Why are foxtails so popular overseas, I see a lot of growers who bend over backwards to have one in there garden.

In Australia they are a landscapers favourite, chain stores sell them like they are going out of fashion.

Yet to a palm collecting palm nut in Australia they hardly get a second look. I have them in my garden but they don’t wow me like other palms do.

Yes they are bullet proof, take a beating in sunlight, tolerance of a lot of dry conditions and they grow in some of the rockiest soil around. Cold frosty weather seems to be there only enemy.

They are becoming a bit of weed in the Northern Territory around the Darwin area, with city councils asking people not to plant them as they grow so well in the heat up north.

So what’s the beauty and challenge a lot of overseas growers find in them!

some people talk about the queen palms the same way you describe the ubiquitous foxtail in Australia.....what makes foxtails so popular (at lease in florida)is they are bulletproof. foxtails resemble royal palms but do not get as large, which is a big factor for most homeowners with limited space.

8 minutes ago, donalt said:

some people talk about the queen palms the same way you describe the ubiquitous foxtail in Australia.....what makes foxtails so popular (at lease in florida)is they are bulletproof. foxtails resemble royal palms but do not get as large, which is a big factor for most homeowners with limited space.

Never really looked at a foxtail as a royal palm, but yes the trunk is somewhat a little similar. I guess a smaller version of a total in a way.

And the best looking queen palm I ever saw was in habitat in South America, the perfect spot for them, but not in my garden dare I say!

I say DoomsDave them. They're intolerably boring. Agree wholeheartedly with all of the above.

Way less common on the west coast here. But they’ve got a semi Veitchia/Caryota look that makes them interesting IMO. But in Hawaii, wow, they do indeed take on near Roystonea proportions.

Foxtails are definitely less trouble free than royals around my place. Planted too close to houses they get mineral deficiencies in clayish soil. With proper siting and soil they can look nice here, but the royals seem to defy the need for care if they get water. Most of the foxtails around my neighborhood are deficient in some way, perhaps 1/3 look nice with no obvious yellowing(Mg) or potassium deficiency. I am sure I could grow a nice one in the right spot, but that "right spot" has other options. Foxtails are not a canopy palm unless bunched and they take a lot of time to get big enough to function as canopy. The foxtail leaf is an architectural touch that some probably like. A royal is going to be a big tree and drop big leaves so it is does not compete with foxtails for function. I would not want a royal over the driveway for example. Foxtails are more competitive function wise with adonidias, not royals. I had a small foxtail once, it was killed in 28F in 2010. SInce then my yard has grown in and there is plenty of canopy with windbreak as well. I would like a fox lady and am holding out for one, but I might settle for a foxtail. I have a half a dozen palms in containers that will go in before a foxtail. I think the average homeowner here doesn't look at palms for shade, they are looking at an accent planting in a wide open " maintenance free" HOT yard. The lack of shade keeps you inside a few extra months a year and runs the AC harder, but most do not realize that or care. Most will opt for that live oak for shade if they appreciate the extra outdoor time or AC savings. A royal is not an accent palm, they don't plant them these days in new home landscape packages. Plant, auto irrigate, and ignore doesnt work well with foxtails here but works very well with royals. But are clearly too big a tree for a small yard that is typical these days(55; x 110') with 10-15' on each side.