Planting Palms

Palms add that tropical feel to your landscape and are beautiful year-round. You can choose from many varieties, and some of them can be grown throughout the state.

When adding a palm tree to your landscape, it’s important that you plant it at the exact depth that it was growing in its previous container. Although container-grown palms can be planted any time of the year, the best time to plant field-grown palms is during the early summer, when the soil is warm and rainfall is frequent.

Be patient; your newly planted palm won’t look like it’s growing much the first year, because most of its energy will be channeled into growing roots. Be sure to water frequently during the first few months, then fertilize it four times per year with a palm fertilizer.

UF/IFAS Sites

• Palm Production and Maintenance at the Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center

UF/IFAS Publications

• Ornamental Palms for Central Florida
• Ornamental Palms for South Florida
• Palm Care: Maintenance, Nutrition and More
• Palms for North Florida
• Topics: Palms
• Transplanting Palms

Also on Gardening Solutions

• Palms and Cycads
• Planting and Establishing Trees