QUEEN PALM
The Queen Palm with its smooth gray trunk and long, glossy fronds like feathery plumes, is a big favorite for home landscapes in Florida.
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Use the Queen palm in natural groupings and to frame views. This is an excellent palm for lining streets and boulevards Queen palm is fun and easy to grow in pots outdoors.
This is a solitary palm (grows a single trunk) but can be effective planted in groups as well as alone or group specimen for the yard backdrop for a grouping of smaller palms and/or cycads
anchor for a garden bed accenting or lining a property line or fence.
“Note from Joel”
It’s a Queen palm folks, not a Queen Anne Palm. Obviously I get aggravated a little bit too easy. There must be a dictionary that is only sold to northerners that calls it a Queen Anne palm. Okay, enough of my rant. Despite the truth that almost every northerner moving to Florida wants a palm as soon as they get here, and many of them choose a “Queen Anne palm”, this may not be their best choice. It is definitely a beautiful palm, but it tends to outgrow its space. It also drops hundreds of seeds unless you cut the seedpod before it opens. The seeds (fruit), can self propogate, it rots and stinks, and makes quite the mess. Other than all of that, I still have several in my yard. There really isn’t anything that compares to the Queen Palms gracefulness. Having several of these around the pool creates a sense of peace that is hard to live without. Do yourself a favor, make sure you follow a strict schedule for removing the seedpods and all will be just fine.
Syagrus romanzoffiana
Common Names: queen palm, Cocos plumosa, Arecastrum romanzoffianumFamily: Arecacea (palm Family)
Description
This is a palm with an identity crisis! A few decades ago the queen palm was assigned the name Cocos plumosa. During the late sixties and seventies most experts began referring to it as Arecastrum romanzoffianum. Now this queen has been placed in the genus Syagrus, the species name became romanzoffiana – hopefully Syagrus romanzoffiana will stick!
Despite its difficulties with nomenclature, the queen palm really does strike a regal pose in the landscape. Growing to maximum height of about 50 feet, this palm has a smooth straight grey trunk ringed with evenly spaced leaf scars and topped with a large canopy of feathery plumes. These lacy fronds are a dark glossy green and have double rows of leaflets. These droop to the ground like double rows of fringe to cast shady patterns on the lawn. Informal groupings of three or more queens provides soft filtered sunlight perfect for shade gardens.
During the summer season the queen decks herself out with impressive inflorescences (flower structures – photo at left). In early winter she takes on a sporty look when huge amounts of fruit appear. Bright orange 1 inch oval “dates” hang in impressive 6′ bunches creating a colorful show. The party’s over though when they fall to the ground creating sticky piles of rotting fruit that attract disagreeable insects. On the up side, volunteer seedling palms often grow from the mess if undisturbed!
Culture
Queen palm is tolerant but prefers enriched sandy soils. Fertilize twice a year in spring and summer with a fertilizer that contains micronutrients, especially manganese. A deficiency of this micronutrient results in a condition called “frizzle top” which causes leaves to look frayed and torn. This condition can be corrected by spreading a 1 to 3 pounds of manganese sulphate beneath the palm (amount depends on the size of the tree).Light: Full sun is best but will tolerate some shade.Moisture: It will withstand some drought but keep watered for best looks and fastest growth.Hardiness: USDA Zones 9 – 11. Cold damage appears at 25°F, the plant freezes and dies at about 20° F.Propagation: By seed. These will germinate in 3 to 4 months. An easy way to obtain plants is to dig and pot the volunteer seedlings that often appear under adult palms.
