow
Fruit Size: 1/4” long (oblong)
Fruit Color: Reddish-purple
Irritant: Yes
Comments:
The majority of old, large royal palms in south Florida are species, brought from Cuba during the 1930s. Most royal palms sold in nurseries are Cunab, even if they are labeled the Florida royal. The bulging trunk is most characteristic of this species. The Cuban royal occurs natively on upland sites; it is thus likely more drought tolerant than the Florida species. It makes a fine specimen in lawns, however, thriving on the extra irrigation. Royal palms are best avoided when landscaping around modestly sized homes; their stature makes a small house look even smaller. Royak palm bug, which destroys young leaves, can be a persistent problem in Florida, especially after a mild winter. Dimethoate foliar sprays have provided the best control.
Other Species: R. boriqueana (Puerto Rico) resembles Cuban royal but has shiny surfaced leaves. R. oleracea (Venezuela, southern Caribbean) hold its leaflets in only 1 plane and lacks trunk bulges. R. princeps (Jamaica) has a fairly slender trunk and a sparser canopy than most royals.
Dwarf Sugar Palm
Scientific Name: Arenga engleri (ah-RENG-ah ENG-l’r-eye)
Common Name(s): Dwarf Sugar Palm, Formosa Palm
Typical Height: 12’
Subfamily: Arccoideae
Classification: Caryoteae (this tribe will soon be reclassified into subfamily Coryphoideae)
Hardiness Zone: 8B) 9A-11; variable damage at 22oF (-5.6oC); stems may be killed to ground below 20oF (-6.7oC)
Growth Rate: Moderate if well irrigated, otherwise slow
Origin: Ryukyu Islands of Japan, Taiwan
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Best on moist, fertile, slightly acid soil
Drought Tolerance: Moderate, lowest in full sun
Soil Requirements: Best on moist, fertile, slightly acid soil
Light Requirements: Full sun to half shade
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate, best with regular fertilization
Uses: Screening, specimen plant, large containers
Propagation: Seed, germinating erratically in one to six months; remote germination; clumps may also be carefully divided
Human Hazards: Juice of fruit contains oxalic acid and may irritate skin; if ingested, fruit may cause suffocation if breathing passages swell shut
Major Pest Problems: None
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Moderately susceptible to lethal yellowing (USDA Hardiness Zones 10-11 only)
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Clustering densely, each stem with 6-10 leaves; stem dies after flowering and fruiting
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Short, slender, covered with black fibers, 3” (7.6cm) in diameter
Leaf Type: Pinnate, induplicate, with 100 or more jagged tipped leaflets
Foliage Color: Green
Leaf size: 6-9’ long; leaflets 1-1.5’ long
Petiole: Unarmed, 6-18” (15.2-45.7cm) long
Inflorescence: Borne from among the leaves, 1-2” long, pendulous
Gender: Separate male and female flowers on the same flower stem
Flower color: Orange, very fragrant
Fruit Size: 1/2 – 1” diameter
Fruit Color: Red
Fruit: Irritant
Comments:
The best known and most widely available of the hardy sugar palm species, A. englari has been successfully overwintered across much of the Gulf Coast. In marginal areas, it can be situated in protected situations that afford a microclimate effect. The silver underside of the leaves makes it an attractive accent plant. In USDA Hardiness Zones 10-11, the presence of lethal yellowing disease limits its use, but unfortunately, there are more tender, similar looking Arenga species that can substitute. The fragrant yellow to orange flowers are showy, but can be lost among the foliage if lower leaves aren’t trimmed. Stems begin to decline as the fruits ripen.
European Fan Palm
Scientific Name: Chamaerops humilis (ka-MEE-rahps HYOO-mil-lis)
Common Name(s): European Fan Palm
Typical Height: 10’
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Corypheae
Hardiness Zone: 8A -11; no problem at 16-17°F (-8.9 to -8.3°C); thought to be hardy at 0°F (-17.8°C)
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: Mediterranean region
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Requirements: Moderate (possibly high for natively coastal forms)
Light Requirements: Moderate; high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Specimen plant; shrub; container plant
Propagation: Seed, germinating in two to three months, possibly division; remote germination
Human Hazards: Sharp teeth on petiole; pollen from male trees causes allergy
Major Pest Problems: Scales; palm aphid; ambrosia beetle
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Potassium deficiency (Florida); ganoderma, fungal leaf spots
Cultivars: Many forms occur throughout the range of this species; some of which have been named in the past. The most stable variant is so-called variety cerifera, the name given to forms with very waxy, silvery leaves. These forms are reportedly slower-growing than the typical European fan palms, but may be slightly hardier. The formal varietal name C. humilis var elatior has been applied to solitary-stemmed, non suckering individuals. A particularly tightly suckering, low-growing, green-leafed form is marketed as the cultivar ‘Green Mound’.
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Usually clustering, but solitary forms occurs; canopy of 15-30 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: About 1′ diameter; dead leaves persist below crown; covered for many years with dense, brown fibers
Leaf Type: Palmate, induplicate, very deeply divided into several dozen narrow segments which split at their tips
Foliage Color: Green, blue-green or silvery green; glossy or dull
Leaf size: About 3’ in diameter
Petiole: 3-5’ long; armed with fierce orange teeth that point toward leaf
Inflorescence: Short; about 6” long, with thick branches, hidden among the leaves
Gender: Usually separate male or female plants
Flower color: White
Fruit Size: 1/2”in diameter
Fruit Color: Yellow, orange or brown
Foxtail Palm
Scientific Name: Wodyetia bifurcate (wod-yeh-te-ah bi-fer-cah-tah)
Common Name(s): Foxtail Palm
Typical Height: 30’
Subfamily: Arccoideae
Classification: Arecaceae
Hardiness Zone: 10A-11
Growth Rate: Fast
Origin: Northern Australia
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Drought Tolerance: Moderate
Soil Requirements: Moderate, high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 2-3 months
Human Hazards: None
Major Pest Problems: None
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Leaf spots with overhead watering
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of 8-10 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Slender, gray, swollen at base, ringed with leaf scar
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound, reduplicate, arching; several hundred fishtail leaflets attached in several ranks; marginal reins frequent
Foliage Color: Deep green; silvery on underside
Leaf size: 8-10’ long; leaflets about 6” long. 2” wide (widest point at tip)
Petiole: .5-1’ long, whitish green, with brown scales
Crownshaft: Narrow, green with whitish waxy scales; leaf sheaths with dark brown scales at top
Inflorescence: Branched, borne below the crownshaft, green
Gender: Separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence
Flower color: White
Fruit Size: 2” long
Fruit Color: Red
Irritant: No
Comments:
The foxtail palm, little known before the last few years, has taken the palm world by storm. There is currently an unprecedented demand in the nursery industry for seed, and this attractive Australian species will likely become one of the most popular items for landscaping in moist tropical and subtropical areas. The common name is derived from the very full appearance of the leaves, formed by the circular arrangement of the leaflets around the rachis. Foxtail palm is very fast-growing, and appears adaptable to a broad range of soil conditions. Young plants can be afflicted by leaf spot fungi, though not consistently; this seems to be aggravated by frequent overhead irrigation. Foxtail palm takes full sun even at a young age
Wild Date Palm
Scientific Name: Phoenix sylvestris (fee-nix sil-VES-tris)
Common Name(s): Wild Date Palm, Toddy Palm, India Date
Typical Height: 40’
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Phoeniceae
Hardiness Zone: 9A-11; has remained undamaged at 22oF (-5.6°C
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: India
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Low
Drought Tolerance: High, but best with periodic irrigation
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable, but well-drained
Light Requirements: High
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seed, germinating in two or three months; remote germination
Human Hazards: Spiny; male plants produce large quantities of potent airborne pollen
Major Pest Problems: None reported
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Graphiola false smut
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of 100 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Robust, to 1.5’ diameter, with diamond-shaped leaf scars and frequently a skirt of aerial roots at base and persistent leaf bases above
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound, induplicate; lower leaflets modified into spines; 200-250 leaflets arranged in groups of two or three, often criss-crossing
Foliage Color: Blue-green
Leaf size: 9-12’ long; leaflets 6-18” long, 1” wide
Petiole: 3’ long, armed with leaflets spines
Inflorescence: 2-3’ long, much branched; borne from among the leaves
Gender: Separate male and female plants
Flower color: White
Fruit Size: 1” long
Fruit Color: Orange yellow, ripening to reddish purple
Comments:
Toddy palm has characteristics in common with the edible date. P. dactylifera, and the Canary Island date, P. canariensis. It does not sucker and bears shorter leaves than either species. The sap is collected from the cut inflorescence in India and boiled down into sugar (jiggery) or fermented into an alcoholic beverage (toddy). It can be expected that hybrid seed will be formed where it is grown close to other date palm species. Like most of the larger date palms, it makes a durable specimen plant.
Gingerbread Palm
Scientific Name: Hyphaene spp. (hi-fe-ne)
Common Name(s): Gingerbread or Duom Palms
Typical Height: 15-40’
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Borasseae
Hardiness Zone: 10B-11
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: Africa, Arabia and India
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: High
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: High
Nutritional Requirements: Low
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 6 months or more; requires deep container
Human Hazards: Spiny
Major Pest Problems: None
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: None
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary or multi-trunked, rarely trunkless, branching; 20-30 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Black, deeply fissured, with brown leaf scars and tufts of fiber; covered with white to gray leaf bases when young
Leaf Type: Costapalmate, induplicate, round; arched and folded inward at tip of costa; divided 1/2 to 2/3 into several dozen pointed stiff segments
Foliage Color: Silvery-green, blue-green or glossy green
Leaf size: Averaging 4’ in diameter
Petiole: 3-4’ long; edged with sharp, hooked black teeth that turn gray with age
Crownshaft: None
Inflorescence: Averaging 4’ long; with short, thick branches
Gender: Separate male and female plants
Flower color: Purplish-brown or yellow
Fruit Size: About 3” long
Fruit Color: Brown, black or yellow
Irritant: No
Comments:
The gingerbread or duom palms comprise of group of about 10 species not yet well circumscribed from each other. They are a rarity within the palm family insofar as trunks of many of the species regularly branch well above the base. They are denizens of very arid regions by-and-large, but grow where sub-surface water can be mined by their deeply penetrating root systems. Their slow rate of growth and difficult handling has kept them from becoming well represented in nurseries and landscapes, but they are extremely tough palms, with some species that may even be hardly slightly north of USDA Zone 10. Thriving cultivated specimens of several species can be found in south Florida, southern California, and other sub-tropical and tropical regions. The sizable fruits are edible, though barely palatable, and have been utilized as subsistence or survival food. They are often pear or top-shaped. A few of the occasionally encountered species and their place of origin are: H compressa (East Africa). H thebaica (North Africa) and H. coriacea (Southeast Africa).
Mountain Date Palm
Scientific Name: Phoenix loureiroi var. humilis
Common Name(s): Kashmir Mountain Date Palm
Native to the open forests of India, Bangladesh and Nepal, this solitary or clumping palm is of small to medium height. It has crowns of twisting feather leaves with plumose leaflets and the trunks are usually covered in persistent leaf bases. A hardy palm, it prefers and open, sunny, well drained position in tropical to warm-temperate climates. The fruit is small and purple to black when mature. Seed germinates in two to three months.
Distribution and Habitat: This palm is found from India to Taiwan and the Philippines, growing from sea level to over 5000′ of elevation. This form is native to the Himalayas in northern Pakistan. It is an attractive, nonsuckering type.Both clustering and solitary-stemmed forms are known. The stems rarely exceed 10′ in height, up to 1′ in girth, and resemble the tender pygmy date (P.roebelenii) in being clothed in brown fiber and stubby leaf bases. The leaves are typically 6′ long with narrow, sharply-pointed, dark green leaflets radiating in different planes from the rachis. Forms with bluish-green leaves have been reported. The flower stems are short and kept among the leaves. The fruits are blue-black. The species has remained undamaged at 24 degrees F and regional variants may be hardy as far as USDA Hardiness Zone 8B.
The peithet honors Joao de Loureiro (1717-1791), a Portugese Jesuit missionary to Southeast Asia, naturalist, and author of an early account of the flora of Indochina.
The variability of P.loureiroi is pronounced and seems to be related to types of exposure: in full sun the species tends to be short, slow growing and more readily clusterming, with shorter, bluer leaves and more crowded and fatter leaflets, while as an undergrowth subject in moist, partially shady forests, it grows taller with markedly fewer clusteing individuals and with the leaflets less stiff, more widely spaced and pure green.
Because of its wide range and many differing habitats, this little palm has unusual hardiness to cold for a species confined mainly to the tropics. It has withstood temperatures in the mid-20s Fahrenheit unscathed. It grows in partial shade or full sun with the exporure variations listed above to be expected. As for soil type, it seems to almost run the gamut, thriving in calcareous as well as acidic media, although always becoming more robust on good soils. It is not fast growing.
Mule Palm
Scientific Name: Butiagrus nabonnandii
Known as mule palm, is hybrid of Butia capitata(pinto palm) and Syagrus romanzoffiana (queen palm). The intergeneric hybrid first appeared in France where two parental species were cultivated in close proximity. The cross has been repeated, both spontaneously and deliberately by growers, and there are at least reports of similar hybrids occurring naturally in South America. Mule palm does not form viable seed. The appearance of the hybrids, which can be roughly described as intermediate between the parents can vary depending on the individual characteristics of the parent plants, and the direction of the cross. Growers tend to prefer individuals that take after the Syagrus parent, as they are taller and faster-growing, and have a lusher, more tropical look. Mule palms range from 15 to 25′ (4.6-7.6m) in height. The palms can only be produced by cross-pollinating the two parent species. Hybrid seed germinates readily. The palm is also known by synonyms Syagrus x fairchildiana and xButiastrum nabonnandii. It is hardy from USDA Hardiness Zones 8B-10B; some individuals have survives 15°F with little or no damage, though 19°F is a safer bet.
Needle Palm
Scientific Name: Rhapidophyllum hystrix/em> (rap-i-doe-FYL-lum HISS-trix))
Common Name(s): Needle Palm
Typical Height: 5′
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Corypheae
Hardiness Zone: (6B) 7A-10B; no damage at 5°F(-15° C); considered by many to be hardy to -5°F (-20.6°C) once established
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: Southeastern United States
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Low
Drought Tolerance: Moderate to low
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: Moderate, high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Shrub, florist trade
Propagation: Seed, germinating erratically in six months or more, remote germination; division
Human Hazards: Spiny
Major Pest Problems: None
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: None reported
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Clustering; essentially trunkless; stem prostrate or erect, each with 6-18 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Trunkless, fiber-matted crown occasionally elongating to 5’; covered with needle-like fibers from decayed leaf bases
Leaf Type: Palmate, induplicate, divided deeply into 15-20 blunt and jagged-tipped segments
Foliage Color: Dark, green above, silvery below
Leaf size: 4’ wide, segments 2’ long, 3/4” wide
Petiole: 2′ long, unarmed
Crownshaft: None
Inflorescence: 1′ long, held among the crown fibers and leaves, shortly branched
Gender: Separate male and female plant, occasionally both sexes on the same plant
Flower color: Yellow, purple
Fruit Size: 1” long
Fruit Color: Purple-brown, wooly
Comments:
Though usually found in the understory of rich, hardwood forests, needle palm can be adapted to full sun and makes an interesting specimen plant for accent. Nowhere abundant throughout in broad range, wild populations have been heavily collected in some areas for horticultural production by division of clumps, largely because the seed is difficult to collect and slow and uneven in germination. The foliage was also heavily harvested for the florist trade. Fortunately, nursery seed production has increased over the past decade. It is one of the hardiest palm species (perhaps the hardiest of them all), though growth will be slowest at the northern end of its range. Legend has it that mature needle palm resides on Cape Cod!
Piccabeen Palm
Scientific Name: Archontophoenix cunninghamiana (ark-on to fe nix cun-ing ham-e-ann-ah)
Common Name(s): Piccabeen Palm, Bungalow Palm
Typical Height: 30’
Subfamily: Arccoideae
Classification: Arecaceae
Hardiness Zone: 10A-11
Growth Rate: Moderate
Origin: Australia
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Low
Drought Tolerance: Moderate
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: Moderate, high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 6 weeks to 3 months; best sown fresh
Human Hazards: None
Major Pest Problems: None
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Fungal leaf spots
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of 8-12 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Slightly swollen at base; ridged leaf scars
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound reduplicate; over 100 leaflets
Foliage Color: Green on both sides; brown wooly scales on underside near midrib
Leaf size: 8-10’ long; leaflets to 3’ long, about 2’ wide
Petiole: Short, .5-1’ long, unarmed
Crownshaft: Smoothe, rusty brown to dull purple
Inflorescence: Numerous 3-4’ long pendulous branches
Gender: Separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence
Flower color: Pale lavender to purple
Fruit Size: 1/2”
Fruit Color: Pink to red
Irritant: No
Comments:
The piccabeen palm is slightly more cold hardy than its relative, A. alexandreae, and usually does not grow as tall. It became differentiated from the latter by its lack of of grayish wax on the leaf underside, less swollen trunk base, frequently colored crownshaft, lilac-colored flowers and much less strongly ribbed leaflets. The leaves of the piccabeen palm tend to be more lax than the King Alexander, giving it a slightly less formal appearance. It’s cultural requirements and landscape use are similar, however.
Pindo Palm
Scientific Name: Butia capitata (BYOO-tee-a kap-i-TAHT-a)
Common Name(s): Pindo Palm
Typical Height: 15’
Subfamily: Arccoideae
Classification: Arecaceae
Hardiness Zone: 7B 8A – 10B no damage at 14°F(-10°C); thought to be hardy at 10°F (-12.2°C)
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: Central-southern Brazil, contiguous Argentina and Uruguay
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Low
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: Moderate, high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Small tree, specimen plant
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 6 months or more, adjacent germination, cracking the hard endocarp (shell) speeds germination
Human Hazards: Spiny
Major Pest Problems: Scales
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Ganoderma, stigmina leaf spot, graphiola false smut, phytophthora bud rot
Cultivars: ‘Bonetti’ or ‘Bonnetii’: this form of B. capitata is considered to be the hardiest strain of the species. It has reportedly withstood 9°F (-12.8°C) without damage. It is sometimes listed as a distinct species. It is typically shorter than other forms, with smaller leaves and fruit.
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of 40-50 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Thick, covered with overlapping, stubby and woody leaf bases for many years
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound, reduplicate,stiffly arching, with numerous leaflets
Foliage Color: Blue-green to silvery
Leaf size: 4-6’ long; leaflets about 2.5’ long, 1” wide
Petiole: 4-6’ long, with slender, fibrous spines on margins
Crownshaft: Smoothe, rusty brown to dull purple
Inflorescence: 3-4’ long, with 50 -100 ultimate branches, bract smooth
Gender: Separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence
Flower color: Creamy yellow to reddish
Fruit Size: 1”
Fruit Color: Yellow to orange
Fruit: Edible
Comments:
Pindo palm is the hardiest feather-leafed palm currently in cultivation. It is used throughout the northern half of Florida as a specimen plant, functioning well in median and even avenue planting, despite its relatively small stature. Its performance is best above USDA Hardiness Zone 10B, and it is hardy into the Carolinas. The arching, blue-green leaves are crowded with many upward pointing leaflets that form a pronounced V-shape. The species is considerably variable in nature, the forms differing in ultimate height, trunk thickness, leaf color and amount of arching, and fruit color and taste. The best quality pindo fruits are very sweet with a flavor some find reminiscent of a pineapple/banana mixture. They make a tasty jelly. Some botanists feel that the proper name for the Butia capitata palms in cultivation in U.S. is B. adorata.
Pygmy Date Palm
Scientific Name: Phoenix roebelenii (fe-niks ro-bell-en-e-i)
Common Name(s): Pygmy Date Palm
Typical Height: 10’
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Phoeniceae
Hardiness Zone: 10A-11
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: Southeast Asia
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Low
Drought Tolerance: Moderate
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: Moderate; high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Small tree, container plant
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 2-3 months
Human Hazards: Spiny
Major Pest Problems: None
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Pestalotiopsis, magnesium, manganese and potassium deficiencies, stigmina leaf spot, graphiolia false smut
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; with a dense crown of 50 or more leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Relatively slender, often thinnest at base, covered with peg-like leaf basees; mass of aerial roots frequently at base
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound, induplicate, the lowest drooping; leaflets numerous, evenly spaced along rachis, the lower ones spine-like
Foliage Color: Glossy green
Leaf size: 3-5’ long; leaflets 8-15” long, 1/2” wide
Petiole: 2-6’ long, armed with leaflet spines
Crownshaft: None
Inflorescence: 1.5’ long, produced among the leaves, branched
Gender: Separate male and female plants
Flower color: Cream
Fruit Size: 1/2” long
Fruit Color: Black
Irritant: No
Comments:
Pygmy date palm is one of the most widely used date palms in the United States. Though usually single-trunked in nature, multiples are frequently produced in nurseries. This species’ small stature, slw rate of growth, ease of culture, and graceful crown have made it popular accent plant in tropical landscapes. The crown requires occasional trimming of the older leaves. Pygmy date palm is also one of the most adaptable dates for container culture, though it does not hold up very well in dimly lit interiors.
Queen Palm
Scientific Name: Syagrus romanzoffiana (si-AG-rus ro-man-zof-ee AHN-a)
Common Name(s): Queen Palm
Typical Height: 40’
Subfamily: Arecoideae
Classification: Cocoeae
Hardiness Zone: 9B-11; damaged but recovered at 24°F (-4.4°C)
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast
Origin: Southern Brazil to Argentina
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Drought Tolerance: Moderate
Soil Requirements: Slightly acid best, but fairly adaptable
Light Requirements: High
Nutritional Requirements: High
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 3-6 months
Human Hazards: None
Major Pest Problems: None
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Manganese and potassium deficiency, ganoderma, gliocladium blight (California), phytophthora bud rot, thievlaviopsis rot or blight (a new fatal decline disease, believed to be fungal, is currently affecting this species in Florida)
Cultivars: ‘Robusta’ or “Australis’ sometime ascribed to particularly robust forms
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of 15 or so leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Gray, sometimes bulging at some point smooth, widely spaced rings
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound, reduplicate, arching; with several hundred many ranked, drooping leaflets in groups of 2 to 7
Foliage Color: Dark green
Leaf size: 10-15’ long; leaflets 3’ long, 1.75” wide
Petiole: 6’ long, fibrous margined on the broad, sheathing base, unarmed
Inflorescence:4-8’ long, with conspicuous bract borne from among the leaves, branched densely, the branches pendulous
Gender: Separate male and female flowers on the same inflorescence
Flower color: Cream
Fruit Size: 1.25” diameter
Fruit Color: Yellow to orange
Fruit: Edible
Ribbon Fan Palm
Scientific Name: Livistonia decipiens (liv-i-STON-a dee-SIP-ee-enz)
Common Name(s): Ribbon Fan Palm
Typical Height: 30’
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Corypheae (will be moved to new tribe in forthcoming reclassification of the palm family)
Hardiness Zone: 9A-11; thought to be hardy to 23°F
Growth Rate: Slow to Moderate
Origin: Australia
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Low
Drought Tolerance: Moderate
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: Moderate; high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seed, germinating in 1 or 2 months; remote germination
Human Hazards: Sharp teeth on petiole
Major Pest Problems: None reported
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: None reported
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary, robust; canopy of about 40-60 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Brown, with circling reddish-brown ring scars, slightly swollen at base
Leaf Type: Costapalmate, with long costa, induplicate; divided deeply into many folded segments that split at their middle and hang down gracefully
Foliage Color: Deep green above, waxy gray below
Leaf size: 7-9′ wide, segments 4-5′ long, 3/4″ wide
Petiole: 6’ long, armed with small sharp teeth
Inflorescence: 4′ long from among the leaves
Gender: Bisexual flowers
Flower color: Yellow
Fruit Size: 5/8” diameter
Fruit Color: Dull black
Comments:
Ribbon fan plan most closely resembles Australian fan palm but does not grow as tall as the latter and bears larger leaves. It is most notable for its deeply-divided leaves, the long segments of which hang downward like a curtain for several feet. This effect is best exhibited in a sheltered position in the open, the leaves tend to become tattered by the wind. The species grows best and most rapidly with year-round watering.
Silver Bismarkia Palm
Scientific Name: Bismarckia nobilis (bis-mark no-bil-is)
Common Name(s): Bismarck Palm
Typical Height: 30 – 60’
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Borasseae
Hardiness Zone: 10A-11
Growth Rate: Slow (towards moderate after trunk development)
Origin: Madagascar
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable
Light Requirements: Moderate; high
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seeds, often germinating in less than 2 months
Human Hazards: None reported
Major Pest Problems: None reported
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: None reported
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary, massive; canopy of 20-30 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Leaf bases adhere when young, later gray and fissured; often swollen at base
Leaf Type: Costapalmate, induplicate, stiff and upright; divided to about 1/3 into approximately 20 segments; lop-sided blastula
Foliage Color: Blue-green to bronze-green, slight red edge, waxy
Leaf size: To 10’ in diameter
Petiole: Waxy, stout, 4-8’ long; winged at the base and very sparsely toothed at the edge
Inflorescence: 4’ long’ branched; ultimate branches thick and catkin-like
Gender: Separate male and female plants
Flower color: Cream
Fruit Size: 1.5’
Fruit Color: Brown
Irritant: No
Comments:
Bismarckia is one of the most beautiful and desirable fan palms for use in subtropical landscapes. Its bold and formed appearance dominates the area it inhabits. Bismarckia is particularly well adapted to Florida conditions and with only moderate fertilization the palm remains free of nutritional deficiencies. The bismarck palm is massive in aspect; even relatively young specimens may spread to 20’ or more. Consequently, this beautiful palm is out-of-scale for small residential yards, and may make a small house appear even smaller. Bismarckia transplants with some difficulty, and it is one of the few plants that are regularly root-pruned in field nurseries. The loss of several older leaves is not infrequent shortly after installation. Young palms (before trunk development) are especially intolerant of being moved due to the burial and underground development of the seedling stem and should only be transplanted out of containers. Bismarcks have been used as far north as Sarasota along the Florida coast; freeze damage occurs but the palm generally recovers in a single season of growth.
Wild Date Palm
Scientific Name: Phoenix sylvestris (fee-nix sil-VES-tris)
Common Name(s): Wild Date Palm, Toddy Palm, India Date
Typical Height: 40’
Subfamily: Coryphoideae
Classification: Phoeniceae
Hardiness Zone: 9A-11; has remained undamaged at 22oF (-5.6°C
Growth Rate: Slow
Origin: India
Landscape Characteristics
Salt Tolerance: Low
Drought Tolerance: High, but best with periodic irrigation
Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable, but well-drained
Light Requirements: High
Nutritional Requirements: Moderate
Uses: Specimen tree
Propagation: Seed, germinating in two or three months; remote germination
Human Hazards: Spiny; male plants produce large quantities of potent airborne pollen
Major Pest Problems: None reported
Major Disease or Physiological Problems: Graphiola false smut
Morphology (Identifying Characteristics)
Habitat: Solitary; canopy of 100 leaves
Trunk or Stem Characteristics: Robust, to 1.5’ diameter, with diamond-shaped leaf scars and frequently a skirt of aerial roots at base and persistent leaf bases above
Leaf Type: Pinnately compound, induplicate; lower leaflets modified into spines; 200-250 leaflets arranged in groups of two or three, often criss-crossing
Foliage Color: Blue-green
Leaf size: 9-12’ long; leaflets 6-18” long, 1” wide
Petiole: 3’ long, armed with leaflets spines
Inflorescence: 2-3’ long, much branched; borne from among the leaves
Gender: Separate male and female plants
Flower color: White
Fruit Size: 1” long
Fruit Color: Orange yellow, ripening to reddish purple
Comments:
Toddy palm has characteristics in common with the edible date. P. dactylifera, and the Canary Island date, P. canariensis. It does not sucker and bears shorter leaves than either species. The sap is collected from the cut inflorescence in India and boiled down into sugar (jiggery) or fermented into an alcoholic beverage (toddy). It can be expected that hybrid seed will be formed where it is grown close to other date palm species. Like most of the larger date palms, it makes a durable specimen plant.