The easiest palms to care for are ones considered “self-cleaning.”
This means they drop old fronds onto the ground and all you have to do is pick them up and haul them to the curb for yard trash pick-up.
Self-cleaning palms are solitary, naturally growing just one lovely trunk. But they are often planted in multiples so you can have a two- or three-trunk palm. These palms have smooth gray trunks with fronds on top.
Adonidia (“Christmas Palm”)
For more info, see Page on Adonidia Palm
Alexander Palm
- Grows 20' to 25'
- Moderate grower
- Full to part sun
- Moderately drought tolerant
- Comes in singles, doubles, triples
- Zone 10
For more info, see the Plant Page on Alexander Palm
Foxtail Palm
- Grows to 30'
- Fast grower
- Full to part sun
- Moderately salt tolerant
- Moderately drought tolerant
- Comes in singles, doubles, triples
- Zone 10
For more info, see the Plant Page on Foxtail Palm
Piccabeen Palm Tree
- Grows to 30'
- Moderate grower
- Full sun to part shade
- Comes in singles, doubles, triples
- Moderately cold hardy
- Zone 9B (warmer areas) – Zone 10
For more info, call, text or email Plant It Tampa Bay
Royal Palm Tree
- Grows to 80'
- Moderate grower
- Full to part sun
- Moderately salt tolerant
- Moderately drought tolerant
- Zone 10
For more info, call, text or email Plant It Tampa Bay
Then there are palms that grow trunks but don't shed their dead
fronds...at least, not right away.
The fronds die and turn brown and stay on some palms as a “petticoat” for quite a while. To keep the palm looking its best, you'll have to cut off dead fronds.
In some cases, you'll want to remove the bases of old fronds (called “boots”) to clean up the trunk. These will eventually fall off on their own, or you can clean up the trunk once or twice a year.
Bottle Palm
- Grows to 10'
- Slow grower
- Full to part sun
- Salt tolerant
- Drought tolerant
- Zone 10
For more info, see the Plant Page on Bottle Palm
Chinese Fan
- grows to 25'
- slow grower
- grows wide and low to ground when young
- full sun to part shade
- drought tolerant
- moderately salt tolerant
- cold hardy
- Zones 9-10
For more info, see the Plant Page on Chinese Fan Palm
Pygmy Date
- grows to 12'
- slow grower
- full sun to part shade
- comes in singles, doubles, triples
- moderately cold hardy
- Zone 9B (protected area) – Zone 10
For more info, see the Plant Page on Pygmy Date Palm
Silver Bismarck
- grows to 30'
- slow grower
- full to part sun
- drought tolerant
- moderately salt tolerant
- Zone 10 (warmer areas Zone 9B)
For more info, see the Plant Page on Silver Bismarck Palm
Spindle
- grows to 20'
- slow grower
- full to part sun
- drought tolerant
- salt tolerant
- moderately cold hardy
- Zone 9B (protected areas) – Zone 10
For more info, see the Plant Page on Spindle Palm
Windmill
- grows to 10' to 12'
- slow grower
- full sun to part shade
- drought tolerant
- cold hardy
- Zones 9-10
For more info, see the Plant Page on Windmill Palm
If you prefer a clustering palm, which grows many shoots, you may have to re- move yellowed or browned fronds now and then. Clustering palms take up more room than other palms.
Areca
- grows to 15' to 20'
- slow to moderate grower
- sun or shade (best color with some shade)
- moderately salt tolerant
- Zone 10
NOTE: If grown in full sun, may require extra fertilization For more info, see the Plant Page on Areca Palm
Arenga
- grows to 8' tall
- slow grower
- sun or shade (best color with some shade)
- cold hardy
- Zone 9B-10
For more info, see the Plant Page on Arenga Palm
Lady
- grows to 8' to 10'
- slow grower
- sun or shade (partial to full shade is best)
- moderately salt tolerant
- moderately cold hardy
- Zone 9B (protected area) – Zone 10
For more info, see the Plant Page on Lady Palm