List of Palms | Trees

Here is a list of palms found across the world.

1. Livistonia chinensis:

It is commonly called as Chinese palm and commonly grown in pots. It is fan leaved palm, slow growing but very ornamental. It is propagated easily through seeds.

2. Chrysalidocarpus lutescens:

It is feather leaved palm, slow growing highly suitable for pot culture as well as for group planting in the lawn or at the entrance of house or buildings. It forms large clumps and grows about 6-8 meter high. It has large arching leaves which make it more ornamental. It is propagated through seeds or division of suckers.

3. Bismarckia nobilis—bismarck palm (Palmae):

It is native to the island of Madagascar which is situated of the east Africa. It has stout stem with huge crown of blue green foliage. This palm may reach an ultimate height of 17-18 m, with a spread of 6 m and, hence, it needs a large space for its planting and ultimate impressive look. Leaves are palmate of bright light blue colour, waxy and are up to 3 m. across. Leaf stem is about 2 m in length and posses small tooth.

For impressive growth, it requires full sun light but is tolerant to some shade. It happily grows in warmer climate but is occasionally damaged with freezing temp. After its establishment it is a drought resistant. Propagation is done by seeds which germinate easily in 6-8 weeks.

This palm is best planted where it can serve as a focal point. It serves as living sculpture when planted against a back ground of dark foliage. Bismarck palm is rapidly gaining popularity as it is a spectacular species and due to drought tolerance and free from disease problems and nutritional deficiencies.

4. Caryota urens:

It is commonly called as fish tail palm on account of resemblance of small divisions or leaflets similar to tail of fish. It is quick growing large, feather leaved palm with large broad leaves which are finally cut up. Tall palm growing upto 6-15 meter high with very large leaves. It is mostly liked for its drooping spadices.

5. Creodoxa regia (syn. ryostengia regia):

It is called as royal palm or bottle palm. It’s beauty is in rigid swollen stem usually barrel shape of which half top is smooth green and basal half is of ash colour with having ring marks of old leaves. It bears large terminal pinnate leaves with long sheath stalks forming a cylinder around the summit. It is highly suitable as a specimen in the garden or for garden avenues. It is propagated through seeds.

6. Kentia belmoreana:

It is very handsome, hardy palm with feather leaves. Stem and leaf stalks are smooth and spineless. Mostly planted in pots for decoration of plant house or gardens.

7. Chamodorea elegans syn (neantha bella):

It is small palm with feather shaped leaves. It is slow growing. Leaves are most elegant. It is most suited to pot culture.

8. Rhaphis excelsa:

It is dwarf palm with fan shaped leaves deeply cut into segments. It is highly suitable for bush planting in shady place of garden or for pot culture. It is propagated by root suckers which are thrown very profusely.

9. Washingtonia filifera:

It is a small palm with fan shaped leaves which are plaited and have fiber like apandages making it more attractive. However, leaf stalk has stout spines. It is highly suitable for pot culture.

10. Phoenix roebelenii:

It is a highly ornamental species. Plants are dwarf. Leaves are light feathery, arching pinnate which makes it more graceful. It may produce branches from the base. It is propagated through suckers.

11. Phoenix canariensis (canary island date palm) palmae:

It is native to Canary Island. It is a very impressive looking palm owing to canopy of dense leaves (30-40). It grows very slow and reaches the height of 3-4 m in 15 years. Stem is thick and massive. Leaves are pinnate feather like fronds arching at top about 5-6 m long and leaf fronds spread about 6-12 m.

Leaf petiole are toothed. Flower is borne on long fronds and is dioecious small and off white color which appears in late spring or early summer. Sends are bold and germinate moderately. For better performance it needs sunny situation and requires infrequent deep irrigation otherwise grown up plants are quite drought tolerant.

In landscaping it is highly suitable for road side planting and for oasis effects and xeriscaping. Canary island palms are massive, tough and durable. It has a leaf scar pattern on the trunk which adds to-its impressive look.

12. Arecastrum romanzoffianum syn. syagrus romanzoffiana:

It is commonly called as Queen Palm. It is fairly rapid growing palm and grows about 8-10 meter in height. The presence of 10-15 long, arching, feather like glossy green leaves near the crown makes it more handsome and attractive. It is easily propagated through seeds.

13. Wodyetia bifurcata (Foxtail Palm): Palmae:

Amongst all palms, Foxtail palm displays most spectacular foliage. The generic name of this palm is given in the honour of Wodyeti an Australia Aboriginal bushman who was the last male in his line of Melville Range Aborgines. The species name bifurcata comes from the Latin; meaning twice forked which is due to the unique shape of leaflets and fruits of this palm.

It is native of northeastern Australia specifically north eastern Queensland. The climate in this region of Australia is tropical with prolonged dry season. It is consider threatened species in Australia but after introduction in US it has become very popular ornamental palm in the southern parts of Florida, California and Texas. In India it has been introduced very recently and is extensively used in various landscape designs.

It is valuable for its robust trunk and its unique bushy leaves. In garden Fox tail is used as an accent, specimen or group planting of three or five for stunning mass effect. Fox tail can also be effectively planted in rows along street and drive ways. It can also be used for large pots and patio decorations.

It is a thorn less and has a slender closely ringed bottle shape columnar trunk. Single straight stem grows upto 10 m. A mature fox tail palm has 8-10 leaves each with characteristic resemblance of tail of fox and a crown of foliage which is 5-6 m, across. The pale green arching fronds have leaflets that radiate out at all angles from the leaf stem thus appearing like tail of a fox.

The foxtail palm bears white blossoms of both sexes at the base of its crown and a single palm is able to produce fertile seeds. It bears colourful clusters of red to orange red fruits, each containing just one seed. Seeds germinate in 2-3 months after sowing and some may take upto 12 months. After germination, seedlings grow moderately under good conditions.

The foxtail Palm grows well in full sun but it also grows well in partial shade. It is hardy and easy to grow in variable temperature but it must be protected against freezing condition. It tolerates wide variety of well-drained soil including alkaline stone soils.

The mature foxtail palm has a deep root system that makes it quite drought tolerant. However, regular watering helps in better growth. Foxtail palms tolerate light frost and rarely attract pests and diseases and resistant to lethal yellowing.

14. Cycads:

Though these plants do not belong to palm group but resembling like palms.

Thus are described here:

Cycads are about 200 million years old on the earth i.e. they have been found growing from the Triassic age which coincides with the age of reptiles and Dinosaurs. Cycads are very slow growing and highly suitable for ground planting or for larger pots and tubs. Stem is stout and short, marked with old leaves scars. Leaves are tough, un-branched and pinnate.

Propagation is mainly done by large bulb like buds which appear on the stems and grow freely when planted in well-drained soil under humid and shady conditions. Male and female flowers are produced on separate plants and female flowers need hand pollination for seed setting. Seed should be collected on ripening and sown within a month. Seedling grows very slowly.

Important species grown in the garden are as below:

15. Cycas revolute:

It is very common plant grown in the pots in the houses or grown in big lawns as a specimen. The plants are very slow in growth. Stem is short and cylindrical and is usually un-branched and terminated at the top by a crown of deeply cut pinnate leaves of variable length ranging from 1-2 meter. Plants throw suckers which should be separated. Bulbs are also used for the multiplication. Seed is seldomly used for propagation.

16. Cycas circinalis:

It is another species commonly grown in the house and gardens. Leaves are comparatively bigger and plants are taller than Cycas revoluta.

17. Zammia integrifolia:

The leaves are thick like leather and feathery like fern. The growing of this palm is also getting popular.