BISMARCKIA vs Latania

[abdalav]

What are the differences between bismarckia and latanias? Are there key details for identification?

[PalmatierMeg]

They are related but the most noticeable differences are size and coldhardiness. Bismarckias grow to be very large palms with huge leaves and massive trunks. Latans are smaller in all respects but especially in their trunks which are much skinnier in relation to their leaves. Leaves themselves are large but still not as big as a Bizzy's. Latans are far more cold sensitive, i.e., nearly on the order of a coconut. They are hardy to the low 30s, perhaps 32. Bismarckias are renowned for being much coldhardier, down to mid- to upper-20s. Blue Latans most closely resemble silver Bizzies, esp. in color. Red Latans are more bluish-green. Yellow Latans look much less like the others. Latans are also slower growing.

[Really full garden]

Lantania are much slower ( can be a good trait) than Bismarckia even in my uber tropical climate.

[mike in kurtistown]

Here is one of my four Latania verschaffeltias, 5-gal orange bucket for scale, picture from last November. They are next to four Bismarkias, planted at the same time. All of both species are the same size, though the Bismarkias have a more compact form.

 

[richnorm]

https://idtools.org/id/palms/palmid/factsheet.php?name=latania+loddigesii