[Randolf Kendall]

Besides the native Florida Royal Palm there is also
the native ●Cherry Palm: ⇩



Both of these Florida natives are feather palms and certainly
heavy-weight contenders when pitted against the native
Florida Cabbage Palm.

● pseudophoenix sargentii

[Hawaii4evr]

Why not plant both? Have the palms more in shopping centers and neighborhoods, the other trees can just be left alone. SoCal has plenty of palm trees planted everywhere, but still has native scrub and bushes everywhere in the wilderness.

[OldGregg]

Originally Posted by tallrick

The rule with palm trees is simple, the palmate ( hand shaped) leaves are on hardy trees which can exist even with short freezing spells. The pinnate (feather leaved) palms are tropical only and good along coastal areas but inland only as far as Orlando historically. None of them are native to Florida. The palmetto is a low growing palm with a trunk no more than 6 inches thick. They usually fall over once surpassing 10 feet tall. The Sabal Palm ( state tree) can grow to heights of 50 feet and is extremely common in undeveloped areas. There are several varieties of native pine, including longleaf, slash and sand pine ( my favorite) unique to the different elevations of Florida. The live Oak is common as it's an extremely tough tree that grows fast only under ideal conditions. All Florida trees except palms are quite messy and the lazy people who buy new homes don't want to pick up leaves, or have bird **** on their new cars. Older Floridians without the air conditioners appreciated the relief that existing trees would give. Palm trees do little to shade from the burning tropical sun, so just use them in addition to real trees

Your rule with palm trees is wrong.

Pinnate palms such as Queen palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana), Canary Island Date Palms (Phoenix canariensis), True Date Palm/Medjool (Phoenix dactylifera) and Pindo palm (Butia capitata), among others, are not a tropical, just like the palmate Cabbage, Sabal minor, Needle and Saw palmetto palms that are native to the SE US. Likewise with the two palmate Washingtonias (native to North America), Chinese Fan palm, Windmills, Mediterranean aka European fan palm... there are loads of palms that are not tropical. Some are more cold hardy than others.

It's incorrect to go by palmate/pinnate for cold hardiness and although South Florida has tropical plants it's still not the tropics.

Sabal minor (aka palmetto) stay short and small while S. minor 'Louisiana' (aka Palmetto) get up to a 6-8 foot trunk. Another native palm all the way to eastern Louisiana, Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), can get as tall as 8 feet. There is a green variety and a blue variety.

[OldGregg]

Originally Posted by TANaples

I live on a golf course, but don't play golf. What I have noticed that although there certainly are palm trees around, they are not planted close to the greens. They planted native trees, with leaves, near the greens.

I guess the reason for that is probably when the little leaves fall down, it is no big deal. When those palms dry up and fall, they would need a cart to come take them away. Imagine a golfer having to pick them up and move them to take a shot?

Yes, it's terrible. They're so heavy... not.

[OldGregg]

Originally Posted by sunrico90

According to the Florida Gardener most palms are non native to Florida, the following is the only one I found:
Needle Palm

The Needle Palm is a very hardy palm to zone 8. While it grows natively in the understory of rich hardwood forests, it can be adapted to full sun and makes an interesting specimen plant. The Needle Palm is native to the Southeastern United States. Of the tribe Corypheae, and subfamily Coryphoideae it is also known by the botanic name Rhapidophyllum hystrix.



Florida Palm Tree Index

There are 11 kinds of palms native to Florida (all are palmate unless stated):

Sabal palmetto aka Cabbage palm
Sabal minor aka Blue or Dwarf palmetto
Sabal etonia aka Scrub palmetto
Serenoa repens aka Saw palmetto
Rhapidophyllum hystrix aka Needle palm
Roystonea elata aka Royal palm (pinnate/feather) Roystonea regia aka Cuban Royal palm is thought to be native to Florida as well
Thrinax radiata aka Thatch palm
Leucothrinax morrisii aka Keys Thatch palm
Coccothrinax argentata aka Florida Silver palm
Pseudophoenix sargentii aka Buccaneer palm (pinnate/feather)
Acoelorrhaphe wrightii aka Paurotis/Everglades palm

[OldGregg]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

Once you get west of about Port St. Joe in the panhandle, the only native palm species is palmetto. It's something to do with soil conditions not being quite right for them to spread in their own, though they do well if planted after they've grown some.

Not true.

Sabal minor, Needle palm and Saw palmetto all grow from Florida to throughout Louisiana.

[OldGregg]

Originally Posted by FSUMike

Keep the native trees. If you want to plant some Sabals, good. But I hate seeing these ugly, out of place tropical palms in North Florida when they are native to the Caribbean! Florida is not the Caribbean. Keep the tropical palms in South Florida. We'll keep our oaks and pines.

Tropical palms don't grow in North Florida.

[Miserable Midwest]

Originally Posted by OldGregg

Roystonea regia aka Cuban Royal palm is thought to be native to Florida as well

Is it? I wasn't aware of that.