Palm Tree Types and Common Names
Palm trees are among the most widely used landscape plants in Australia. From tropical gardens in Far North Queensland to coastal landscapes in Victoria and even sheltered gardens in Tasmania, there is a palm suitable for almost every climate.
Available in a huge range of sizes and forms, palm trees can be used as feature plants, screening plants, avenue plantings or indoor specimens. Some grow into towering landscape trees while others remain compact and are perfect for courtyards, patios and containers.
Foliage varies enormously between species, with colours ranging from bright green through to silver-blue, while trunks can be smooth, ringed, colourful or crowned with distinctive crownshafts.
One of the major reasons palms remain so popular is their ability to instantly create a tropical or resort-style feel in the garden.
Types of Palm Trees
Palm trees are generally divided into two main groups based on leaf structure.
Fan Palms (Palmate)
Fan palms have leaves that spread from a central point like a fan.
Popular examples include:
- Bismarck Palm
- Licuala grandis
- Australian Fan Palm
- Lady Palm
- Fiji Fan Palm
Fan palms are often chosen for their bold architectural appearance.
Feather Palms (Pinnate)
Feather palms have leaflets arranged along a central stem, giving a feather-like appearance.
Popular examples include:
- Foxtail Palm
- Golden Cane Palm
- Queen Palm
- Bangalow Palm
- Kentia Palm
These are among the most commonly planted palms in Australian landscapes.
Choosing the Right Palm Tree
Before purchasing a palm tree, consider several important characteristics.
Self-Cleaning Palms Trees.
Self-cleaning palms naturally shed old fronds as they age. This reduces maintenance requirements and prevents the build-up of dead fronds around the trunk.
Popular self-cleaning palms include:
- Foxtail Palm
- Carpentaria Palm
- Alexandra Palm
- Christmas Palm
Armed or Unarmed Palms
Some palms have sharp spines on leaf stems or trunks.
This becomes particularly important when planting near pathways, swimming pools or children’s play areas.
Examples of armed palms include:
- Macaw Palm
- Canary Island Date Palm
- Pygmy Date Palm
Climate Conditions
Climate is one of the most important factors when selecting a palm.
Some species require tropical conditions year-round, while others cope well with cool winters and light frost.
Foliage and Trunk Characteristics
Palm foliage ranges from finely textured feather leaves to bold fan-shaped foliage.
Trunks can also vary greatly:
- Smooth grey trunks
- Ringed trunks
- Colourful crownshafts
- Swollen trunks such as Bottle Palm
- Multiple stems in clumping species
Best Palm Trees by Climate Zones
Tropical Palm Trees
Best suited to northern Australia and frost-free regions.
Popular choices include:
- Coconut Palm
- Lipstick Palm
- Foxtail Palm
- Carpentaria Palm
- Solitaire Palm
Subtropical Palm Trees
Suitable for coastal New South Wales and south-east Queensland.
Popular choices include:
- Bangalow Palm
- Golden Cane Palm
- Macarthur Palm
- Triangle Palm
- Kentia Palm
Cold Hardy Palm Trees
Suitable for southern Australia including Melbourne, Adelaide and some parts of Tasmania.
Popular choices include:
- European Fan Palm
- Jelly Palm
- Canary Island Date Palm
- Lady Palm
- Bismarck Palm
Indoor Palm Trees
Excellent choices for indoor growing include:
- Kentia Palm
- Lady Palm
- Golden Cane Palm
- Bamboo Palm
- Ruffled Fan Palm
Best Palm Trees for Australian Landscapes
Some of the most popular palm tree varieties grown in Australia include:
- Cuban Royal Palm
- Foxtail Palm
- Bismarck Palm
- Carpentaria Palm
- Christmas Palm
- Triangle Palm
- Teddy Bear Palm
- Golden Cane Palm
- Macarthur Palm
- Kentia Palm
- Bangalow Palm
- Lady Palm
- Australian Fan Palm
- Australian Cabbage Palm
Each offers different foliage, growth rates and climate preferences.
Palm Trees A–Z With Common Names
A – C
- Acrocomia aculeata – Spiny Royal Palm, Macaw Palm
- Archontophoenix alexandrae – Alexandra Palm
- Archontophoenix cunninghamiana – Bangalow Palm
- Areca triandra – Triandra Palm
- Arenga tremula – Dwarf Sugar Palm
- Bismarckia nobilis – Bismarck Palm
- Brahea dulcis – Rock Palm, Sombrero Palm
- Butia capitata – Jelly Palm
- Carpentaria acuminata – Carpentaria Palm
- Caryota mitis – Clustering Fishtail Palm
- Chamaedorea metallica – Metallic Palm
- Chamaedorea seifrizii – Bamboo Palm
- Clinostigma savoryanum – Pacific Beauty Palm
- Cocos nucifera – Coconut Palm
D – L
- Dypsis baronii – White Crownshaft Palm
- Dypsis decaryi – Triangle Palm
- Dypsis leptocheilos – Teddy Bear Palm
- Dypsis lutescens – Golden Cane Palm
- Howea forsteriana – Kentia Palm
- Hyophorbe lagenicaulis – Bottle Palm
- Laccospadix australasica – Atherton Palm
- Latania loddigesii – Blue Latan Palm
- Licuala grandis – Ruffled Fan Palm
- Licuala ramsayi – Australian Fan Palm
- Livistona australis – Australian Cabbage Palm
M – Z
- Normanbya normanbyi – Queensland Black Palm
- Phoenix canariensis – Canary Island Date Palm
- Phoenix roebelenii – Pygmy Date Palm
- Pritchardia pacifica – Fiji Fan Palm
- Ptychosperma elegans – Solitaire Palm
- Ptychosperma macarthurii – Macarthur Palm
- Ravenea rivularis – Majestic Palm
- Rhapis excelsa – Lady Palm
- Roystonea regia – Cuban Royal Palm
- Sabal minor – Dwarf Palmetto
- Syagrus romanzoffiana – Queen Palm
- Thrinax parviflora – Mountain Thatch Palm
- Veitchia merrillii – Christmas Palm
- Wodyetia bifurcata – Foxtail Palm
- Zamia furfuracea – Cardboard Palm
- Zombia antillarum – Zombie Palm
WHERE TO BUY
685 Mickleham Rd, GreenVale,Vic 3059
Grass trees, palms, ferns, bromeliads, cycads, cordylines, yucca, bannanas, birds of paradise, succulents, dracaenas, ponytails, for all gardens sizes from small to large landscaped gardens. Advanced Date Palms available.
www.palmnursery.com.au/index.htm
email [email protected]
One of Australia's largest wholesale trade nurseries. Over 30,000 species available, tubestock to advanced trees, an almost unlimited choice of plants.
www.plantmark.com.au
Phone: 0411 435 314
Online Retailer of Landscaping Plants, large quantities of small pot sizes up to advanced sizes & plant Sourcing.
SYDNEY | NORTHERN NSW | GOLD COAST | BRISBANE | MELBOURNE | ADELAIDE
www.egardens.com.au
Palm Tree Seeds
The cheapest way to grow palm trees is from palm tree seed. A variety of species have seed readily available, some are easy to germinate and grow on, others are more difficult.
It is important to not that viability of palm tree seeds will vary greatly between species. Some need to be very fresh, others hold viability for longer once harvested. Seeds need to properly stored and packed for posting.
Look for experienced seed collectors for the best results.
Seeds are a way of growing many plants as cheaply as possible. As most palm trees are not hybrids they come true from seeds. Many sellers recommend using a smoke germinator to improve germination rates. Consult with the seller before purchasing.
Available for sale from specialist Palm tree seed collectors it is important to ensure that seeds are fresh and have been properly cleaned.
A wide range of palm tree seeds including Kentia and Bangalow Palms can be ordered online. Seed germination techniques for palm trees include simple seed beds and bag techniques.
ANGUSPROSEED: SEEDS – PALMS, PALMS ALIKE , EAST COAST AUSTRALIA Seed Collecting By : Angus Schofield [email protected] PH +61 412147557 Specializing Kentias, Atrovirens, Bangalow, Lomandras, Burawang, Unusual Trees, Natives Sth Coast NSW.