Roystonea regia (Florida Royal Palm)

Tall and majestic, Roystonea regia (Florida Royal Palm) is a fast-growing evergreen palm with a smooth silvery gray trunk topped with enormous, dark green, graceful fronds. Up to 10-15 ft. long (3-4.5 m), the feathery fronds emanate from a smooth green crownshaft. They can weigh over 50 pounds. Royal Palm is considered self-cleaning: naturally dying old leaves will drop off by themselves. While this eliminates the need to trim off old dead leaves, the incredible size and weight of these leaves can cause injury to people and damage to property when they fall. Care should be taken when placing this tree. The trunk of this stately palm can reach up to 2 ft. in diameter (60 cm). Tiny white flowers are produced in showy, hanging sprays, up to 2 ft. long (60 cm). They can release so much pollen that it can look like falling snow. They are followed by great quantities of dark red to black fruits that are readily consumed by birds. Easy to grow and exotic-looking, Florida Royal Palm is considered cold-hardy to about 28°F (-2°C). It is ideal for landscaping streets, parks, and commercial properties. Hurricane resistant, Florida Royal Palm is South Florida’s most popular and widely used native palm.

• Grows with an upright habit up to 60-100 ft. tall (18-30 m) and 20-30 ft. wide (6-9 m).
• Easily grown in moist to very moist, fertile soils in full sun to part shade. Moderately tolerant of salt spray, Florida Royal Palm is intolerant of high salt concentrations in its root zone. It grows well in wet soils and is quite drought tolerant once established.
• Florida Royal Palm is prone to deficiencies in potassium, manganese, and boron, especially on calcareous native or fill soils. Regular fertilization with a controlled release fertilizer having an analysis of 8-2-12-4 Mg (or 8-0-12-4 Mg) plus micronutrients can correct and prevent nutrient deficiencies.
• Keep an eye out for the royal palm bug (Xylastodoris luteolus), a tiny, pale green, elongated bug that infests newly emerging leaves as they unfold.
• Propagate by seed.
• Native to Mexico, parts of Central America and the Caribbean, and southern Florida.