Florida Palm Trees

From the tampa.about.com website is this little guide to some Florida palm trees.

here's the link to the article

Coconut Palms
The Coconut Palm is one of the very few palm species that makes up its own genus, although years of cultivation in tropical climates have given us somewhere around 80 named varieties. Coconut Palms are believed to have originated in southeast Asia.

Probably the best known palm in the world, the coconut is a symbol of all things tropical.

Mature coconuts can reach heights of up to 100 feet, with a trunk that is characteristically slim, often leaning, solitary, and ringed with scars from previous growth. Its fruit is oval, generally large, and in early stages of ripening is yellow to green. The coconuts themselves turn dry and brown upon ripening fully.

Canary Island Date Palm
As you may guess from the name, these palms originated in the Canary Islands off the western coast of Africa.

Mature trees can grow to heights of 60 feet, with a solitary and quite stout trunk. The trunks of these trees often reach 3ft in diameter, making these trees extremely heavy. Even a smaller tree, 3-4 feet in height can weigh up to a ton. The leaves are feather shaped and lower leaflets develop into stiff, very sharp spines.

The flower stalks originate from the leaf bases, and are a bright orange in color. The fruit is actually edible, but most who have tried it seem to agree - why would you want to?

Florida Royal Palm

Native to Florida the Royal Palm is easily identified by its towering very light gray trunk and bright glossy crownshaft.

Mature trees will grow to 80 feet, and curiously for such a massive tree, the fruit is quite small, only ½ inch in diameter. The blooms originate below the crownshaft.

Known as an 'even' grower, these trees are often used to line avenues and streets. Be careful where you plant these trees in your yard, as they can get massive and will dominate the area where planted.

Red Latan Palm

The 'red' in the name comes from young plants having a red tinting to the leaves and leaf stalks. Native to Reunion Island, where oddly, they are now almost extinct.

Mature height is 40ft, with a slim single trunk. The bloom originates among the leaf bases, and bears a large plum-like fruit which is dark brown when ripened.

These palms can be particularly sensitive to attacks by the palm beetle.

These palms can be particularly sensitive to attacks by the palm beetle.

Triangle Palm
Native to Madagascar, this is an easily identifiable palm due to the triangular shape of its stalk bases.

Native to Madagascar, this is an easily identifiable palm due to the triangular shape of its stalk bases.

Mature height is 20ft, and it bears small, oval fruit on a bloom stalk originating among the leaf bases.

These palms are suitable for indoor or outdoor growth in our area and like full sun exposure. Indoors, growth is very slow, but its shape allows it to be placed close to walls and corners.

Chinese Fan Palm
As you would guess from the name, its origin is southern China. These palms can reach heights up to 40ft, but are known as extremely slow growers.

The trunks are solitary and slim, usually not exceeding 12inches in diameter.

Sometimes called a Fountain Palm due to the leaves have strongly dropping tips. Does well in both tropical and temperate climates.

links of more Florida palm trees - courtesy of
"University of Florida-IFAS"

Acoelorrhape wrightii - Paurotis, Everglades Palm

Archontophoenix alexandrae - Alexandra Palm

Borassus flabellifer - Lontar, Palmyra Palm

Carpentaria acuminata

Chamaedorea cataractarum - Cat Palm

Chamaedorea metallica

Chambeyronia macrocarpa

Coccothrinax alta - Silver Palm

Coccothrinax miraguama - Miraguama Palm

Coccothrinax crinita - Old Man Palm

Cocos nucifera - Coconut

Copernecia baileyana

Copernicia hospita

Copernicia macroglossa

Copernicia prunifera - Carnauba Wax Palm

Dictyosperma album - Princess, Hurricane Palm

Dypsis cabadae - Cabada Palm

Dypsis lastelliana - Teddybear Palm

Dypsis lutescens - Areca Palm

Hyophorbe lagenicaulis - Bottle Palm

Hyophorbe verschaffeltii - Spindle Palm

Hyphaene thebaica - Doum Palm

Latania loddigesii - Blue Latan Palm

Latania lontaroides - Red Latan Palm

Licuala grandis - Licuala

Licuala spinosa - Spiny Licuala

Livistona decipiens - Ribbon Palm

Livistona rotundifolia - Footstool Palm

Nannarrhops ritchiana - Mazari Palm

Neoveitchia storckii

Phoenix canariensis - Canary Island Date Palm

Phoenix dactylifera - Edible Date Palm

Phoenix reclinata - Senegal Date Palm

Phoenix roebelinii - Pygmy Date Palm

Pseudophoenix sargentii - Buccaneer Palm

Ptychosperma elegans - Solitaire Palm

Ptychosperma macarthurii - Macarthur Palm

Roystonea elata - Florida Royal Palm

Roystonea regia - Cuban Royal Palm

Sabal minor - Dwarf Palmetto

Sabal palmetto - Cabbage Palm

Syagrus coronata - Licury Palm

Syagrus romazoffiana - Queen palm

Syagrus schizophylla - Arikury Palm

Thrinax morrisii - Keys Thatch Palm

Thrinax radiata - Florida Thatch Palm

Trithrinax acanthocoma

Veitchia joannis

Veitchia macdanielsii - Sunshine Palm

Washingtonia robusta - Mexican Fan Palm

Wodyetia bifurcata - Foxtail Palm

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