Royal palm overview
The smooth, cement-gray boulevard palm of south Florida. Native there and through the Caribbean, USDA 10a to 11, damage around 28°F.
Region of origin
South Florida, Mexico to Central America, and the Caribbean
Native countries
Historical discovery
Kunth published Oreodoxa regia in 1816. O.F. Cook moved it to Roystonea in 1900, honoring General Roy Stone.
Names
Common names
Royal palm, Cuban royal palm, Florida royal palm
Synonyms
- Oreodoxa regia Kunth
Cold hardiness
Survives about 28°F / -2°C. Outdoor range USDA 10a–11b. Hover or click a zone, state, or country. Switch the U.S. map between states and hardiness zones.
Highlighted USDA zones 10a–11b. Green countries can be grown outdoors.
United States
In range Too cold
World
Native Can be grown
Alaska and Hawaii are state outlines with their overall zone range. A country is painted if its mildest inhabited winter is at least one USDA step milder than this palm’s hardiness.
Scientific facts
- The green crownshaft and smooth gray trunk are the ID from a moving car.
- It is native in parts of south Florida, not a purely exotic import.
- Hurricane wind can defoliate it. The bud often pushes again if the spear is not rotten.
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Full care guide
The royal palm is the smooth, cement-gray boulevard tree of south Florida and the Caribbean. Native in parts of Florida, Mexico, Central America, and the islands. USDA 10a to 11. A freeze around 28°F (-2°C) burns the crown. It wants heat, water, and a wide street, not a zone 9 patio.
Common Names:
Royal palm, Cuban royal palm, Florida royal palm.
Scientific Name:
Roystonea regia (Kunth) O.F.Cook. Older tags say Oreodoxa regia.
Origin:
South Florida, Mexico to Central America, and the Caribbean.
Appearance:
A tall, self-cleaning feather palm with a smooth gray trunk, a long green crownshaft, and a crown of long, flat (not plumose) fronds. It looks formal. That is why cities plant it in rows.
Growth Rate:
Fast in heat with water and fertilizer. Slow in a cool winter or a tight tree pit.
Max Growth Height:
Often 50 to 80 feet. Plan for a tall, clean trunk, not a bushy screen.
Foliage Spread:
About 15 to 20 feet. Height and falling fronds matter more than spread.
Cold Hardiness and Hardiness Zone:
USDA 10a to 11. Damage around 28°F (-2°C). Zone 9b is a gamble after a real freeze. Zone 9a is the wrong palm. Use queen, date, or cabbage palmetto there.
Soil Type:
Any well-drained soil. Florida sand needs extra potassium and magnesium. It likes even moisture, not a swamp.
Fruit and Flowering:
Purple-black fruit that birds and bats eat. Messy on cars parked under a row.
Can it Grow Indoors:
No.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Water Requirements:
Regular water, especially in sand and in the first years. Do not let a new royal dry into a crispy spear.
Maintenance Level:
Medium. Self-cleaning most of the time, but a dropped frond is heavy. Feed in the growing season with palm-specific fertilizer. Potassium hunger shows as translucent spotting and leaflet-tip death.
Common Diseases/Pests:
Ganoderma on old trunks, lethal yellowing in some regions, scale, and weevils on stressed trees. A rotten spear after a hurricane is a sanitation job, not a mystery.
Plant Care:
Plant in full sun with irrigation in sand. Keep it off small lots. Fertilize. Do not expect it to replace a windmill in a freeze-prone yard.
Royal palm Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Is royal palm native to Florida?
Yes, in parts of the south. It is also native more widely in the Caribbean basin.
2. Can I grow it in Orlando or Tampa?
Those climates sit on the cold edge. A hard freeze will burn or kill it. South Florida is the comfortable range.
3. Royal vs queen palm?
Royal is smoother, with a green crownshaft, and wants more heat. Queen is plumose, messier with orange fruit, and a little more forgiving in 9a.
4. How fast does it grow?
Fast in heat with water and fertilizer. It is a boulevard tree, not a slow indoor palm.
Plant a royal palm on a warm, irrigated street in zone 10 or 11. If your winter still freezes, pick a different silhouette.