Walk outside on any given morning in South Florida and you’ll be greeted by a world that feels almost dreamlike. South Florida as a sub-tropical mecca puts palms at our fingertips. Few regions can claim such effortless beauty.
Palms are ancient, diverse and astonishingly varied. More than 2,500 species exist, many now endangered as development reshapes tropical landscapes. Yet here, growers and botanical gardens nurture rare palms, giving them a second life and giving us the chance to admire plants that might otherwise disappear.
Choosing a palm, an act of understanding
Each species carries its own story — its own needs for sun, shade, moisture, soil and shelter from wind. Some crave more warmth than even Florida can offer. But when a palm finds the right home, it becomes a statement of grace.
Besides their aesthetic beauty, a palm’s usefulness is woven into daily life for many throughout the world. The coconut may have floated here in the early days of Florida; however, our state tree, the Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto) is intertwined with Seminole tribal traditions such as using the sustainable cabbage palm frond as roofing material for the sturdy tiki hut, and harvesting the heart of the palm (note that this process kills the palm) for swamp cabbage (the local name) or hearts of palm (canned goods) and often placed on salads as a crunchy treat.
The coconut palm is so iconic that most people think this palm is native to Florida (it’s not). Who hasn’t dipped their toes into the turquoise water while the coconut fronds sway in the wind? This is always a fantasy for those who have travelled to exotic beaches. Coconut palms used alone give us food, drink, oil, fiber, and the unmistakable silhouette of paradise. I have personally used coconut oil when making popcorn for healthier movie snacks. I use canned coconut milk to flavor rice and curry and have been revived by drinking fresh coconut water pierced from the fruit itself.
‘City of Palms’
We live in the “City of Palms,” a place where these plants are not just decorations but symbols of who we are. McGregor Boulevard boasts hundreds along the roadway from downtown Fort Myers to the Sanibel causeway. The first time I drove through the neighborhood in the early 1990s, I knew I had picked the right place to call home. The Royal Palms (Roystonea regia) were initially Thomas Edison’s idea. He wanted regal palms to flank the cow path that divided his Fort Myers property. They are not trees in the landscapes sense, but they stand with the dignity of any oak or pine – tall, stately, and capable of transforming landscapes. During hurricanes, the fronds are often lost in the wind; however, they normally grow back, showing their sustainability.
How do you pick a palm for your property?
Many common palms are planted in planned landscapes and along roadways. But to pick a palm for your yard, I might suggest something different or uniquely hard-to-find. I enjoy studying rare palms, and thankfully there are growers who like to try something different.
Many of our bi-annual plant festivals at Edison and Ford Winter Estates have palm vendors to help give advice on discovering the best choice for your situation. Of course, there are so many varieties to choose from; your budget and placement will determine which one might work best.
Palms can be self-cleaning (or not)
The self-cleaning palms have a noticeable crown shaft where the frond will peel off and drop to the ground beneath, once its job of photosynthesis is complete. Before planting one of the self-cleaning palms, be sure to think about where the falling fronds could be problematic. Don’t plant these palms over the driveway or near walkways; they need to be situated where the fronds call fall and not hit anything.
A Royal Palm will eventually get quite large; although, it will take years to become a problem. These palms are in the self-cleaning category and need to be placed in open areas; they look best when planted in a landscape with a home that is stately enough to visually support such a large specimen.
There are other self-cleaning palms that are very beautiful and smaller in stature. Some examples include Veitchia (Montgomery or Alexander Palm), Adonidia (Christmas Palm), Chambreyronia (Flame Thrower Palm), Pseudophoenix sargentii (Buccaneer Palm), Archontophoenix (King Palm), and Hyphorbe (Spindle or Bottle Palm). If all these names sound foreign to you, just think how impressed your neighbors will be if you rattle off the Latin names. You won’t be disappointed with contributing an impressive array of palms to your landscape.
Palms that are not self-cleaning will need to be trimmed efficiently and properly. A small palm that is often used in new home build landscapes is the Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix roebellinii) – it can be grown as a single, double, triple, or even with four trunks. This isn’t a clustering palm but rather one that is started from seeds in the same pot. Sometimes one of the palms will dominate the others, so be prepared for some changes. With this palm, it is imperative when trimming fronds to make a sharp saw cut beyond the spikes on the stem. Trimming should always include eye protection, and it’s best to trim palms at the 9 and 3 o’clock position. When trimmed incorrectly in a feather duster shape, the fronds that supply energy to the palm are removed.
Larger palms that don’t self-clean will require additional trimming work. Some examples include the Triangle Palm, Latan, Bismark, Canary Island Date (look like pineapples when trimmed), Washingtonian, and the shade loving Lady Finger. It may be best to hire a professional arborist for this type of work.
When designing your home landscape, imagine what the planting area will look like once the palm has achieved its mature height. I like to group palms in pairs or in threes, especially when planting Thrinax (Florida Thatch) or Cocothrinax (Florida Silver Palm). These palms are native or Caribbean species that are smaller and slower growing; planting in multiples will provide texture and a focal point in a garden bed with shrubs and annuals. It is easy to work these palms into an existing landscape.
Beautiful benefits
One benefit of planting palms is that they provide a wonderful space to attach Dendrobium and other more sun-loving orchids to their trunks for added interest. Remember, don’t put nails or staples into the trunk, as palms don’t heal the same way trees do. Once a hole, always a hole. I use zip ties to support the orchid until it has attached to the palm, then cut the zip ties away. To learn more about attaching orchids to palms, attend the Grow Fort Myers OCT (Orchid-Cactus-Tillandsia) event on October 10-11 at the Estates. There will be workshops on a variety of topics.
Planting palms is easy when the palm is on the small size, such as a three-gallon pot; however, young palms may be more delicate and may need some shade to establish in our hot Florida sunlight. Once the palm has started growing more rapidly and new fronds are produced, the roots will begin to spread, and the true form of the palm will be revealed. Plant the palm at the same soil level as it grew in the pot, making sure it isn’t planted too deep.
Mulch and place a soil ring or berm around the newly planted palm as this will help keep water in place during establishment. The bigger the potted palm, the longer it will take to get established. Some palms will need a stake to keep the palm upright until roots reach out.
One special talent of palm trees is their ability to grow close to buildings or other palms, surprisingly needing little room for their roots. The wiry roots of palms are much less of a problem with foundations or sewer and water pipes than a shade tree.
If you are keen on seeing different palm species and how they might fit into your landscape, be sure to look for the Palmetum the next time you visit Edison and Ford Winter Estates.
When you plant a palm, you plant a piece of Florida soul.
Debbie Hughes is a horticulture specialist at Edison and Ford Winter Estates. She writes “Inventing Your Garden” as a monthly column for Tropicalia.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Ancient, diverse, astonishingly varied: A look at Florida’s palm trees
Reporting by Debbie Hughes, Horticulture Specialist at Edison and Ford Winter Estates / Fort Myers News-Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Debbie Hughes, Horticulture Specialist at Edison and Ford Winter Estates | USA TODAY Network
