Approximately 50 varieties of palms could be successfully grown in the central
The Species
A classification system is set up for a practical grouping of palms based on past experience of growing each species in this region and on their absolute minimum survival temperatures. In each of the following pages are links beside each species that links you directly to a page on another website that describes or illustrates the species. The abbreviations used for the links are as follows: PACSOA--Palm and Cycad Societies of Australia (good source of pictures), RPS--rarepalmseeds.com, VPE--Virtual Palm Encyclopedia, and UF/IFAS--University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (links directly to their fact sheet pdf document). The first link is usually the one with the most information and Floridata gives you plenty of information about the species it covers.
As a side note, experience has shown that clustering palms (those that form multiple trunks) are good investments as they reliably return from the roots after the stems are killed to the ground by an unusually cold spell, so go for clustering palms that are otherwise not fully hardy for the area. Such palms are included in the reliable group. The
Where can I go to see palms?
Best places on the Gulf Coast to see a wide variety of palms are our members' gardens. So, plan on attending the next meeting and prepare to be "wowed."
Beachside communities are good places to see a nice variety, but keep in mind that those areas are significantly warmer than areas farther inland. Marginal palms such as the pygmy date palms get through our winters unscathed on the immediate coast while those planted farther inland get burned most winters.
Older parts of Gulf Coast cities are excellent places to see some impressive old specimens. Mature colonies of naturalized cabbage palms, towering Canary Island date palms, and tall pindo palms grace those parts of our region.
Where can I acquire palms around here?
Local nurseries specializing in palms are good places to start since they know what grows here. If you feel brave enough, you can venture into the Big-Box stores such as Lowes and Home Depot, but be sure you know what you are buying. A lot of them do offer a good variety of hardy palms for our area. Of special mention is the exciting assortment of hardy palms that Home Depot is now offering from MorningStar Nursery in Lake Worth, Florida. Visit the one near you and check it out!
A list of the local palm nurseries is currently being complied and will be published here soon.