What are the most “Tropical” looking Cold Hardy DWARF Palms?

[Dwarf Fan]

I noticed a lot of the Cold Hardy Palms have a more “Desert” appearance, what varieties should I be looking at that stay below 30 feet in height and have a more pronounced “TROPICAL” look to them?

I am at the very beginning stages of my “dream palm paradise backyard oasis” as of now I have a few palms already in ground but I still have plenty of open space and I really want to get that “TROPICAL Paradise” look just right.
 

Any suggestions?

[Dwarf Fan]

Forgot to add:
 

The Coldest temps recorded at my location in 9B was 20 degrees back during the great Palmageddon event so “Cold Hardy” for the sake of this thread means 20 degrees and still looking decent, preferably not decimated.

[MSX]

Coconut palm is the epitome of tropical homegardens, so take a look at its closest family members cocosoids such as dwarf Butia species - Butia archeri (Dwarf Jelly Palm), Butia microspadix (Dwarf Wooly Jelly Palm), Butia paraguayensis (Dwarf Yatay Palm) and some others

[Dwarf Fan]

3 minutes ago, MSX said:

Coconut palm is the epitome of tropical homegardens, so take a look at its closest family members cocosoids such as dwarf Butia species - Butia archeri (Dwarf Jelly Palm), Butia microspadix (Dwarf Wooly Jelly Palm), Butia paraguayensis (Dwarf Yatay Palm) and some others

Awesome thanks for the recommendations MSX! By the way I love your pic heavy Washingtonia thread I love the detailed scientific approach you are taking with the seeds/seedlings you got from that cold hardy filifera great read! 👍 

[PalmatierMeg]

Are you willing to protect palms from extremes of cold?

Offhand, I thought of the following:

Rhapis excelsa (down to 23F)

Chamaedorea radicalis

Chamaedorea microspadix

Butia odorata

Mule palm

Sabal etonia

Sabal minor in its myriad varieties

Trachycarpus spp

Rhapidophyllum hystrix

 

The term "tropical looking" is usually code for "I want crown shafted palms, not palmate palms." Bad news is that virtually all crown shafted palms are tropical, i.e., not suited for zone 9b. Exceptions are the two Chamaedorea spp I mentioned and, perhaps, Pseudophoenix sargentii. Butias and mule palms are pinnate but not crownshafted. I'm not sure how cold hardy Parajubaea are as I can't grow them. The bitter truth for someone hung up on pinnate/feather palms is that the cold hardiest palms are palmate/fan palms. 

You may have a better outcome achieving a tropical vibe not with palms but with with colorful companion plantings that evoke/mimic a visit to the tropics. Many PTers in the PNW have posted fantastic photos of their "tropical paradise" in an otherwise cool temperate climate. No reason you can't do the same in TX

 

[Fusca]

43 minutes ago, Dwarf Fan said:

I noticed a lot of the Cold Hardy Palms have a more “Desert” appearance, what varieties should I be looking at that stay below 30 feet in height and have a more pronounced “TROPICAL” look to them?

I am at the very beginning stages of my “dream palm paradise backyard oasis” as of now I have a few palms already in ground but I still have plenty of open space and I really want to get that “TROPICAL Paradise” look just right.
 

Any suggestions?

Welcome to Palmtalk!  I'm also in Deep South Texas (RGV) on the low end of zone 10a.  Unfortunately most 'cold hardy' palms have petiole thorns.  Rhapis excelsa and Licuala spinosa (probably needs occasional winter protection) are tropical looking smaller fan palms that should work in 9b.  Syagrus schizophylla and Phoenix roebelenii are pinnate palms that should also work.  The pygmy date is rather common but some hybrids like rupicola with roebelenii look really nice staying relatively short.

Edited July 13, 2023 by Fusca

[DAVEinMB]

@Dwarf Fan

Allagoptera arenaria

also not necessarily a dwarf but in 9b I'd definitely look into lytocaryum Hoehnei and lytocaryum insigne 

[MSX]

43 minutes ago, Dwarf Fan said:

Awesome thanks for the recommendations MSX! By the way I love your pic heavy Washingtonia thread I love the detailed scientific approach you are taking with the seeds/seedlings you got from that cold hardy filifera great read! 👍 

Thanks a lot! I'm glad you liked the thread!!

[Xenon]

Can you be more specific about where "9b on the Gulf" is? Would really help to narrow your options. 

[Dwarf Fan]

24 minutes ago, Xenon said:

Can you be more specific about where "9b on the Gulf" is? Would really help to narrow your options. 

Corpus Christi specifically North Padre Island. 
 

Lowest temp back in ‘21 on the island was 20 degrees so I am trying to use that a guideline for planting.

[Xenon]

2 hours ago, Dwarf Fan said:

Forgot to add:
 

The Coldest temps recorded at my location in 9B was 20 degrees back during the great Palmageddon event so “Cold Hardy” for the sake of this thread means 20 degrees and still looking decent, preferably not decimated.

Using the coldest event in over 30 years to single out palms that "look decent" at 20 degrees is extremely limiting and unrealistic imo. Do note that many very cold hardy palms perform poorly that far south, many will struggle with the heat and humidity not to mention salinity and municipal water (don't try to grow Trachycarpus). 

Now 25F is a much more realistic threshold (and will increase your available options 100x), especially as it concerns a "lush tropical" look. Prior to 2021, North Padre only dipped below 30F 2-3 times (complete with 20+ year old royals and foxtails, even a coconut or two) in the preceding 30 years so while it's good to have bulletproof palms, you'd be missing out it if you didn't include some 9b/10a stuff. Many more options for your heat/humidity and municipal water if you set the bar at around 25F. 

This is a pretty good list:

On 7/11/2023 at 7:47 PM, thyerr01 said:

With a Texas 9b that is likely subject to occasional severe freezes I like things that cluster and have a chance of returning.

With varying degrees of risk, and in alphabetic order (as opposed to any particular recommendation), consider some of these: 

Arenga engleri, Arenga ryukyuensis, Caryota monostachya, Chamaedorea cataractum, Chamaedorea microspadix, Chuniophoenix hainanensis, Chuniophoenix nana, Lanonia dasyantha, Licuala fordiana, Licuala spinosa, Rhapis excelsa, Rhapis humilis, Rhapis multifida, Wallichia caryotoides, and Wallichia oblongifolia (syn. densiflora).

All are clustering with the exception of Chamaedorea radicalis, which is absolutely cold hardy in a Texas 9b, and none will exceed 10 m/30 ft. Some are more available than others, and some probably only by seed. Floribunda has a couple of these currently. Might be worth pitching in with some other Texas folks for a Floribunda order.

I'm curious how your T. radiata does in winter. That will need some protection.

Most of these will recover from the rare 20F too:

Acoelorrhaphe wrightii 

Livistona saribus

Livistona muelleri

Copernicia alba

Chamaedorea seifrizii

Phoenix rupicola

Syagrus schizophylla x Syagrus romanzoffiana (Coconut Queen, bud hardiness somewhere in low 20s)

 

 

 

 

[Dwarf Fan]

5 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Are you willing to protect palms from extremes of cold?

Offhand, I thought of the following:

Rhapis excelsa (down to 23F)

Chamaedorea radicalis

Chamaedorea microspadix

Butia odorata

Mule palm

Sabal etonia

Sabal minor in its myriad varieties

Trachycarpus spp

Rhapidophyllum hystrix

 

The term "tropical looking" is usually code for "I want crown shafted palms, not palmate palms." Bad news is that virtually all crown shafted palms are tropical, i.e., not suited for zone 9b. Exceptions are the two Chamaedorea spp I mentioned and, perhaps, Pseudophoenix sargentii. Butias and mule palms are pinnate but not crownshafted. I'm not sure how cold hardy Parajubaea are as I can't grow them. The bitter truth for someone hung up on pinnate/feather palms is that the cold hardiest palms are palmate/fan palms. 

You may have a better outcome achieving a tropical vibe not with palms but with with colorful companion plantings that evoke/mimic a visit to the tropics. Many PTers in the PNW have posted fantastic photos of their "tropical paradise" in an otherwise cool temperate climate. No reason you can't do the same in TX

 

“Are you willing to protect palms from extremes of cold?”

No, I lost all of my Palms (except 2 Sabal Minors) back in ‘21 that I bought and planted by hand myself before looking into cold hardinesses of various species and I don’t want to be heartbroken again or franticly trying cover my palms every wintertime no way.

As gut wrenching as it was that experience gave me a new respect for my 2 little Dwarf Palmettos, I dug them up on moving day and took them with me, now they currently occupy a prominent space in my backyard at my current home. 🙂

I understand what Palmate Vs Pinnate fronds are but what is the definition of a “Crownshafted” Palm?

I really like the Pinnate look and max height of the Mule, what does that mean that it is Pinnate but NOT crownshafted mean?

What is an example of a Pinnate Palm that IS Crownshafted for comparison?

Sorry for the Newb questions thanks for your patience. 

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Dwarf Fan

[Fusca]

1 hour ago, Dwarf Fan said:

🙂What is an example of a Pinnate Palm that IS Crownshafted for comparison?

Royal Palm (Roystonia regia) is an example of a palm with a crownshaft.  In this photo from Palmpedia, the crownshaft is the green portion above the trunk.

[Dwarf Fan]

8 minutes ago, Fusca said:

Royal Palm (Roystonia regia) is an example of a palm with a crownshaft.  In this photo from Palmpedia, the crownshaft is the green portion above the trunk.

I understand now, thanks for the visual that really helped! 👍 

 

Also, thanks for the warm welcome, much appreciated sir.

Edited July 14, 2023 by Dwarf Fan

[SeanK]

On 7/13/2023 at 2:59 PM, PalmatierMeg said:

Are you willing to protect palms from extremes of cold?

Offhand, I thought of the following:

Rhapis excelsa (down to 23F)

Chamaedorea radicalis

Chamaedorea microspadix

Butia odorata

Mule palm

Sabal etonia

Sabal minor in its myriad varieties

Trachycarpus spp

Rhapidophyllum hystrix

 

The term "tropical looking" is usually code for "I want crown shafted palms, not palmate palms." Bad news is that virtually all crown shafted palms are tropical, i.e., not suited for zone 9b. Exceptions are the two Chamaedorea spp I mentioned and, perhaps, Pseudophoenix sargentii. Butias and mule palms are pinnate but not crownshafted. I'm not sure how cold hardy Parajubaea are as I can't grow them. The bitter truth for someone hung up on pinnate/feather palms is that the cold hardiest palms are palmate/fan palms. 

You may have a better outcome achieving a tropical vibe not with palms but with with colorful companion plantings that evoke/mimic a visit to the tropics. Many PTers in the PNW have posted fantastic photos of their "tropical paradise" in an otherwise cool temperate climate. No reason you can't do the same in TX

 

I agree. Too many equate the tropics to crownshaft palms. However, Elaeis guineesis, Thrinax radiata, and Zombia antillarum are also tropical.

Z9b should provide climate for creating a tropical look, as coined by RL Riffle 20 years ago.

[Xenon]

1 hour ago, SeanK said:

I agree. Too many equate the tropics to crownshaft palms. However, Elaeis guineesis, Thrinax radiata, and Zombia antillarum are also tropical.

Z9b should provide climate for creating a tropical look, as coined by RL Riffle 20 years ago.

Yes, but OP only wants zone 8 bulletproof palms for the "lush tropical and not xeric look". Imagine Tampa but you're limited only to what will survive all of the 1980s freezes...Keeping that in mind and also the low latitude/coastal conditions, I can't think of anything other than spamming Livistona chinensis and mule palms. You could also "succession" plant Washingtonia robusta and chop them down when they reach undesirable height.

[Dwarf Fan]

4 hours ago, Xenon said:

Yes, but OP only wants zone 8 bulletproof palms for the "lush tropical and not xeric look". Imagine Tampa but you're limited only to what will survive all of the 1980s freezes...Keeping that in mind and also the low latitude/coastal conditions, I can't think of anything other than spamming Livistona chinensis and mule palms. You could also "succession" plant Washingtonia robusta and chop them down when they reach undesirable height.

LOL! Your candor is a bit harsh but fairly accurate from my naively inspired “wish list”. So I am getting that I need to broaden my thinking a bit and not be so rigid with my 20 degrees bullet proof or nothing approach.

Thanks for the reality check! 
 

edited to add: How the heck did you know that I already have  “"succession" plant Washingtonias“ on my to do list! HaHa! 😏

I have some Filibusta volunteers that have sprouted in the coolest location behind my Med Fan there are 5 but I can thin them out to 3 and it will have that sweet “Gilligans Island” look as I call it! After they get about 1-1/2’ I figured I will move or toss them depending on how difficult the dig out is… 

Edited July 15, 2023 by Dwarf Fan

[Xenon]

2 hours ago, Dwarf Fan said:

LOL! Your candor is a bit harsh but fairly accurate from my naively inspired “wish list”. So I am getting that I need to broaden my thinking a bit and not be so rigid with my 20 degrees bullet proof or nothing approach.

Thanks for the reality check! 
 

edited to add: How the heck did you know that I already have  “"succession" plant Washingtonias“ on my to do list! HaHa! 😏

I have some Filibusta volunteers that have sprouted in the coolest location behind my Med Fan there are 5 but I can thin them out to 3 and it will have that sweet “Gilligans Island” look as I call it! After they get about 1-1/2’ I figured I will move or toss them depending on how difficult the dig out is… 

You could even succession plant queen, cat and majesty palms...they are often available around here for 50-70% off especially in the fall. That'll definitely get you your tropical look. Around here, I can get nice 3 gallon queens and majesties for <$10 each sometimes...cheap and instant gratification. 

Also don't count out pygmy dates, it's the perfect palm for your area (grows like a weed) and criteria. Cheap and readily avaiable and RE: cold...well they will probably last you a decade if not 3 and you can just replace them when/if the time comes. 

Regarding Washingtonia removal, you don't need to dig palms out to kill them. Once they start trunking you can just chainsaw a few feet below the crown. You could use the stumps for Tikis or let plants climb on them...maybe add some bromeliads or aroids 

Edited July 15, 2023 by Xenon

[D Palm]

Lytocaryum insigne if you want something rare/exotic. 

[Dwarf Fan]

32 minutes ago, Xenon said:

You could even succession plant queen, cat and majesty palms...they are often available around here for 50-70% off especially in the fall. That'll definitely get you your tropical look. Around here, I can get nice 3 gallon queens and majesties for <$10 each sometimes...cheap and instant gratification. 

Also don't count out pygmy dates, it's the perfect palm for your area (grows like a weed) and criteria. Cheap and readily avaiable and RE: cold...well they will probably last you a decade if not 3 and you can just replace them when/if the time comes. 

Regarding Washingtonia removal, you don't need to dig palms out to kill them. Once they start trunking you can just chainsaw a few feet below the crown. You could use the stumps for Tikis or let plants climb on them...maybe add some bromeliads or aroids 

Okay now I feel like you’re just having fun with the new guy… Let’s get one thing straight , I didn’t join palm talk so that my front yard and backyard can look like that of some mere Palm tree rube who just filled his cart at the local big box and called it a day. 

Oh no, I came here for tropical looking exotics dammit and I aim to have the most bad arse Palm tree centric paradise looking yard on my block, street and eventually some day… the whole island. I have committed to a multi year phased plan and now that I have all the Big Box Palms that caught my eye I want the odd, rare, unusual, hard to get and otherwise notable Palms that will not only add character and personality to my yard but also tell the story of a guy who didn’t just call a landscape company and write a check and call it a day.

I want a place that even the most jaded Palm enthusiast would have to make a U-Turn and come back for a closer look. 
 

I want an epic Palm paradise. 

[Dwarf Fan]

22 minutes ago, D Palm said:

Lytocaryum insigne if you want something rare/exotic. 

That is beautiful looking Palm. 

[amh]

1 hour ago, Dwarf Fan said:

Okay now I feel like you’re just having fun with the new guy… Let’s get one thing straight , I didn’t join palm talk so that my front yard and backyard can look like that of some mere Palm tree rube who just filled his cart at the local big box and called it a day. 

Oh no, I came here for tropical looking exotics dammit and I aim to have the most bad arse Palm tree centric paradise looking yard on my block, street and eventually some day… the whole island. I have committed to a multi year phased plan and now that I have all the Big Box Palms that caught my eye I want the odd, rare, unusual, hard to get and otherwise notable Palms that will not only add character and personality to my yard but also tell the story of a guy who didn’t just call a landscape company and write a check and call it a day.

I want a place that even the most jaded Palm enthusiast would have to make a U-Turn and come back for a closer look. 
 

I want an epic Palm paradise. 

How big of an area are we talkin' about?

[Xenon]

9 hours ago, Dwarf Fan said:

Okay now I feel like you’re just having fun with the new guy… Let’s get one thing straight , I didn’t join palm talk so that my front yard and backyard can look like that of some mere Palm tree rube who just filled his cart at the local big box and called it a day. 

Oh no, I came here for tropical looking exotics dammit and I aim to have the most bad arse Palm tree centric paradise looking yard on my block, street and eventually some day… the whole island. I have committed to a multi year phased plan and now that I have all the Big Box Palms that caught my eye I want the odd, rare, unusual, hard to get and otherwise notable Palms that will not only add character and personality to my yard but also tell the story of a guy who didn’t just call a landscape company and write a check and call it a day.

I want a place that even the most jaded Palm enthusiast would have to make a U-Turn and come back for a closer look. 
 

I want an epic Palm paradise. 

A lot of rarer stuff is not as forgiving with regards to siting/exposure, water (let it dry out once = dead, too wet = dead...not to mention water quality), etc. There's nothing wrong with using common palms as the backbone of your landscape imo, sounds like you should have plenty of room to sprinkle in some rare stuff. I know people on North Padre with coconuts and all sorts of tropicals so you're facing stiff competition 🙂. Have you met @Mr. Coconut Palm? He's right across from you in Flour Bluff. 

FWIW, Lytocaryum hoehnei grows fine for me but it definitely can't handle midday sun. Same would apply to most understory palms. Do you have any canopy yet? Some canopy would do wonders to moderate cold and light as well as give you more palm options. The canopy can be made up of palms too, but will probably exceed 30 feet. Livistona decora would be a good option. 

 

[SeanK]

17 hours ago, Xenon said:

Yes, but OP only wants zone 8 bulletproof palms for the "lush tropical and not xeric look". Imagine Tampa but you're limited only to what will survive all of the 1980s freezes...Keeping that in mind and also the low latitude/coastal conditions, I can't think of anything other than spamming Livistona chinensis and mule palms. You could also "succession" plant Washingtonia robusta and chop them down when they reach undesirable height.

I get it. I would say, "focus on the BLE background plants." Make a map of the property, walk through a few local nurseries and see what works as fence plants, accent plants, etc.

[D Palm]

Buddha Belly Bamboo or some dwarf clumping bamboo makes an excellent backdrop. They do cause a lot of leaf litter….bad for pools. 

[Dwarf Fan]

13 hours ago, Xenon said:

A lot of rarer stuff is not as forgiving with regards to siting/exposure, water (let it dry out once = dead, too wet = dead...not to mention water quality), etc. There's nothing wrong with using common palms as the backbone of your landscape imo, sounds like you should have plenty of room to sprinkle in some rare stuff. I know people on North Padre with coconuts and all sorts of tropicals so you're facing stiff competition 🙂. Have you met @Mr. Coconut Palm? He's right across from you in Flour Bluff. 

FWIW, Lytocaryum hoehnei grows fine for me but it definitely can't handle midday sun. Same would apply to most understory palms. Do you have any canopy yet? Some canopy would do wonders to moderate cold and light as well as give you more palm options. The canopy can be made up of palms too, but will probably exceed 30 feet. Livistona decora would be a good option. 

 

Okay, this is what I was afraid of and why I started with more hardy plants first, I wasn’t sure if the harsh Texas climate would be too rough for some more delicate tropical looking palms.

“There's nothing wrong with using common palms as the backbone of your landscape imo, sounds like you should have plenty of room to sprinkle in some rare stuff.”

^^^ This is exactly where I am at right now, I have got some solid performing known hardy palms in ground that I have managed to keep looking healthy post transplant and some still in grower pots that I might wait til after summer ends to put in ground. I wanted to slowly start to add more over time to eventually fill in my backyard perimeter first, then I will tackle the front yard probably in a year or two.

I have not met Mr. Coconut Palm, I looked on his profile how does he keep his coconut palms from getting damaged by the cold?

Could you PM me his cross streets so I could take a look at his yard or should I send him a message?

That is funny you happed ask about my canopy why YES I do 🤓, and I am currently using it as nursery for what I believe to be wild South Texas Sabal Minors and a few palms that I got for a killer package deal from a nursery in San Antonio that all need to be nursed back to health! I am using seabreeze bamboo and what I believe to be 4 clumps of Arundinaria Gigantea that was growing wild on my property in Central Texas that I originally grew out in pots on my patio and then put in ground when I moved here as a west facing fence line canopy. I originally just started to build it as a privacy screen, BUT it has now become a sort of de-facto Palm nursery. I can post pics tomorrow in the daytime if interested.

I really like the look of the livingstonia Decora but it is probably too tall for my backyard, it might be good for a front yard Palm though.

 

 

Edited July 16, 2023 by Dwarf Fan

[Dwarf Fan]

11 hours ago, SeanK said:

I get it. I would say, "focus on the BLE background plants." Make a map of the property, walk through a few local nurseries and see what works as fence plants, accent plants, etc.

What does BLE a stand for?

[WSimpson]

As 2  of your bulletproof palms I would add Sabal Birmingham that trunks , and a NC variety of Minor that can handle heat , salt ,and cold and gets crazy big in time . Gary Holler in New Bern , NC takes calls from people who are interested in the stuff he grows . He sells Birminghams , and I would assume those monster Minors that he collected seed from  . I have Minors from his nursery but I'm not sure which of the 2 varieties , that I got from his nursery  ,  is that super big variety . I will know in time . 

Sounds like you will have an awesome yard soon .

Will

 

Gary with native NC minors :

 

[SeanK]

13 hours ago, Dwarf Fan said:

What does BLE a stand for?

broad-leafed evergreens.

It's those non-palm plants used as hedges and color accents under trunking plants. 

[WisTex]

On 7/13/2023 at 3:48 PM, Xenon said:

Now 25F is a much more realistic threshold (and will increase your available options 100x), especially as it concerns a "lush tropical" look. Prior to 2021, North Padre only dipped below 30F 2-3 times

The 1990s, 2000s, 2010s were golden years for North Padre Island palms temperature wise.  North Padre never went below 25F in those 30 years.  The 1980s were death years for palms here - if there were any - with 6 days below 25F including one of 15F and another of 17F.  So the question is will the 2020s be the 1980s redux?  There was very little development on The Island prior to 1990.  Nearly all palms currently present were installed after then.

Edited July 19, 2023 by WisTex

[WisTex]

On 7/14/2023 at 11:34 PM, Dwarf Fan said:

I want a place that even the most jaded Palm enthusiast would have to make a U-Turn and come back for a closer look. 

Sabal Riverside, Sabal Uresana (blue variety),  Brahea Armata.  Source from Jungle Music Palms, they quickly ship to Texas.  Get the biggest ones you can.  Shipping will not be cheap but beats traveling all over Texas trying to find them.  Get a Mule Palm.  I got one from Palm Professionals in Houston, easy drive from Corpus and it's doing great.  Where are you going plant all the palms? North Padre lots are usually 60 foot by 100 foot, with usually a 1500 to 2500 square foot house on them.   I went through the 2021 and 2022 freeze events.  I will not plant any palm that is a risk at temperatures below 25F, including Foxtails and Queen palms unless it is in a pot that can be protected.

Edited July 19, 2023 by WisTex

[Dwarf Fan]

On 7/19/2023 at 4:31 PM, WisTex said:

Sabal Riverside, Sabal Uresana (blue variety),  Brahea Armata.  Source from Jungle Music Palms, they quickly ship to Texas.  Get the biggest ones you can.  Shipping will not be cheap but beats traveling all over Texas trying to find them.  Get a Mule Palm.  I got one from Palm Professionals in Houston, easy drive from Corpus and it's doing great.  Where are you going plant all the palms? North Padre lots are usually 60 foot by 100 foot, with usually a 1500 to 2500 square foot house on them.   I went through the 2021 and 2022 freeze events.  I will not plant any palm that is a risk at temperatures below 25F, including Foxtails and Queen palms unless it is in a pot that can be protected.

I just recently put in my first order with Phil (great guy 👍) but I am definitely not looking for BIG and blue. I have a 1,700 square foot house on a 6,600+ square foot lot that has a spacious front and side yard but unfortunately has quite a narrow backyard that I am trying to squeeze a pool into in the next few years. So my approach is to get the backyard perimeter landscaped in advance so that it has some time to mature and after the Palmageddon in ‘21 I want to use ONLY cold hardy green “dwarf” Palms (height of 25-30 feet max). I just don’t have the room for anything too big in my backyard and I am trying to get that “Tropical Paradise” look and to me blue palms (while striking in appearance) set the mood of a more desert theme than a tropical one.

I am definitely getting two Mules as feature Palms for my backyard next spring and hopefully two more for the front yard the following year. Thanks for the recommendation I will check out Palm Professionals next time I head over to Houston. 

Agree 100% NO Foxtails, NO Queens and add NO Phoenix Roebelenii I have seen too many casualties, I would not waste the effort to plant any of those on the Island.

I have a spacious blank slate of a front yard that I want to attempt to turn into a mini Palm paradise in the coming years, so I came here to see what my options are and how exotic I can get.

WisTex what do you currently have growing?

Edited July 23, 2023 by Dwarf Fan