The Landscaping Around the Palm Trees Here Suit the Tropical Feel of the Area
PRE-STEPS TO GETTING STARTED
Remember safety! Think of the safe way to do your landscaping around your palm tree. Some may seem like they're common sense. But others you might not have thought of.
THINK SAFE PLANNING
Contact your local area's system for figuring out where underground utilities are located. That's essential when landscaping around a palm tree.
You may think you know where they are. Yet, sometimes regulations exist about the distance some greenery may be planted. You'd want to know that.
Call one of your local utilities to ask about it.
Or you can google, as I've done for our yard: "find underground utilities in Tucson." I found out I can call a number for free service. Some try to get you to hire them, so be aware.
Don't Be Surprised by Finding These!
EVEN MORE UNDER THE GROUND
Be cautious about prior homeowner underground sprinkler, electrical or drain installations. A previous homeowner may not have shown you.
If there's a reason to suspect them in an area, then dig slowly and carefully.
THINK ABOUT TOOLS
Know the right way to use your tools. We recommend reading instructions. Already familiar with them? Remember your experiences that helped with safety.
With power tools, be sure cords aren't frayed. That plugs can be grounded.
Don't let power cords drag into wet areas.
Make Sure Your Tools Won't Be Shocking!
PREPARE TO WORK SAFELY
Wear eye protection when digging, raking, or placing plant/ground applications. Will you be stirring up dry soil, causing rising dust? Or using anything with toxic warning labels? Yuk! NO inhalation please...
Be sure to wear a disposable filtering mask.
Inhaling that stuff can cause lung problems. If not immediately, it's possible further down the road. (Believe me, We Know!) A typical work N-95 mask is best.
Who's That Masked Man? Someone Who's Being Smart, Doing Safe Work!
Avoid your gardening work when too tired. While you're working take intermittent rest breaks. Don't garden when drinking alcohol or influenced by sedating drugs.
Wanted to Do Landscaping - But Took a Nap Instead!
Landscaping With Palm Trees Ideas to Think About
Ideas for your designing will include a variety of pleasing compositional elements.Consider your whole yard's current plant placement. Along with the area's "geometry" or layout. Think of the natural flow of rain water.
Evaluate plant colors. Are you going for a formal or jungly type theme. Think of including the best tropical landscaping plants.
That's great if you live in tropical or subtropical zones. But if not, there are "tropical-looking" plants that are hardy to colder weather zones.
Let's get started. First remember to look at the current landscaping around your palm tree.
Is there grass growing right up to the trunk?
Or other plants?
NOT GOOD!
When you use lawn-care equipment like mowers, etc., the trunk can get small nicks. Tiny harmful bugs, or germs that cause disease can get inside the palm.
Or even nearby ground cover, tropical landscaping plants or flower beds. If they're just about hugging the palm's trunk. The nutritional needs aren't often the same.
Your lawn, cover plants & flower needs will probably be different. If you only think of those needs, the palm will suffer. It could even die!
But, if you attend to the palm's needs, surrounding plants may suffer a little. Or not at all.
The Palms in This Park Near Darwin Australia Could Be in Danger! Why oh Why?!
WHAT TO DO?
Remove an area of these plants surrounding your palm tree. About 3 feet outward. Then refill the area with mulch for an attractive look.
Chamaedorea cataractarum is from Oaxaca, Chiapas & Tabasco Mexico. Growing in rain forests by rivers & streams. Also called Cat Palm. Needs regular watering, loves humidity & full sun. Best in Zones 9b, 10 & 11.
Clustering palm whose stem forks just above ground. Growing about 6 feet tall, expanding to 10 feet wide.
Feathery, delicate looking pinnate fronds are dark green, about 12" long.
Yellow flowers along 1-1/2 foot branching inflorescence. Small 1/2" red or black fruits.
Guihaia argyrata is indigenous to southernmost China & northern Vietnam. It doesn't like full sun. Best in zones 8b to 11.
Grows slowly to about 3 foot tall. Hardy and tolerant. Not common in most nurseries. But can be found. You'll need to be accurate with its care.
Are you in the desert? Plant this where there's partial shade. Can tolerate momentary freezes. Needs well drained soil.
Gorgeously unique palmate frond comes off the node in a full 3' wide circle, like a starburst.
Range of dark green fronds on top, with contrasting light green vein. Underside's tan with a silvery glow. Upright florescence has tiny white flowers producing tiny round black fruit.
Chamaedorea microspadix originated in Mexico's Sierra Madre Oriental. It's a nice clumper! Very cold hardy. Maybe the best outside of tropical areas.
Gets 12 feet tall, spreading 8 feet wide. Very thin trunk struggles holding up long pinnate fronds. As they slump you view the dark green stem with intermittent white rings. Reminiscent of bamboo.
Another with dark green leaf top & silvery bottom. Tiny very light yellow flowers produce small orange-red fruit.
With severe cold it may die to the ground. But can regenerate!
Nannorrhops ritchiana is native to desert hillsides in the Middle East.
Good for Zones 8 to 11 & with watchfulness in 7. Quite low-temp tolerable in dry humidity areas
Also drought-hardy.
Slow growing, most get about 8' tall. It clumps, spreading about 8' wide.
Palmate fronds have thin wedge shapes tapering to points. Dusky blue-green color.
Not fussy about soils, but needs the sun.
Standing Pretty at the Botanischer Garten In Heidelberg Germany
Needle Palm
Rhapidophyllum hystrix endemic in specific areas of U.S. southeast. Naturally thrives in swampy lowlands, coastal plains & deciduous groves.
Slow grower. Needs moisture to survive.
It's having a difficult time. Collectors have retrieved wild plants. Wild reproduction isn't easily accomplished. With these other factors, it's now almost gone throughout original habitats.
If you come upon one, please keep these things in mind. It needs careful nurturing. Maxes out at 12 feet.
Serenoa repens is also original to parts of the southeastern U.S.
Naturally likes coastal sandy plains & dunes or nearby piney woods. Variable for sunlight, full to partial. Moisture adaptive too. Can grow out of control. Many Florida HOAs ban it!
Clustering trunk, below ground, it seems trunkless. It creeps outward to about 20', almost like ground cover. Slowly grows to 6' high.
Palmate fronds are waxy, silvery bluish-green color. White flowers on many branched 2-3' long inflorescence. Bees love them, making delish honey!
What Do You Think About Banning a Palm Tree? Our HOA Bans Certain Species! Many More Than Just One!!
Palms in Temperate Zones
Palm Designing for Yards in Non-tropical Areas
ADD CIRCULAR SPACE
This idea is to format a wide base around your palm tree, to add flexibility for the cold weather. Here are some steps:
First - Add a circumference of mulch around your tall palm tree's base. Extend it out about 2-3 feet.
Second - Place a row of curving pavers, circling beyond the mulch layer. They sell these in kits. You'll need to get measurements to figure out your needs. The outward depth could be about 2 feet.
You don't want them too close to the palm's trunk. That can cause them to buckle from palm trunk and/or root growth.
Third - Now add in further landscaping around your palm tree with small potted palms. Giving you seasonal flexibility. Remember the esthetic rule of 3 or 5 as best.
Bring them outside to sit on the paver base in the summer, for accenting purposes.
Bring them indoors near an appropriate window, when winter weather turns too cold.
Fourth - Maybe this seems a bit tacky or cheesy. But look into Fake Palm Trees?!
Another Landscaping Around A Palm Tree Trick
You can use other plant families that are palm look-alikes. Tropical looking Yuccas or Cyads.
Types of Indoor Palm Plants
Here are some palm plants you can try. If they'd be suitable for moving back & forth from your backyard to inside your home. When you bring them indoors look at placement. Remember to check lighting they'll get from nearby windows.
Sentry Palms
Cultivated Howea forsteriana can average 12+ feet. But potting can contain its growth.
Well loved for the arching stems. From which the tapered fronds flop downward.
When established, can endure short temp durations of 28oF (-2.2oC). But be cautious about that!
Lucuala grandis has gorgeous palmate circular fronds. Does well going from outside to inside. Don't let it dry out!
The crown contains most of the leaves. From 12+ gleaming green fronds.
Amidst which grow short flower stalks.
Tiny fruits are very red.
Find a Fabulous Pot for This Exquisite Type of Indoor Palm
Wedding Palm
Lytocaryum weddellianum is also called Miniature Coconut Palm. (But it's not in the Cocos genus!) Very stylish appearance.
Growing slowly, it only gets 6' tall. One reason it's good potted.
Pinnate fronds are dark green, with grayish hue below.
Lytocaryum weddellianum Can You Guess Why It's Nicknamed the Wedding Palm? Probably! Lives at the Naples Botanical Garden in Florida
Ivory Can Palm
Pinanga coronata needs good watering, with fast drainage.
New growth fronds appear pinkish, then turn green to dark green with age.
Likes partial sun.
An Ivory Cane Palm Grows at the McKee Botanical Garden In Vero Beach Forida
Lady Palm
Rhapis excelsa, mentioned above under: "Small Palms for Dryer Climates." That's where you'll find added Lady Palm Info.
Seems to do well under dubious circumstances.
It just pleads for bright light without strong sun & regular water.
Landscaping Around a Palm Tree Takeaways
There's a lot to think about for planning more landscaping around a palm tree. The key word is Planning! Along with imagination to visualize your end result.
Plant other palms? Plant palmy look-alikes? Plant small palms near the large one in a pleasing pattern. Plant other tropical plants?
Hope we gave you some helpful ideas for landscaping around a palm tree! To keep your focus plant from being lonely!
Landscaping with palm trees - ideas the best ways to create your own tropically beautiful yard! All the planning help you'd want to begin, revise or add.