When people think Florida landscaping, one of the most prominent things in mind are the abundance of Florida palms that dot the horizon. While there are a mass variety of palm trees available to be used, there are some that cannot escape the attention of professional landscapers in the Bradenton, FL area. As both professional landscapers, and a palm tree nursery, we’ve compiled a list of the most common palm trees we install and sell in our nursery.
The Palmetto and Bradenton, FL areas fall under zone 9B when it comes to landscaping. This means most plants can withstand fairly cool temperatures without being damaged. The first frost usually hits between December 21st-31st, with the last frost hitting between January 21st-31st. These top five palms will be perfect for your landscaping needs this year!
1. Pygmy Date Palm
Native from South China, the Pygmy Date Palm is one of the most widely used in Florida landscaping. This palm is both great for indoor and outdoor use and perfect for small gardens. The Pygmy Date is a slow growing palm that gets to about ten feet. When planted in groups, the trees tend to curve outward from one another in a graceful manner.
Additionally, the Pygmy Date has numerous other attributes that make it a great addition to your yard:
- They can tolerate cold down to 15°F
- Slow to moderate growth rate
- Grow well in full sun to partial shade
- Easy maintenance
2. Foxtail Palm
The Foxtail Palm, native to Australia, features one of the best foliage displays of all palms. This fast-growing palm can get up to 30 feet in height with about eight to ten arching leaves per palm, reaching lengths of six to ten feet.
Due to their easy maintenance, the Foxtail is among one of the most popular palms in this region. Plant your Foxtails in partial shade to full sun for maximum growth. Foxtails can tolerate cold down to 30°F but should be protected from frost if possible.
3. Areca Palm
The Areca Palm is known by several other names as well, including:
- Golden Cane
- Yellow Butterfly
- Madagascar
- Bamboo Palm
This common landscaping palm can grow both indoor in containers or outdoors, and is a popular choice among Floridians. Areca palms grow approximately two or more feet each growing season and reach a peak height of 20-25 feet. These palms are often used to create privacy along property lines and around pools.
Arecas do not do well with extremely low temperatures or frost, so it is best to plant them in areas where the lowest temperatures reach 35-40°F.
4. Adonidia (Christmas) Palm
Due to the clusters of berries that grow near the Adonidia’s fronds in December, this palm has been commonly referred to as the Christmas palm. The Adonidia palm originated in the Philippines and boasts a smooth, slender grey trunk that is slightly larger at the base. This palm does well if planted alone, or for a unique look in your landscaping, planted in groups of two or three.
The Adonidia is a moderate to fast growing palm, reaching a height of between 10-20 feet once it is fully grown. This species does well both indoors and outdoors as well, but must be protected from frost. Plant your Adonidia in an area of full sun to partial shade and where temperatures are not dropping below 35°F if possible. With minimal to moderate maintenance, the Adonidia makes an excellent addition to any landscaping!
5. European Fan Palm
Commonly referred to as the Mediterranean Fan Palm or the Dwarf Fan Palm, the European Fan Palm is an excellent choice for a palm that can withstand cooler weather in Florida. This palm can easily be planted in zones 9-11 as it can withstand temperatures that reach a staggeringly low 5°F. In addition to withstanding the drop in degrees, the European Fan Palm is wind resistant, making it the perfect cold resistant tropical plant.
The European Fan Palm is easy to maintain. Due to its slow growth rate, it takes this species 10-15 years to reach eight feet in height. The European Fan Palm is best grown in multiple trunk clumps which can reach about ten feet in width. European Fan Palms, like most of the palms on this list, do well in full sun to partial shade.
Speak with our pros about the perfect palms for your property!
Three Seasons provides a ton of options at our nursery for Florida palms in the Palmetto, FL area. Come see these top palms for yourself before choosing to incorporate them into your landscape and talk to our expert about the best options for your yard.
