Uncommon Palms for Central Florida Palms are one of the most commonly The form from used plants in the Florida landscape. Taiwan grows larger Palms are monocots, which belong to the and can reach 10 - 15 Arecaceae or Palmae Family. Worldwide, feet tall. The form there are over 2000 different species of from the Ryukyu palms. In central Florida, around 20 Islands only grows different species are available and 5 - 6 feet tall and has commonly planted, but many more will smaller leaves. The grow well in our subtropical climate. pinnate leaves are dark Leu Gardens has over 350 species of green and silvery palms growing in the collection. These underneath. The are evaluated for their suitability to our inflorescences of this climate. Below are 20 uncommon palms that deserve to be used in our local landscapes. Acrocomia aculeata, the Macaw Palm,1 is native from southern Mexico to Brazil. This is a very fast growing palm to about 40 feet tall. This pinnate palm closely resembles the common Queen Palm, Syagrus romanzoffiana. The main difference is that the Macaw Palm is armed with black spines. These spines are palm bear Acrocomia aculeata in landscape found on the trunk and leaves. It likes extremely Older specimens are magnificent with full sun and is drought tolerant. A fragrant large, massive trunks. related species that has been lumped flowers. Beccariophoenix madagascariensis is into Acrocomia aculeata is the Gru These are 5native to Madagascar. It is known as the Gru Palm, which has shorter leaves produced Manarano Palm and grows 30 - 40 feet and is not as fast growing. in late tall. Young plants have leaves that are Acrocomia aculeata spikes Allagoptera arenaria is called the spring and undivided except near the petiole creating Seashore2 Palm. It is native to the dunes early summer. The flowers have a peach- “windows” in the leaves. Older plants of southeastern Brazil and is very drought mango scent and can perfume a large have fully divided leaves. A young and salt tolerant. This palm forms clusters, area. Visitors to the garden never guess Manarano Palm needs shade but older growing 4 - 6 feet tall. The green leaves that a palm is responsible for such a specimens can grow in sun. It also needs are silvery on the undersides. The Seashore sweet scent. The Clustering Sugar Palm moist soil and is prone to iron deficiencies, Palm needs full sun and well-drained will grow in sun or shade but looks best especially younger plants. It thrives on soil. It is ann excellent small palm for with at least afternoon shade. acidic soil, common in central Florida. Central Florida’s sandy soil and will thrive Attalea cohune is a large palm native This palm is fairly tender to cold but in a hot and dry location of the landscape. from4 southern Mexico to Nicaragua and would grow well under a tree canopy Arenga engleri is a clustering palm is called the Cohune Palm. It can grow where it would be protected from frost. nativ3e to Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands 40 - 50 feet tall but remains trunkless for Mature palms resemble the Coconut (at the southern tip of Japan). It is decades. The leaves are upright and may Palm, Cocos nucifera, and are hardier to sometimes called the Clustering Sugar be over 20 feet long. The Cohune Palm cold. This palm is almost extinct in its Palm. There are two forms of this palm. will grow in sun or shade with moist soil. native habitat. Bismarckia nobilis, the Bismarck Palm, India to southern China where it grows needs full sun. It is drought tolerant but 6native to Madagascar, is one of the most in mountainous forests. This is a large can also grow in wet or seasonally ornamental of all palms. It is a large palm that can reach 100 feet tall in flooded soil. The Caranday Palm is palm that grows 30 feet tall. The large habitat but grows 30 - 40 feet in central native from southern Brazil to northern palmate leaves are an intense silvery-blue Florida. The trunks are massive and Argentina and Bolivia. A very similar color and can be 5 - 10 feet across. It columnar and the leaves reach 20 feet in palm is Copernicia prunifera, the likes full sun and well-drained soil. It is length and nearly as wide. The trunk is Carnauba Wax Palm from Brazil. The very drought tolerant once established. solitary and does not cluster. This palm leaves of this palm are covered in a thick Most Bismarckia Palms grown are the will grow in sun or shade but needs layer of wax and are the source of the silvery-blue form. There is also a form moist fertile soil, especially if grown in famous carnauba wax. The leaves of with green leaves, not as spectacular in full sun. Caryota gigas and Caryota Copernica alba also have a layer of wax color but the leaves are larger. It is not kiriwongensis, both from the mountains and is the source of the inferior as cold hardy as the silvery-blue form of Thailand, are very similar and may be caranday wax. and is not often sold. Seedlings of the the same palm as Caryota obtusa. – continued page 6 silvery-blue form often have a purplish Chamaedorea tinge to them. The more purple coloring microspadix9 is often as a seedling, the more intensely slivery- called the Hardy blue it will be when mature. The seedlings Bamboo Palm. It is a of the green form are green as seedlings. clustering species with Bismarckia nobilis is slow growing for slender stems that the first few years then speeds up as it resemble bamboo. matures. They are almost impossible to The clumps grow 8 - transplant until they have developed a 10 feet tall. It also trunk, so plant this palm in its permanent produces bright red location. It is very popular in southern fruit several times a Florida landscapes. year. This colorful Calamus caryotoides is an unusual fruit contrasts nicely palm,7 climbing and vine like. It forms against the dark green clumps with very slender stems that leaves and stems. grow to about 20 feet tall. The leaves are Chamaedorea dark green and fishtail shaped. The microspadix needs palm is also armed with small spines. It shade and moist soil. climbs with the aid of flagella, a slender, It is native to eastern whip-like structure that is produced. Mexico. These flagella have backward pointing Copernicia alba is spines that help attach and anchor the 1known0 as the palm to the trunk of another tree. Caranday Palm. It has Calamus caryotoides needs a shaded area a slender trunk and and moist soil. There are hundreds of can reach 30 - 40 feet species of Calamus. Most are climbing tall. The palmate and viscously armed making huge clumps leaves are a silvery of spiny stems. Calamus caryotoides is color. This palm one of the smallest species and more suited to the homeowner’s landscape, as it is not as spiny as other Calamus. It is native to northeastern Australia. The stems of some Calamus are the source of true rattan. Caryota obtusa, the Mountain Giant 8Fishtail Palm, is native from northern Copernicia prunifera trunk Copernicia prunifera Palms continued from page 5 that has maroon Livistona decora, the Ribbon Palm, is colored petioles. 11native to eastern Australia and was until This form is not recently known as Livistona decipiens. It as cold hardy as is a fast growing palm, 30 - 40 feet tall. the green petiole The palmate leaves are very deeply form and is divided into long, thin segments giving suitable only in the palm a weeping look. It is very the warmest areas drought tolerant once established. The of central Florida. Ribbon Palm is a good substitute for the The green form common Washingtonia robusta, Mexican can be grown Fan Palm, as it does not grow as tall. throughout the This makes it suited for smaller scaled region. landscapes. The shorter height also makes Phoenix acaulis it much less susceptible to a lightning 14is the Dwarf strike, which is usually the most common Date Palm. It is a cause of death of Washingtonia robusta clustering palm in central Florida. that is usually Livistona nitida is known as the trunkless and 12Carnarvon Gorge Palm. It is native to grows 3 - 5 feet southeastern Queensland, Australia. tall. It grows in This palm grows 30 - 40 feet tall. The full sun or light leaves are a shiny green and the leaflets shade and is very are weeping. Young plants are slow drought tolerant. growing but become faster as they The Dwarf Date mature. It will grow in sun or shade and Palm is native is fairly drought tolerant though it from northern grows best with moist soil. India to southern Phoenix rupicola China. Livistona saribus is the Taraw Palm, that are a cross between Phoenix rupicola 13 , the Cliff Date Palm, native to southeastern Asia and can grow Phoenix rupicola and the common Pygmy Date Palm, 15is native to India where it grows on 30 to 50 feet tall. This palm has large Phoenix roebelenii. These are also very hillsides. It is leaves that are attractive palms that combine the best a slender deeply features of both parents. palm that segmented. Sabal causiarum is native to Puerto reaches 25 The petioles 16Rico and southern Hispaniola and is feet tall. The are armed called the Hat Palmetto. It is a large leaves are with large growing palm that can reach 30 - 40 dark green. attractive feet tall. The trunks are very thick and The Cliff spines that robust.