Just a few articles ago we mentioned the Florida state flag displaying a Sabal Palmetto. If we asked you what is the first image that comes to mind when you think of Florida is, we’re sure a palm tree would be part of the landscape But are they all native to Florida? Here is the native palm guide you’ve been looking for.
Lets start from the beginning, eleven palm species are native to Florida and the first one is part of Florida’s state seal. The cabbage palm is Florida’s state tree. At Atlanta Palms, we love this cold and wind tolerant Palm tree. Even though it’s native to coastal areas, the cabbage palm is cold-hardy down to 20°F, making a perfect match with Georgia’s Cold Hardiness.
A relative of the previous palm is the Scrub Palmetto. It is smaller and less common than the Sabal Palmetto. It is slow-growing, produces berries that provide food to the wildlife, and its flowers are also a nectar source for butterflies. It has a clumping growth habit and is a native plant with slow growth rate that can reach 5-10 feet in height.
Another well-known palm among Atlanta Palms’ readers is the Needle Palm. The Rhapidophyllum hystrix, unlike most of the native species, grows in the northern Florida and along the coast up to South Carolina.
The Dwarf Palmetto is also a part of the Atlanta Palms family. We love the Sabal Minor for being drought-tolerant and practically pest- and disease-free. If you live in Atlanta, this palm thrives in zones 7–11 and can withstand temperatures as low as 10°F.
Common on the east coast of Florida, the Saw Palmetto stands out for its variable leaf color. It produces fan-shaped fronds with gradients of silver to blue-silver. Saw palmetto is great for wildlife, as its berries are an important food source for many animals and birds.
Not ideal for residential landscaping, since this palm quickly grows to heights of 50-70 ft, the Royal Palm (Roystonea regia) is a majestic palm tree native to Florida and it’s ideal for parks and commercial areas. Imagine yourself trying to trim it. Luckily, Royal palms are considered self-cleaning: naturally dying old leaves will cleanly drop off by themselves.
In the warmer coastal areas of Miami you can find the Thatch Palm (Thrinax radiata), a very slow growing palm with a maximum height of about 15-20 ft. The Florida thatch palm’s fallen fruit is also a good food source for birds.
The Pseudophoenix sargentii, also known as the Florida Cherry Palm, is a native species that can grow up to 25 feet tall, with yellow flowers arranged in loose clusters. It prefers habitats near sea level and has high tolerance of salt water inundation and high winds.
Native to Florida and Caribbean regions, the Keys Thatch Palm (Leucothrinax morrisii) is one of the most familiar cultivated species of palm of the Caribbean region. It has fan-shaped leaves with silvery undersides, arranged in a dense crown. This tree species is listed as endangered by the state of Florida.
The paurotis palm also known as the Everglades Palm, is a native palm that grows wild in the Everglades. It is a fan-leaved palm with very slender stems. The Everglades is a natural region of flooded grasslands in south Florida. Four of the eleven Florida’s native palms occur in this ecosystem: the royal palm, cabbage palm, saw palmetto, and paurotis or Everglades palm.
The Coccothrinax argentata, also known as the Silver Palm, is a small, slow growing palm tree that can reach 20 feet in height. Due to it’s slow-growing habit, mature plants can be pricey. In fact, it is sometimes illegally collected from the wild, so be sure of your source if you ever acquire one!
Even when you might find thousands of Coconut palms along the east and west coasts of Florida, these palm trees are predicted to be invasive in South Florida and are Native to tropical Asia and the islands of the central Pacific Ocean. In Florida, Coconut palm must not be planted near canals, and fallen fruit must be prevented from entering waterways connected to open waters.
Some of most popular South Florida’s palms are the Date palm and the Fan Palm but the truth reveals both are non-native palm trees. The Date palm is native to southeastern Asia, including China, Laos or Vietnam, whereas the Fan Palm is native to northern Mexico, even when it grows well in Florida.
Endless types of palms exist, and eleven of them have their natural habitat in Florida, even though they may thrive in other areas. Many other species are commonly associated with the Sunshine State, but their origins may lie far outside North America.
Did you you know any of these native palm species? At Atlanta Palms, we love sharing expert advice, helpful tips, and data to help you understand and care for the world of palms.