Cuban Royal Palm
Roystonea regia
Cuban Royal Palm
Urban Forest Tree Walk
Scientific name:
Roystonea regia
Where to find it:
The royal palm is a large majestic palm that is native to south Florida and Cuba. It is considered cold hardy to about 28°F or USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 10A. This species quickly grows to heights of 50–70 ft., with a spread of 20–25 ft., and has a smooth light gray trunk up to 2 ft. in diameter.
It is ideal for landscaping streets, parks, and commercial properties, but becomes too large for typical residential landscapes. The bases of royal palm leaves are tightly overlapping and form a smooth green five-foot-high region above the trunk called the "crownshaft." Royal palms are considered self-cleaning: naturally dying old leaves will cleanly drop off by themselves, at a rate of about one leaf per month.
Inflorescences consisting of hundreds of tiny cream-colored flowers are followed in late summer by dark red to black fruits that are readily consumed by birds and thus widely dispersed.
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