Kinds of Palm Trees in Florida (With Pictures & Easy ID Tips)

You’ll see many, many palm trees in Florida, and some may be familiar and others may surprise you.

I think nearly everyone knows that Florida palm trees are fully associated with the state. We'll show you those you'll quickly recognize, and some you'll be able to deciper after a little experience.

We'll help you choose and/or recognize the palms that actually belong in Florida.

Feeling overwhelmed by palm tree problems or confusing information?

You’re not alone. At Mission: Palm Trees, we help everyday palm lovers grow, care for, identify and enjoy palms without puzzling jargon or exhausting research.

We do the Authentic Research While Making Palm Tree Details Fun to Know

The Most Common Palm Trees in Florida (Quick List)

Not all Florida palms are the same. This quick list highlights the most common kinds of palm trees you’ll see across Florida. With simple clues to help you recognize each one at a glance.

Palm Tree Leaf Type Typical Height Where You'll See It Quick ID Tip
Sabal Palm (Cabbage Palm) Fan 40–60 ft Statewide, roadsides, natural areas Rough trunk with leftover leaf “boots”
Queen Palm Feather 30–50 ft Residential areas, streets Curved fronds and orange fruit clusters
Royal Palm Feather 50–80 ft South Florida, boulevards Smooth gray trunk with green crownshaft
Canary Island Date Palm Feather 40–60 ft Upscale landscaping, resorts Thick trunk with diamond pattern
Coconut Palm Feather 50–80 ft South Florida, coastal areas Leaning trunk and visible coconuts
Foxtail Palm Feather 30–50 ft New developments, landscaping Fluffy, bushy fronds like a fox tail
Pygmy Date Palm Feather 6–12 ft Yards, entryways Small size, often multi-trunked
Mexican Fan Palm (Washingtonia) Fan 60–100 ft Roadsides, cities Very tall, thin trunk with skirt of dead leaves
Bismarck Palm Fan 30–60 ft Feature landscaping Large silver-blue fan leaves
Areca Palm (Butterfly Palm) Feather 15–30 ft Hedges, privacy screens Clumping trunks with dense fronds

Want a closer look? Here’s some help to recognize each of these palms in real life.

Sabal Palm (Cabbage Palm)

Sabal palmetto is Florida's state tree, often just called the Palmetto.

  • Ends up somewhere within 60-80ft/18-24m tall.
  • Gorgeous crown full of palmate (fan) fronds.
Crown of fronds at the top of a Cabbage Palm tree.Here you can see the full round crown.

Queen Palm

Syagrus romanzoffiana creates a stunning image when well cared for.

A Queen Palm

Royal Palm

Roystonea regia is limited to South Florida: Collier, Monroe & Dade counties. Some say it's the most beautiful palm. And you'll see them Planted All Around Miami!

Its crown is capped by 15 feathery fronds. The solid trunk is ringed around upper areas, just below a rich green Crownshaft that Helps for Easy Maintenance.

Royal palm treeThe Royal Palm aka Cuban Royal Palm

Canary Island Date Palm

Phoenix canariensis is another exceptionally fine looking palm.

With it's full round top of feather fronds and triangle shapes naturally etched into its trunk, it's one of the easier palms to identify.

Canary Island Date Palm on a Hillside above a neighborhood The stately looking Canary Island Date Palm.

The Coconut Palm in Florida

One of the most popular kinds of palms you'll see in Florida (if not the most popular) is the Cocos nucifera. There are several varieties.

  • You'll mostly encounter those tall specimens that can get 100ft/30m tall.
  • They're feathery pinnate leaves are always graceful in the breeze. 
three coconut palms on a beachNot unexpected! Coconut palms on the beach.

The Gorgeous Foxtail Palm

The Wodyetia bifurcata has thick pinnate fronds. The leaflets swirl around the stem (rachis) for that full, bushy look.

The can grow to 60ft/18m tall. Note the bluish green crownshaft at the top of the trunk.

The foxtail palm with it full, bushy crownMany love this palm for its thick crown appearance.

Miniature Date Palm

Also often known as the Pygmy Date Palm, as the Phoenix roebelinii maxes out at 15ft/4.5m.

Look for multiples of this palm planted tight next to each other - often in triplicate - to imitate a clustering palm. 

three short palm trees planted next to each otherTheir trunks keep a bit of their old leaf stem bases.

The Tall Mexican Fan Palm

These are the distinctive Washingtonia robusta species that are very tall (to 100ft/30m), but also very thin. Those Tall Palms Los Angeles is Known For.

They carry multiple fan fronds at the top of the trunks. And often keep a skirting of the old dead leaves, but eventually let them go.

A group of Washingtonia robusta palms growing on a grassy parkland.Very noticeable when you see a stand of them.

The Solid Looking Bismarck Palm

Bismarckia nobilis has nearly round 10ft/3m wide palmate (fan) leaves, that are stiff and substantial. Giving it that sturdy look. Its trunk is very thick, as well.

This wonderful palm is seen less often than all those above, so it will be a treat to find one.

Very full crowns atop a stand of sturdy palm trees

The Butterfly Palm

The Dypsis lutescens is also called the Golden Cane Palm - plus the common name, Areca Palm, although it's not a true Areca.

This is a clustering  palm, and you may see one after the other spread through a grassy meadow. Yet it's not widely planted in Forida.

The butterfly palm is also called the Golden Cane PalmLooks to be fluttery, like a butterfly!

How to Identify Florida Palm Trees (Fast & Easy)

The basics of what to look for help you to figure out that palm you're seeing. We often specialize in Palm Tree Identification, so we can help you get started.

Diagram with photos for how to identify palms seen in Florida

Fan vs. Feather Leaves

First is always figuring out which of the two common types of leaves it has - feather (pinnate) or fan (palmate). Here are simple steps:

  1. Look at the shape of each frond. 
  2. Is it full & round, fan-like, as with a Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto) or the Saw Palmetto? Then it's a palmate.
  3. Does it have a long stem with many leaflets, like a Coconut (Cocos nucifera) or Royal Palm? Then it's a pinnate.
Pinnate-Palmate.jpgCheck the palm you see to ID its fronds.

Look at the Trunk

Trunks can have many looks to them. The most obvious way to sort that out is:

  • Smooth vs ringed vs textured
  • Thick (like the Bismarck Palm: Bismarckia nobilis) VS skinny (like the Mexican Fan Palm: Washingtonia robusta)
  • Single with one upward growing trunk (like the Queen Palm: Syagrus romanzoffiana) VS clustering - spreading out with multiple trunks (like the Dypsis lutescens).

Check the Setting

Where is it located? That's a big hint, especially in Florida.

BEACHES

  • Coconut Palms were planted because they tolerate the salty air, and promote that tropical feel. 
  • The Cabbage Palm grows nearby the shore as it also tolerates salt spray. It resists hurricane winds well.

STREETS

  • Royal Palms are seen lined up along major roadways and boulevards. They're tall and straight, for a distinctive look.
  • Queen Palms will be easily recognizable when you become familiar with them. They love sun, and the regular south Florida rains.

RESORTS

  • Areca Palms are often chosen for their arching palms and quick growth.
  • Coconut Palms are seen at beachfron properties. Around pools, and entrances the Royal Palm is often the choice.

NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS 

  • Park landscapes are fond of planting Royal Palms, Cabbage Palms and Queen Palms. If a park has regular maintenance, you'll also see Coconut Palms.

All told, the kinds of palm trees for Florida landscapers are those taller go-to tropicals. The Cabbage Palm, Royal Palm, and Coconut Palm are the species most used across these public landscape settings.

Add in the Queen Palm and Areca Palm which you'll find in streetscapes, resorts and parks.

You can Use More Identification Sorting Basics Here. If you want to be more accurate, bring A Good Field Guide that's Specialized for Florida Palms Like This One.

Native Palm Trees in Florida

Florida has twelve palm species that are native to Florida. Sadly half of these natives are either endangered or threatened in the state. 

Unlike most palms, Florida's native palm species typically tolerate - even prefer - the alkalotic soils found in the state. Most widely known are:

  • Sabal Palm (Cabbage Palm)
  • Saw Palmetto  (Serenoa repens)
  • Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal minor)
  • Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix)
  • Cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto)
  • Everglades palm (Acoelorrhaphe wrightii)
  • Florida silver palm (Coccothrinax argentata)

You can Download a Native Florida Palm Flyer from the Florida Department of Agriculture that includes them all, with more details.

Keys Thatch Palm

Less Common (But Interesting) Palm Trees You Might Spot

These palms aren’t everywhere in Florida - but when you see them, they stand out. Florida residents like them in their landscapes to create an unusual, extraordinary focal point.

Buccaneer Palm

Pseudophoenix sargentii loves scrubby sandy areas. The solitary trunk can reach 25ft/8m tall, topped with approximately 12 feathery pinnate fronds.

People love its Crownshaft Maintenance Ease and bright red fruit. They've been taking them from the wild, hopping it into threatened status. It's best to Grow One From Seed.

Ahoy, it is a Buccaneer palm treeAlso sometimes called Sargent's Cherry Palm.

Licuala Palms

The species of this genera are exquisitely handsome. Their fan, palmate leaves are quite showy.

If you encounter one in an average Florida Landscape, count yourself fortunate. Stay awhile to admire its beauty.

a palm tree with berries and large round frondsI believe this is L.grandis, the Ruffled Fan Palm.

Florida Thatch Palm

Thrinax radiata is another slow grower. The palmate leaves hold their own in strong winds.

  • Achieves 30ft/9m in ideal conditions.
  • It's long-lived, some have been estimated at 150 years old!
woman stands next to Florida thatch palm which is potted outdoorsYou'll see it in landscaped properties. Yet it's endangered in Florida as a native.

Florida Palm Trees by Region (North, Central, South)

Florida's climate creates the perfect environment for a variety of palm trees.

Visiting anywhere in the state, you'll feel the enhancing effects of their lush, tropical appeal.

Vintage postcard welcoming people to the beaches in Palm Beach

Florida's seven climate zones, from 8b to 11b, provide good palm growing conditions. For both native and non-native palms.

All these zones have different kinds of successfully growing palms in local climates. Here's what you're likely to see:

  • North Florida - a bit more cold-hardy palms can be found there, like the Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei). The USDA Growing Zone is primarily 9a, with a bit of 8b.
  • Central Florida has a mixed zone of 9b & 10a USDA zones. This central part of the state normally has the lowest temporary temp of 25oF/-3.9oC. You might see the Dwarf Suger Palm (Arenga engleri) there.
  • South Florida, as well as Florida's mid-southern Coastal areas cover zones 10b & 11. Most palms there are tropical varieties that only bear the thermometer above 35oF/1.7oC, like the Macaw Palm (Aiphanes minima). Only the very southernmost tip is in the true tropics.
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FAQs About the Kinds of Palm Trees in Florida

What are the most common kinds of palm trees in Florida?

Some palms, whether native or introduced, are much more commonly seen across landscapes and streets.

The most common include:

  • Sabal palm (Sabal palmetto) – Florida’s state tree and the most widespread palm
  • Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) – iconic coastal palm (non-native)
  • Royal palm (Roystonea regia) – many along city streets
  • Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta) – very tall, fast-growing
  • Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) – native shrubby palm

These palms love Florida’s warm, humid climate, sandy soils, and abundant rainfall that give them near-ideal growing conditions. Our article gives you More About Them With Photos

Which palm trees are native to Florida?

Maybe not as many as you'd think.

According to Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 12 species of palms are native to Florida. Some are endangered.

Access this section to See Which Palms are Native>

Which palm trees can survive cold weather in Florida?

Several kinds of palm trees in Florida are considered cold-hardy. Here are those that can take limited frosty conditions in Zones 8-11 inthe Sunshine State:

  1. Rhapidophyllum hystrix, The Needle Palm (aka Vegetable Porcupine) - palm scientists say it's the most cold-hardy palm of all.
  2. Sabal minor, the Dwarf Palmetto or Bush Palmetto. This native palm tolerates temporary temps as low as -15oF/-17.8oC.
  3. Sabal palmetto, the Cabbage Palm or Palmetto - Tolerates temperatures down to 5oF/-15oC for a short time.
  4. Serenoa repens, nicknamed Silver Palmetto or Silver Saw Palmetto. It's not afraid of short cold-snaps.
  5. Pindo palm (Butia capitata) – popular cold-hardy landscape palm.

What palm tree grows best in Florida?

Overall the best is the Sabal palm (Sabal palmetto).

Why it stands out:

  • Native, and widely adapted across the state
  • Tolerates salt, drought, flooding, and cold weather
  • Takes any soil type
  • Extremely low maintenance

It’s considered one of the hardiest and most versatile palms in Florida landscapes.

That said, the “best” palm Depends On Location:

  • South Florida: Coconut & Royal palm
  • Central/North Florida: Sabal, Pindo, and Needle Palms

How can you identify different kinds of palm trees in Florida?

A Simple Method to Use First is to look at the palm's major features.

Leaf (frond) Shape:

  • Is it roundish and fan-like? Palmate
  • Is it feathery like a bird's feather? Pinnate

Trunk Appearance:

  • First, is it one single trunk, or are there many bunched together?
  • Then is it thick or slender?
  • Is the outer surface smooth, rough, ringed? Does it have remnants of old leaves.

Size:

  • Tall single-trunk palms 
  • Low shrub-like
  • Dwarf vs. towering species

Fruit and flowers

  • A specialized stem grows, often in spring. Tiny flower blooms appear there.
  • Fruits then form, some produce coconuts, berries, or small drupes

These traits are commonly used in botanical Identification Guides and Field References.

See How We Help to Decipher Palm Identification.

Are coconut palms native to Florida?

Seeing so many in Florida, you'd possibly think they're native - but they're not. They're an introduced species. Yet they grow quite easily in Many Florida Areas.

We have some articles about Coconut Palms you'll find interesting.

Takeaways for Palm Trees in Florida

Both native and non-native palms can thrive in Florida, but location within the state matters. South Florida supports a wider variety of tropical palms, while Central and North Florida require more cold-hardy species.

When selecting palms, consider factors like growth size, Water Fundamentals, growth size, cold tolerance and Maintenance Essentials.

Whether native or non-native, palms are the ultimate Florida identity.

REFERENCES
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map ccmedia.fdacs.gov
sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/
Riffle, R.L. (2008) Timber Press Pocket Guide to Palms
Palmpedia, palmpedia.net/wiki/index.html
Meerow, A.W. (2002). Betrock's Guide to Landscape Palms
South Florida Plan Guide; Coconut Palm at south-florida-plant-guide.com/coconut-palm.html
Naples Botanical Garden; Identifying Common Palms at naplesgarden.org/identifying-common-palms/
Allyn, J. - Pinellas Chapter FNPS at pinellas.fnpschapters.org/native-plant-profiles/palms/

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Karen and Bill of Mission: Palm Trees

About the Authors: Karen McGowan is the creator of MissionPalmTrees.com, along with her husband Bill. Where they share palm tree expertise gained from years of finding and studying palms in varied climates. Learn more.