Types of Palm Trees with Identification Guide (Pictures and Names) 

Palm Trees have managed to make a home in many houses and surrounding areas as it stands as the symbol of Victory, Peace, and Fertility. They are often observed in parks, gardens, and other such areas. There are around more than 2600 species of palm trees, each having its unique presence. Palm trees are mostly found living in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions. A two-thirds fraction of the palm trees live in the Tropical region.

The leaves of the palm trees are evergreen and quite long, thin, and pointed. Palm trees grow to incredible sizes, but few also have stunted growth. Few palm trees grow up to 75ft. (22m) to 100ft. (30m) tall, while others are 6 to 9 ft. (1.8m to 2.7m) tall. Most of the palm trees are straight and are with unbranched stems, but we occasionally find a branching stem.

Palm trees have held significant importance since the olden times. It was always used to celebrate victory and was the representation of good over evil. In today’s modern world, palm trees are a representation of tropical Islands and vacations.

Special features of the Palm Trees:

Palm trees have held an impressive presence since the very old times. Their structure, growing pattern, and symbolic holy meanings make them the most planted trees indoors and outdoors.

Few palm trees live up to centuries or even more than that. It does not occupy a central place in the planted area. It generally grows around the coastal region, and therefore we see a lot of palm trees at the coasts.

The straight growing trunk, fan-shaped/feather-like leaves are the prime reasons for its attractions. Palm trees have three different types of leaves, and they are listed below: –

1. Palmate
2. Pinnate
3. Costapalmate 

Similarly, there are three different types of trunks, and they are as followed: –

1. Single / tall / slender trunk
2. Short and fat trunks
3. Three or four short trunks 

Palm trees are significant sources of staples like Coconut and Dates. It is assumed that the maximum height to which a palm tree can grow is 197 feet. The Coco De Mer palm tree has the largest seed of any other plant on the earth.

Apart from that, it holds religious values and morals too. A sense of calmness, happiness, and satisfaction seems to be emitting from the palm tree.

Date palm trees, Coconut palm trees, Cabbage palm trees, Chinese Fan palm trees, Christmas palm trees, and many more are few exciting varieties of palm trees that are well known.

Most Amazing Varieties of Palm Trees

1. Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera)

Date Palm Trees are generally assumed to be originated from Iraq. It has been the Staple food and the primary source of wealth to the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East. Date palm trees generally grow in the Canary Islands, Northern Africa, The Middle East, Pakistan, India, Mexico, and the U.S. state of California.

Date Palm Trees grow up to 75ft. (23 m) tall. Its leaves spread around about 16ft. (5m) long. The palm trees bear both the male and the female flowers on separate plants. They begin to bear fruits within 4 to 5 years, but full-fledged fruits are born when they reach 10 to 15 years.

Date palm trees live up to 150 years, but their fruit-bearing gradually stops. So, they are not used for an extended period in the commercial sector. These date palm trees are used for several purposes, from making furniture to syrup to alcohol to beverages, and many more.

2. Coconut Palm Tree

The other well-known palm tree that is extensively found in the Coconut Palm Tree. It is mainly found around the sea area. The coconut palm tree belongs to the family of Arecaceae. Coconuts most probably originated somewhere in Indo-Malaya. It grows around 80 ft. (25m) tall. Its leaves are feather-like and 4-6m long. The fruit borne by the coconut palm tree is called a Coconut, which is extensively used by the people around.

Coconuts obtained from the palm tree are used for various purposes. People use coconut oil as a hair oil and cooking oil. People majorly use coconut milk during cooking. Since the coconut’s outer layer is hard, it is also used to make crafts and other related stuff. From making baskets to using them for making beverages, coconuts from coconut palm trees are widely used.

3. Cabbage Palm Tree (Sabal Palmetto)

Cabbage Palm Tree or Sabal Palmetto Tree is a part of the Palm family tree often found in the Southeastern U.S. and the West Indies. It is named the state tree of both Florida and South Carolina. 

These palm trees grow up to 80ft. (24m) tall. They have fan-shaped leaves, which are generally 3-4m long. They grow straight in the upward direction. These palm trees’ leaves are generally used to make mats and baskets and sometimes also stiff brushes.

The flowers of the Cabbage or Sabal palm trees are bisexual and have fragrances. The fruits are smooth, round, and shiny and are monocot.

4. Chinese Fan Palm Trees (Livistona Chinensis)

Chinese Fan Palm Trees or Livistona Chinensis belongs to the family of Arecaceae and is assumed to have originated from Japan, Taiwan, and Southern China. Chinese fan palm trees are also termed as the staple tree in places like Hawaii, Bermuda, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and many other places.

Chinese palm trees are generally spread to vast areas and found almost at significant parks and gardens. People also grow the Chinese palm trees in their garden area as it symbolizes peace and happiness. The height of the Chinese palm tree generally grows up to 15m tall. Its leaves spread around 1m long. The fruit is generally round with a fleshy covering and turns black or blue on ripening.

5. Christmas Palm Tree (Adonidia Merrillii)

The Christmas Palm Tree or Adonidia Merrillii (the scientific name) is the most well-known palm tree in Florida. People call it with different names like Royal Palm Tree, Dwarf Royal Palm Tree, and many more, but none of the names can justify the grace and peace that its presence brings. Christmas palm trees are a significant addition to the home decor for most people of the globe.

The Christmas palm tree belongs to the family of Arecaceae. It is assumed to be native to the Philippines’ small islands located towards the north of Malaysia and Indonesia. The leaves of the tree are deep green and 5-6ft. Long. The flowers of the trees are unisexual and are initially light green and then turn creamy blossom. The Christmas palm trees generally grow up to 25ft tall.

6. Triangle Palm Tree

Triangle Palm Tree or Dypsis decaryi gets its name as triangle due to the tree forms’ triangular structure on fully grown. Its unique structure complements the place where the tree is grown. 

The Triangle Palm tree belongs to the family of Arecaceae and is said to be a native to Madagascar Island. The tree grows straight and in an upright manner. The leaves are just pinnate spreading around 10ft long and 3ft wide.

The Triangle Palm trees generally produce yellowish-green flowers. Both the male and female flowers are born on the same plant. The palm trees continue to bloom throughout the year. The Triangle Palm grows up to 10-20 ft. tall and 10-15ft wide.

7. Windmill Palm Tree (Trachycarpus Fortunei)

The Windmill Palm Tree or Trachycarpus Fortunei generally can grow up to 66ft. Tall. The tree is said to be the native of China, Japan, India, and Myanmar. It belongs to the family of Arecaceae.

The flowers are generally yellow and greenish. Yellow is the male flower, while greenish is the female one. Windmill palm tree is used in gardens and parks, but it is also used to make sacks and ropes. The Windmill Palm is one of the hardiest palms.

8. Lady Palm Tree (Rhapis Excelsa)

The Lady palm tree grows up to 3-12 feet long with broad and dark pointy green leaves that complement the house or the garden look. The leaves of the plants are generally fan-shaped and spread around 15 to 20cms wide. When the lady palm tree is grown outdoors, its height can also reach 6-12 feet.

The origin of the lady’s palm is assumed to be from China. It is also said that Japan in earlier days used to plant these trees around the palaces to ward off evil intentions.

9. Ponytail Palm Tree (Beaucarnea Recurvata)

The Ponytail palm tree is also known as the Bottle palm tree or elephant foot tree. It enhances the beauty of the area planted. The ponytail is neither considered to be a tree nor a palm tree. It is succulent. 

It belongs to the family of Asparagaceae. Its natives are assumed to be Tamaulipas, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosí towards the eastern side of Mexico. The Ponytail palm tree grows up to 15 feet 6 inches (4.72 m). Its leaves spread up to 90 to 180 inches long and 15 to 20 millimeters wide.

10. Needle Palm Tree (Rhapidophyllum Hystrix)

The Needle Palm tree or Rhapidophyllum Hystrix is native to Coastal Margins of Subtropical eastern Gulf and South Atlantic states of the United States. It is the most cold-hardy palms globally and is found growing in several areas with warm temperate climates.

The stems of the Needle palm tree grow around 3.3 to 3.9 feet (1 to 1.2 meters) tall. The tree has several sharp needles like spines in between the leaves. They are generally 10 to 25 cm (3.9 to 9.8 in) long. The entire plant approximately reaches 6 to 10 feet (2 to 3 m) tall.

The leaves of the tree spread to around 6.6ft. (2m) long. The male and the female flowers are born on separate plants. The fruit of the tree is brown, which is about 2 cm long.

11. Pygmy Palm Tree (Phoenix Roebelenii)

Pygmy palm tree or Phoenix Roebelenii belongs to the family of Arecaceae. Its country or region of origin is assumed to be Asia. The palm tree can grow up to 6 feet tall while the width is spread between 3 to 5 feet wide.

The pygmy Date Palm tree is a subtropical spreading palm. The plant is mostly found indoors. The long feather-like green leaves are a major attraction and a compliment to the place planted. The leaves of the tree are generally 24 to 45 inches long. Cream-coloured male and female flowers appear on different plants. The colour of the fruit is generally red-brown, and they grow on the female plants.

12. Mediterranean Dwarf Palm Tree (Chamaerops Humilis)

Mediterranean Dwarf Palm tree falls as a native to continental Europe. It appears to be like a shrub found in extreme conditions of sandy or rocky grounds. The dwarf palm tree stands as a representation of the Mediterranean vegetation in the southwest of Europe.

The Mediterranean dwarf palm tree stems rise to 5 feet (1.5m). The leaves of the trees are fan-shaped and spread around 15 inches long. They never bear flowers and fruits if planted indoors. The trees’ flowers are borne on different plants usually, and sometimes the flowers are bisexuals too. The male and female flowers are yellow.

Majorly, this palm tree is used for gardening and is sometimes used as a barrier because it is pointed spread leaves.

13. Pindo Palm Tree (Butia Capitata)

Pindo Palm Tree or Butia Capitata falls to the native states of Minas Gerais and Goiás in Brazil. It generally grows up to 8m to 10m long. The leaves of the palm trees are feather-like.

Pindo palms are also known as jelly palms. The flowers of the tree can be red, white, or yellow. The flowers occur on trees in groups of two male flowers and one female flower.

The Pindo palm tree flowers begin flowering between May to July, whereas the fruits begin to appear between November to February. The Pindo palm tree is used for making juices, liquor, marmalades, and ice-creams.

14. Mazari Palm Tree (Nannorrhops Ritchiana)

The scientific name for Mazari Palm Tree is Nannorrhops Ritchiana. It is a rare palm tree and is native to Afghanistan and Pakistan. It belongs to the family of Arecaceae.

The Mazari palm tree grows up to 10 to 20 feet tall and about 5 to 10 feet wide. The tree leaves spread about 2 feet long, with each leaf having 20 to 30 leaflets that are 1 to 2 feet long. The flowers of the tree are separate plants.

15. Sago Palm Tree (Cycas Revoluta)

Sago Palm Tree or Cycas Revoluta is a species of gymnosperm. It belongs to the family of Cycadaceae. Southern Japan, including the Ryukyu Islands, is the native of the Sago palm tree.

Sago palm trees are one of the most ancient plants that have been seen since prehistoric times. It is easy to grow Sago palm trees but needs to be taken proper care of. One should avoid eating any of its parts, as the tree is poisonous.

The tree can grow up to 20 feet, but since the tree’s growth process is prolonged, it can take about 50 to 100 years to achieve such a height. The leaves of the trees spread around 50 to 100 cms growing like feathers.

The Other Few Well-Known Palm Trees Are Listed Below:

1. Bamboo Palm Tree
2. Blue Mediterranean Palm Tree
3. Mexican Palm Tree
4. Majesty Palm Tree
5. Yucca Palm Tree

Conclusion

The above given are a few of the palm trees that are extensively found and popular. Palm trees have been of more generous help to humans for ages. From having religional messages to being used in daily life, palm trees have been quite a part of human living.