18 Small or Dwarf Palm Trees: Perfect Addition To A Garden

Are you looking to add something new and different to your yard or garden space? Small or Dwarf palm trees are the perfect addition for your home. However, when it comes to choosing the ideal one, there are all kinds of things to consider like the size and climate. To make things easier, let’s read up about palm trees and their various types.

Why Plant Dwarf Palm Trees in Your Garden?

As opposed to decorating the garden or yard with ornamental beauty, palm trees are better.  These trees produce fruits and can be used to extract oil.  These evergreen trees offer your  garden greenery all year round.

Palm Tree Facts

Palm Trees are generally grown for offering a greener appearance and Palm products. For example, coconuts grow on palm trees and can be used to make oil. The smallest found Palm Tree is the dwarf palmetto, which is about 3 feet tall.  Their small size is considered perfect for planting them in the front yard.

Palm Tree Identification

Palm trees are often identified by their shape of their leaves, which are mainly 2 types: Pinnate (feather-like leaves) and Palmate (fan-like leaves). The other way to identify Palm Tree is by the shape of their trunk. Some tall Palm trees have long slender trunks, while small palm trees have a fat trunk. Other dwarf palm trees have slender, smooth trunks, which helps them provide a spiky appearance.

1. Pygmy date Palm

The Pygmy Date Palm, also known as Phoenix roebelenii, is a short palm tree that belongs to the Arecaceae Palm family. It does not grow taller than 10 ft and can be identified by looking at its stem. It generally consists of a single stem and has long, bushy leaves almost 3 ft in size. It is a perfect option for a subtropical landscape garden and provides excellent ornamental flowering throughout the year. You can also grow these small palm trees in containers. This palm tree also produces dates, but it is not as tasty as the dates that grow on larger trees.

2. Pindo Palm

Pindo Palm Trees are also known as Butia capitate and are classified as slow-growing small palm trees, which are perfect for residential landscapes. The Palm comes in the species of Cold-Hardy palms and require sunlight to thrive and are tolerant of most of the soil types. The fruits that the Pindo Palm trees produce are light orange or brown colour and generally used to create jelly – that is why it is also known as “Jelly Palm.” This small palm tree also produces attractive red and yellow flowers.

3. Triangle Palm

The Triangle Palm, also known as Dypsis decaryi palm has pinnate leaves that come out of a single trunk. This small palm tree is generally identified by its long, pinnate leaves and grows to a maximum height of 8 ft. One of the most attractive features about this tree is that the leaves are pointed out at 120 degrees, which helps in giving the tree a triangular shape. It is considered the perfect option for subtropical and tropical gardens and is an ideal backyard tree.

4. Mediterranean Dwarf Palm

The Mediterranean Dwarf Palm, known as Chamaerops humilis, consists of a few trunks that makes it looks like a shrub. They have silver-green fan shaped leaves.and is an evergreen Palm that can withstand different temperatures and provides a tropical look in all seasons.

5. Mazari Palm

The Mazari palm, also known as Nannorrhops ritchiana, is a cold- hardy bushy palm tree.  It has a fan-shaped leaf which is almost 4 ft. The leaves are silver-blue in color and have a long tapering in front of them, giving the palm a spiky look. Like other palm trees, the Mazari palm can also withstand different temperatures as it comes from a family of cold-hardy species.

6. Dwarf Majesty Palm

The Dwarf Majesty Palm, also known as Ravenea hildebrandtii, is a single trunk palm, considered to be one of the most popular short palm trees. The trunk of the Dwarf Majesty Palm tree is slender in shape, and its thickness is about 3,” and the maximum height it attains is almost 8 ft. It consists of dark green colored leaves that  grow upto a size of almost 3 ft, and more than 100 leaves grow in a single stem. Due to its miniature size, the Dwarf Majesty Palm tree can be planted both indoors and outdoors.

7. Christmas Palm Tree

Also known as Adonidia merrillii, the Christmas palm tree is said to be one the ideal options when choosing a small one. It is tiny in height when compared to other coconut palm trees. According to the reports, the Christmas Palm Tree is the most popular choice as an ornamental type of palm. It can grow upto a maximum height of 25 ft, but some of them can only grow upto 15 ft. It produces large leaves from the top of the stem and provides a fantastic look of green foliage.

8. Bottle Palm Tree

The Bottle Palm Tree,  also known as Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, has a thick bottle-shaped short fat trunk. One can easily identify this palm tree as it is swollen at the base and grows up to 12 ft.

The Bottle Palm Trees are found in Florida and Canada ; and can be grown in containers, but must be kept inside the house during the winters.

9. Dwarf Sugar Palm (Arenga engleri)

The Dwarf Sugar Palm is a multi-stemmed small palm tree that can grow to a maximum height of 8 ft. It has a clumping growth, which results in the creation of a bushy palm. It can be easily identified by its green leaves, which grow out of the ground. According to most people, the Dwarf Sugar Palm is the best landscaping palm tree for a small front or backyard.

10. Saw Palmetto (Serena)

Like the Dwarf Sugar Palm, Saw Palmetto is also a bushy type of palm tree with fanning leaves.  They can grow upto a maximum height of 10 ft, and they tend to grow in clusters. Saw Palmetto is a multi-stem palm tree with a bushy appearance and can also grow in containers. The palm trees have multiple stems that are growing from the ground. You can plant the Saw Palmetto in a container to provide a dramatic look to your backyard.

11. Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus Fortunei)

The Windmill Palm is a small, growing, and very hardy palm tree that can grow upto a height of 20 ft. They provide a beautiful look in the backyard or garden. The name Windmill Palm is derived from its windmill form, which is created by the trunk’s crown. You can easily plant them in containers and place them in the patio or deck area. It is recommended to plant the Windmill Palm in a shady place.

12. Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)

The Sago Palm is not considered a true type of palm tree as it is a cycad plant with the same growth and appearance as a palm tree. Sago Palms are very short and can grow upto a height of 20 ft. The Sago Palm has a shaggy trunk that produces green feather-like leaves growing in a rosette pattern. It can easily withstand different temperatures. It can tolerate low temperatures upto 14 degrees F, so it is considered a popular choice for small landscapes and gardens.

13. Needle Palm (Rhapidophyllum Hystrix)

The Needle Palm Tree is one of the best small palm trees with a shrub-like palm and consists of short trunks growing from the ground. One can identify the palms with their needle- like spikes that enable them to withstand cold temperatures upto 5 degrees F. They can also grow very well in containers and can be used as ornamental trees or specimen plants. The Needle Palm can grow upto a height of 6 ft and spread upto a width of 8 ft.

14. Cat Palm (Chamaedorea Cataractarum)

The Cat Palm is a multi-stemmed palm tree with a bushy appearance, and the multiple stems are growing from the ground. They can grow upto a height of 6.5 ft. The Cat Palm has dark, green-colored leaves, which form dense palm foliage. This palm tree requires bright sunlight to thrive. It can also be used as a privacy hedge in a tropical garden due to its short stature. They can also be grown well in the container.

15. Florida Thatch Palm (Thrinax Radiata)

The Florida Thatch Palm is a significantly commonly grown palm tree that has a slender stem. The leaves are present at the top of the stem in the form of a canopy. The Florida Thatch Palm tree can grow upto a height of 20 ft.

The Florida Thatch Palms are very popular residential landscape palms in many states. They are perfect for coastal areas where the wind is high because these palm trees are sensitive to cold.

16. Triangle Palm Tree

As the name suggests, The Triangle Palm Tree is a triangle-shaped small palm tree. Its scientific name is Dypsis decaryi. It has a very short trunk, and all the leaves are growing on it, constituting a triangle shape.

The Triangle Palm Tree can grow upto a maximum height of 8 ft. The Triangle Palm Tree is an evergreen tree that can gloom all year long if taken under the right conditions. You can plant this palm tree as an ornamental piece or an accent plant. It does not require very high maintenance and can also withstand different temperatures.

17. Coontie Palm

The Coontie Palm tree, also known as Zamia floridana, is a low growing tree that looks like a palm tree.

It is not  your typical type of palm tree as it is a cycad plant with the same growth and appearance as a palm tree.

The Coontie Palm tree can grow upto a height of 8 ft and has a rounded growth habit. The Coontie Palm are more like bushes rather than stems.

The Coontie Palm tree is considered an excellent palm tree for greyhound covering, edging, etc.

Palm Tree Care

Short Palm Trees are very demanding when compared to other houseplants. There are only a few things which you must care about – Light, Soil, Water, Humidity and Temperature.

Light

Almost all the different kinds of palm trees thrive in bright light. But you must make sure that the trees do not receive too much direct sunlight as it will result in burning the leaves. You must place the palm tree in such a location where it receives morning and evening sunlight.

Soil

Soil plays a vital role in the growth of palm trees. A combination of peat moss and leaf mold is ideal for the growth of palm trees. You can also use regular potting soil. You must make sure that the soil you are using drains well and holds some moisture.

Water

While adding water, you must make sure that you only water your palm when the soil’s top is dried out.

Humidity

Most palm trees require high humidity to thrive because they are evergreen plants. You can use a commercial humidifier for your palm trees to provide enough humidity to them.

Temperature

Temperature plays an essential role in the growth of palm trees. According to research, average room temperatures are considered ideal for the growth of indoor palm trees.

Final Words

If you have a small backyard and are thinking of planting a tree, small palm trees and some rare flowers are the best options. There are various kinds of small and dwarf palm trees that you can choose from.

That is all for this article. We have discussed some of the best small palm trees used in the backyard for ornamental purposes.

I hope you find this article useful, and if you have any queries regarding any palm tree, you can paste it in the comment section below.