Accession Count: 28
Common Name:
queen palm
Family Name:
Arecaceae
Botanical Name:
Syagrus romanzoffiana
Sub Species:
Variety:
Forma:
Cultivar:
Characteristics:
Syagrus romanzoffiana, commonly known as the queen palm, grows to about 30 feet tall. At the top of the tree is the crown, where leaf-like appendages called fronds extend out and form the canopy. The fronds can each grow 10 to 15 feet in length, and have leaflets that grow two feet long. The green foliage of the queen palm is only found growing at the crown, at the top of its single grey trunk (1,2). S. romanzoffiana does not produce flowers, although it does drop plenty of bright orange dates that grow in clusters within the canopy (2).
Compound:
Sya rom
Geographic Origin:
South America
Ecozone Origin:
Neotropic
Biome Origin:
Natural History:
The queen palm originates from tropical regions of South America. Although S. romanzoffianais not native to North America it has been introduced in the United States, commonly used in Florida and California (1,2).
Cultivation Notes:
The fast growing queen palm does not tolerate poor soils very well, especially alkaline soils which can cause nutrient deficiencies. The tree grows best in acidic soils, and should be well-drained, fertilized regularly, and treated with additional iron to prevent chlorosis (1,2). The moderate drought tolerance of S. romanzoffiana makes watering necessary only two to four times at month. Full sun exposure is ideal, but it can grow well is reflected sun also. The leaves of this semi-hardy tree are damaged at temperatures below 25oF, but have been known to recover from freezes of around 20oF. Hot, dry winds are also known to damage the leaf-like fronds (1).
Ethnobotany:
S. romanzoffiana is one of the more recognized palm trees used in he United States. The tropical effect created by this tree makes it popular for mini-oasis landscapes, especially when planted near a pool or patio. In regions of California and Florida, the queen palm is used extensively in public landscapes; in parking lot islands, along streets and sidewalks, and in residential lawns (1,2). As the palm tree grows the fronds will die and remain on the tree until they are pruned. Pruning the dead fronds promotes the growth of new foliage and gives the tree a much cleaner look. The large quantity of dates that drop from the canopy create another maintenance requirement, as they leave a large mess and can eventually lead to unwanted seedlings (1,2).
Height:
20 - 50 feet
Width:
20 - 50 feet
Growth Rate:
Fast Growing
Grow Season:
Flower Season:
Color:
Function:
Patio
Spread:
Non-spreading
Allergen:
Non-allergenic
Invasive:
Benign
Toxicity:
Benign
Hardy:
Semi-hardy
Water Use:
Moderate Water Use
Citations:
1. Duffield, Mary Rose., and Warren D. Jones.
Plants For Dry Climates - How To Select, Grow And Enjoy. Lane Publishing Company, 1992.
