Royal Palm

( Roystonea regia )

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Family - Arececeae

Natural Habitat - Hammocks, floodplains, swamps

USDA Planting Zones - 10, 11

Description - Endangered Florida native palm. The Royal palm is a large, relatively fast growing palm that under good conditions can grow approximately 1 foot per year, ultimately reaching 75 + feet.

Stem (trunk) is a grayish-white color, slightly thickened at the upper portion of the bole. Several ranks of pinnate leaves grow from the frond stems at various angles giving them a "feathery" appearance.

Royal Palm has fragrant flowers, produced in spring on inflorescences 3 feet in length from January through July, fruit is a purple to black drupe, 1/2 inch long.

Culture - Grows best on rich, slightly alkaline (7.5 or less) to acidic, moist, well drained loamy or sandy soils with full sun to a lightly shaded exposure.

Royal palm is tolerant of windblown salt spray near the coast & has a moderate drought tolerance once established. Propagation is by seed.

Landscape Uses - Specimen tree, buffer zones, Royal palm should not be planted close to houses/structures, footpaths or other locations where the large fronds pose a danger when they fall.