Fabulous Palms: Our Favorite Sunshine State Staples
Few plants capture the feeling of the tropics quite like a palm tree. With their graceful fronds swaying in the breeze and their unmistakable silhouettes, palms instantly make any landscape feel like a vacation destination.
The good news? You don’t have to live on a tropical island to enjoy them. Many palms thrive right here in North Florida and South Georgia, adding year-round beauty and a touch of paradise to your yard.
With nearly 3,000 species of palms found around the world, there truly is a palm for every landscape. Some stay compact enough for patios and entryways, while others become towering statement pieces that define an entire property.
Before planting a palm, consider a few important factors:
- How tall and wide will it eventually become?
- How much room do you have?
- Will it be planted near a home, pool, or driveway?
- Does your site have good drainage?
- Are you comfortable with occasional leaf or fruit drop?
Palm trees generally fall into two categories based on their foliage. Some have fan-shaped leaves, known as palmate fronds, while others have feather-like foliage called pinnate fronds. Each brings its own unique texture and tropical charm to the landscape.
Here are some of our favorite palms for creating your own backyard oasis.
Sylvester Palm
Mature Height: 20–50 ft
Mature Width: 8–15 ft
Sunlight: Full Sun
Cold Hardiness: To 15°F
If you’ve ever dreamed of having a true tropical resort in your backyard, the Sylvester Palm is the perfect place to start. This stunning date palm features silvery blue-green fronds and a beautifully textured trunk with a diamond pattern that resembles a pineapple.
Sylvester Palms are incredibly drought tolerant and adapt well to a variety of soil conditions. Their elegant appearance makes them a favorite among landscape designers, whether they’re planted as a single specimen or used to anchor an entire landscape.
As an added bonus, this palm produces edible dates that can be eaten fresh or used to make jams and wine.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Robellini Palm
Mature Height: 6–12 ft
Mature Width: 5–10 ft
Sunlight: Full to Partial Sun
Cold Hardiness: To 32°F
The Robellini Palm, also known as the Pygmy Date Palm, is one of the most versatile palms you can grow. Its smaller size makes it perfect for foundation plantings, containers, patios, and even indoors.
Its graceful, arching fronds and slender trunk provide an instant tropical feel without overwhelming the landscape. Plant one as an accent piece or group several together for a lush, layered look.
Keep in mind that Robellinis can experience cold damage during particularly harsh winters in our area.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Bismarck Palm
Mature Height: 30–60 ft
Mature Width: 12–16 ft
Sunlight: Full to Partial Sun
Cold Hardiness: To 30°F
Looking to make a statement? Few plants command attention like the Bismarck Palm.
Its enormous silver-blue fan-shaped fronds and thick trunk make it one of the most dramatic palms you can plant. Even from a distance, its color and texture immediately draw the eye.
Despite its impressive appearance, the Bismarck Palm is surprisingly easy to grow and highly tolerant of heat and drought. Give it plenty of room and let it become the centerpiece of your landscape.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
European Fan Palm
Mature Height: 6–15 ft
Mature Width: 6–20 ft
Sunlight: Full to Partial Sun
Cold Hardiness: To 10°F
The European Fan Palm is one of the hardiest palms available and an excellent choice for homeowners who want a tropical look without worrying about winter weather.
Its attractive blue-green to silver-green fan-shaped foliage grows on multiple trunks, giving it a naturally full and textured appearance.
This palm performs beautifully in the landscape and also adapts well to containers and indoor conditions.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Christmas Palm
Mature Height: 10–25 ft Outdoors
Mature Width: 5–10 ft
Sunlight: Full to Partial Sun
Cold Hardiness: To 40°F
The Christmas Palm proves that good things come in smaller packages.
This elegant palm is perfect for compact spaces, patios, pool areas, and entryways where a larger palm simply won’t fit. Its lush crown of arching fronds provides plenty of tropical charm while remaining manageable in size.
In late fall and early winter, bright red fruit appears beneath the fronds, resembling Christmas ornaments hanging from the tree—hence the name.
Because it’s more cold-sensitive than many palms, you’ll want to protect it during extended freezes.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Lady Palm
Mature Height: 6–12 ft
Mature Width: 4–8 ft
Sunlight: Partial Shade to Shade
Cold Hardiness: To 20°F
If you have a shady spot where other palms struggle, the Lady Palm may be your new best friend.
This elegant palm grows in dense clumps of slender, bamboo-like stems topped with rich green fan-shaped fronds. It thrives in filtered light and brings a lush, tropical feel to courtyards, porches, and covered patios.
Lady Palms also make exceptional container plants and can easily transition indoors during the winter months.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Silver Saw Palm
Mature Height: 4–8 ft
Mature Width: 5–10 ft
Sunlight: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Cold Hardiness: To 15°F
Native to the Southeast, the Silver Saw Palm is one of the toughest and most beautiful palms you can grow.
Its striking silver-blue foliage glows in the landscape and creates incredible contrast against green shrubs and flowering plants. This palm naturally forms clumps and is perfect for mass plantings, naturalized areas, and low-maintenance landscapes.
Once established, Silver Saw Palms are extremely drought tolerant and virtually carefree.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Coontie
Mature Height: 2.5–3 ft
Mature Width: 3 ft
Sunlight: Full Sun to Full Shade
Cold Hardiness: To 10°F
The Coontie isn’t technically a palm, but it certainly looks the part.
This Florida native produces glossy, feather-like foliage and is one of the easiest plants you’ll ever grow. It’s highly drought tolerant, moderately salt tolerant, and performs beautifully in both sun and shade.
Coonties are excellent for foundation plantings, mass plantings, and natural landscapes. They’re also an important host plant for the beautiful Atala butterfly.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Pindo Palm
Mature Height: 15–20 ft
Mature Width: 10–15 ft
Sunlight: Full to Partial Sun
Cold Hardiness: To 5°F
The Pindo Palm, often called the Jelly Palm, is one of the most cold-hardy feather palms available.
Its blue-green fronds arch gracefully from the trunk, giving it a soft, tropical appearance. In warmer climates, it produces sweet, edible fruit often used to make jellies and jams.
Because it stays relatively compact and grows slowly, it’s an excellent choice for patios and smaller landscapes.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Cabbage Palm
Mature Height: 30–40 ft
Sunlight: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Cold Hardiness: To 5°F
The Cabbage Palm, also known as the Sabal Palm, is Florida’s state tree and one of the toughest palms around.
It tolerates salt, wind, drought, and even hurricanes better than almost any other tree. That’s why it’s such a staple throughout Florida, Georgia, and the coastal Southeast.
If you want a low-maintenance palm that delivers a classic Florida look, the Cabbage Palm is hard to beat.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Washingtonia Palm
Mature Height: 70–100 ft
Mature Width: 6–8 ft
Sunlight: Full to Partial Sun
Cold Hardiness: To 5°F
When it comes to height, few palms can compete with the Washingtonia Palm.
This fast-growing giant features a slim trunk topped with large fan-shaped fronds and can quickly become the focal point of an expansive landscape.
As older fronds die, they form a distinctive “skirt” around the trunk that adds even more character.
This palm needs plenty of room, but if you have the space, it creates a truly spectacular tropical look.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Chinese Fan Palm
Mature Height: 30–50 ft
Mature Width: 10–12 ft
Sunlight: Full to Partial Sun
Cold Hardiness: To 10–15°F
Also called the Fountain Palm, the Chinese Fan Palm gets its nickname from the way its large fronds arch upward before gracefully cascading downward like flowing water.
Slow growing and easy to maintain, it makes an excellent landscape specimen or container plant and adapts surprisingly well to indoor conditions.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Windmill Palm
Mature Height: 10–40 ft
Mature Width: 6–10 ft
Sunlight: Partial Shade
Cold Hardiness: To 10°F
The Windmill Palm is one of the hardiest palms you can grow and a favorite for homeowners who want tropical beauty with outstanding cold tolerance.
Its distinctive fan-shaped foliage and fibrous trunk give it a unique appearance, and it can withstand temperatures that would damage many other palms.
It’s proof that you don’t need South Florida weather to enjoy a tropical landscape.
Fertilizer Recommendation: Use Bio-Tone at planting and Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Did You Know?
You can help your palm handle cold temperatures by wrapping the trunk with C9-style Christmas lights during a freeze. The gentle heat from the bulbs can help regulate the temperature around the trunk, making the palm less susceptible to frost damage.
Just make sure you use traditional C9 bulbs that produce heat, not LED bulbs, and remove the lights once the cold weather has passed.
Palm Frizzle Shouldn’t Leave You Frazzled
Every now and then, we see a palm that’s having what we like to call a “bad hair day.”
That’s frizzle top.
Frizzle top isn’t a disease or an insect problem. Instead, it’s caused by a deficiency of manganese, an important micronutrient that helps palms process nutrients and produce healthy growth.
Symptoms of Frizzle Top
- Dry, crispy foliage
- Stubby or distorted new growth
- Yellow streaking on fronds
- Curled or frizzled leaves
Queen palms, royal palms, and pygmy date palms are especially susceptible.
What Causes It?
Frizzle top is most common in alkaline soils with a pH above 6.5, poorly drained soils, and palms stressed by drought or cool soil temperatures.
Prevention and Treatment
The easiest way to prevent frizzle top is with regular fertilization. We recommend feeding your palms with Palm-Tone in February, May, and August.
Minor nutrients may only be needed in small amounts, but they make a huge difference in keeping your palms healthy, green, and beautiful for years to come.
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