U= nderutilized Palms for Central Florida

E= ric Schmidt

H= arry P. Leu Gardens

O= rlando,FL

4= 07-246-3749

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1.&n= bsp; Allag= optera arenaria- Seashore Palm- The Seashore Palm grows in clumps and reaches 4 to 6 feet tall. It is usually trunkless but can sometimes develop a trunk several feet in height. This pa= lm needs full sun and a well-drained soil. It is very drought and salt toleran= t. The Seashore Palm is native to coastal regions of southeastern Brazil.

2. Archontophoenix cunninghamiana- Piccabean Palm- This is a fast growing palm that gr= ows 30-50 feet tall. It likes a moist soil and a shady or partially shaded location. Piccabeen Palm is a tender palm and best suited to the warmer or protected locations in Central Florida. It is native to the rainforests of eastern Australia. Archont= ophoenix alexandrae, the King Palm, is similar.

<= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>3.&n= bsp; Arenga engleri- Clustering Sugar Palm- This is a cluster= ing palm that grows 10- 12 feet tall. It bears inflorescences which contain ora= nge flowers that are extremely fragrant. The fruits are bright red but are irritating to skin. It grows in sun or shade but looks best with some sun a= nd needs moist soil. It is native to Taiwan. A form native to the Ryukyu Islan= ds, southern Japan, grows smaller and is slightly cold hardier. It has recently been named a separate species, Aren= ga ryukyuensis.

4. X Butiag= rus nabonnandii- Mule Palm- Mule Palm is a rare, intergeneric cross between the Pindo Palm, Butia capitata, and the Queen Palm, Syagrus romanzoffiana. These palms can vary greatly in appearance, possessing the best characteristics of ea= ch parent. It is usually a graceful palm growing 20-30 feet tall. Almost all t= he seeds produced by this palm are sterile. Wild hybrids of this palm can be f= ound in southern Brazil where both parents occur naturally but most Mule Palms a= re hybrids produced in cultivation.

5.&n= bsp;    Chama= edorea microspadix- Bamboo Palm- This is a clustering species with slender stems that resemble bamboo. The clumps grow 8 to 10 feet tall. It also produces bright red fruit several times a year. This colorful fruit contrasts nicely against the dark green leaves and stems. Chamaedorea microspadix needs shade and moist soil. It is native to eastern Mexico.

6.     Copernicia alba- Caranday Palm-

7.&n= bsp;    Dypsis baronii- <= /span>This is= an open clustering species with slender stems grow 10 to 15 feet tall. The ste= ms have a bamboo look to them and often have a silvery wax coating. It grows in partial or full shade with moist, acidic soil. It resembles the common Arec= a or Golden Can Palm, Dypsis lutescens, but is not as a thickly clumping palm. It is also hardier to cold and grows well in the warmer areas of Central Florida. It is native to Madagascar.

8.&n= bsp;    Licuala spinosa- This is a clumping palm growing 10-15 feet tall. The palmate leaves are very attractive, have a circular shape but deeply segmented. It grows in part sh= ade or shade with moist soil. It can tolerate very wet or swampy locations. It grows better in the warmer parts of Central Florida and is native to southeastern Asia.

9.     Livistona decora- Ribbon Palm- This was formerly known as Livistona decipiens. It <= /span>is an excellent but underutilized p= alm for Central Florida. It is fast growing, cold hardy and drought tolerant on= ce established I= t grows 30-40 feet tall and likes sun or= light shade. <= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>10.&= nbsp; Livistona nitida- Carnarvon Gorge Fan Palm- This palm is a moderate grower that can reach 30 to 50 feet tall. It grows in sun or lig= ht shade and likes moist soil. It is also cold hardy in central Florida. This = palm is native to southeastern Queensland, Australia.

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11.&= nbsp; Livistona saribus- Taraw Palm- This 30-50 The petioles contain large = spines,= which are very ornamental and resemble shark’s teeth. It also bears brilliant blue colored fruit= . It can grow in sun or shade and likes moist soil and is native to southeastern Asia. There is a form with reddish maro= on petioles instead of green and is more tender to cold. This form was formerly called L. hasseltii.=

12. Phoenix loureiroi- A small neat palm that is rarely g= rown. Usually a single trunked palm but can form clusters. It grows 10-20 feet ta= ll. The single trunked form resembles a smaller scale Canary Island Date Palm, = P. canariensis. This palm grows in= sun or light shade and is drought tolerant. It is native from a wide area from northern India to southern China and the Philippines. It has also formerly = been known as P. formosana, P. hanceana, P. humilis, P. robusta, and P. taiwaniana.

13. Phoen= ix rupicola- Cliff Date Palm- The Cliff Date Palm has a slender trunk reaching <= /span>abou= t 20 feet tall. The foliage is a bright shiny green with a soft texture. It is fairly drought tolerant but looks best when grown in a moist soil. = It’s cold hardiness is similar to the Pygm= y Date Palm, Phoenix roebelenii. It is native to northern India.=

14. Rhapi= dophyllum hystrix- Needle Palm- shade. Needle Palm is one of the most cold hardy of all the palms and has survived temperatures to 0°F. It is nati= ve from southern South Carolina to central Florida to southern Mississippi. It= is very rare in habit and near extinction due to habitat loss and over collect= ing.

15.&= nbsp; Sabal causiarum<= /b>- Hat Palmetto- Hat Palmetto is a large palm growing 30-5columnar. The leaves are used for making hats and basket= s. This palm likes full sun and is drought tolerant. It is native to Puerto Ri= co and southern Hispaniola. Sabal domingensis is very similar.

<= span style=3D'mso-list:Ignore'>16.&= nbsp; Sabal minor- Dwarf Palmetto- This native palm is usually trunkless, only growing 3 to 5 feet tall. It is very adaptable and should be more widely used. It grows in= sun or shade, dry or wet soils and is very cold hardy. It is one of the hardiest of all the palms, surviving temperatures n= ear 0 deg. F. It is native to the southeast= ern U.S. Sabal etonia, the Scrub Palmetto, is similar but has more folded leaves. It grows well on dry, sandy= soil and is native to peninsular Florida.

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17.&= nbsp; Sabal uresana- Sonoran Palmetto-

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Syagr= us coronata- Li= curi Palm- The Licuri Palm grows to about 30 feet tall. The old leaf bases ofte= n form spiraling rows along the trunk. It grows best in full sun and is drought tolerant. It is semi tender and best suited to the warmer sections of Central Florida. Licuri Palm is native to northeastern Brazil.=

19. Trach= ycarpus latisectus- Windamere Palm- Walli= chia densiflora- Th= is is a clustering palm that grows 6-10 feet tall. The pinnate leaves have leaflets that resemble a fishtail. They are dark green on the upper sides and very silvery underneath. It grows best in shade with moist soil. It is native northeaste= rn India to southern China.

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