28 Popular Palm Types and Varieties

If you like to go to the beach, then you will see many of the palm types planted there. Since the palm trees can live for a hundred years, then no wonder that the height of palm trees looks like skyscrapers. Besides, you can hang the hammock between the palm trees to chill and relax during the weekend without fear of direct sun exposure. Palm trees have many varieties and types, but here, we will show you the palm trees that are commonly planted for the backyard of the house, hotel, or housing complex.

The palm trees are widely cultivated. It has currently been documented in 102 genera and more than 2500 different palms species in the world. Most of which reside only under tropical subtropical climates.

Although Palms perform well in warmer temperatures, some will tolerate temperatures below ten degrees Celsius, which we call cold hardy palms. They have varying growth rates as well as heights.

The palm has one or multiple trunks or vine growth – usually there are two or three. Its canopy leaves are shaped and color varies. Furthermore, the palm tree can be classified according to their appearance and botanical characteristics.

Also, if you are looking for some inspiration about the types of palm trees that match in your backyard, then you cannot miss reading this one!

Table of Contents

Amazing Palm Varieties and Types
Sabal Palm Types
Indoor Palm Types
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Amazing Palm Varieties and Types

1. Mexican Fan Palm (Washingtonia Robusta)

Beautiful fan shaped leaves can be seen through Mexican fan palm trees. The leaves are wide, fanning and its color of trunk will change as the time goes by. Moreover, this plant can grow freely as long as the area supports them to do so.

2. Pindo Palm (Butia Capitata)

This plant is classified as slow growing, yet cold tolerant since usually palm trees can handle the hot weather only. Also, the size of Pindo palm is small compared to others. You can see the Pindo palm mostly in residential areas because it is often used as residential landscaping. The mature palm sizes are about 15 – 20 feet, but in slow growing palms.

3. Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum Hystrix)

Although the plant comes from the Southeastern of USA, this kind of plant has a wide range of growing. For instance in North America and Europe. Same as Pindo palm, that Needle palm is a slow growing palm as well.

But, the height is different since it is shorter than the usual palm. Hence, many people use Needle palm as a fence of their house because this plant can tolerate climate change perfectly.

4. Saw Palmetto (Serenoa Repens)

Another slow growing palm trees is here. This plant is a native to Florida and southeastern U.S. The height of Saw palmetto is quite shorter too, and this becomes the reason that mammals and birds looking for food through this plant. The plant that like a full sun exposure like this, has the extract berries that is useful to treat prostate and urinary tract problems with the exact dosage before use it.

5. Sago Palm (Cycas Revoluta)

Some people said that Sago palm is not the true palm tree type, but the physical appearance and the name still make the plants belong to Palm varieties. Sago palm is native to warm parts of Japan and southern China. Although this plant can live up to 50 years, be careful if you want to plant this, since it is toxic to humans and animals.

6. Paurotis Palm (Acoelorrhaphe Wrightii)

You can call this plant Everglades Palm as well. The Paurotis palm is easy to care for. The plant is native to South Florida. Also, it is often used along the residential area. If you want to add or change the atmosphere around the house, perhaps you can add this palm tree species for your yard.

7. Coconut Palm (Cocos Nucifera)

Maybe coconut palm trees are the most common and most people wish that they can plant it in the backyard. Because the fruit is very delicious and fresh to consume. If you really want to plant coconut palms inside your house, you should be satisfied with the size which is shorter and will not produce any fruit. Coconut palm can be used as indoor palm as well.

8. King Palm (Archontophoenix Alexandrae)

The name of this plant is given because of its attractive crown of bright green fronds and grayish bark. The height of this kind of palm is up to 66 feet, hence the canopies can be spread beautifully. Moreover, the King Palm can live in tropical and subtropical climates as well.

9. Queen Palm (Syagrus Romanzoffiana)

This kind of palm is gorgeous, that’s why they named it Queen palm. Also, not all people can grow it easily. The Queen Palm can grow up to 50 ft and the canopies of foliage can spread up to 25 feet. No branch of this plant, but it produces the fruit that turns into orange while it is mature enough. For the warm area, usually Queen Palm or the majesty palm is used in residential areas.

10. Cardboard Palm (Zamia Furfuracea)

When you talk about the palm and want to grow the palm trees, then you should consider that the area get the full sun exposure. The same thing goes to this Cardboard Palm. It requires the full sun although it still tolerates the partial sun. Also, the Cardboard palm is not a real palm, just like Sago palm technically.

11. Pygmy Date Palm (Phoenix Roebelenii)

Usually, palm trees like to grow under the full sun and warm area. But, this plant likes to explore the moist area and prefers to grow along the riverbeds. Perhaps because it is native to Asia, where the weather is more subtropical and tropical, hence it affects the characteristic of Phoenix Roebelenii.

12. Bottle Palm (Hyophorbe Lagenicaulis)

We can say that this is the most common palm we know. Since many people choose bottle palms for their backyard. They named it bottle palm because of the appearance that is similar to the bottle. People choose this kind of plant inside their backyard due to slow growing and easy to maintain.

13. Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus Fortunei)

palm types — Windmill Palm (*Trachycarpus Fortunei*)

This is another slow-growing palm tree, but still attractive because of the large round fan-shaped fronds that can grow up to 75 inches. It will take decades to let the tree grow up to 40 feet since we mentioned before that this kind of plant is a slow growing one. The Windmill palm has another name that is common as well, you can call it chusan palm.

14. Date Palm (Phoenix Dactylifera)

For the palm family, if you want the trees producing the sweet edible fruits, then there should be male and female trees to be planted together. And so does the Date palms.

This plant produces the fruit that is very important for Mediterranian, Middle Eastern, and other areas. When people says that palm tree can live for years, this happens for date palm trees. This plant can live for years.

15. Florida Royal Palm (Roystonea Regia)

Oh, here it is! The native plant of Florida. A Florida royal palm, the fast-growing plant that is a cold hardy palm tree as well. This plant has another name, which is roystonea regia. The plant is very attractive since it is one of tall palm trees. Also no place you can describe but Florida when you see this tree.

16. Foxtail Palm (Wodyetia Bifurcata)

Once you see this plant, you will realize that Foxtail palm has fronds that resemble a soft bushy foxtail, and the color of trunk is nearly white. It is pretty different from most palms. The Foxtail palm tree is a fast-growing plant, also it can tolerate the sun or shade. But, this is the true hot weather plant, since this plant cannot handle the cold freezing temperature.

17. Florida Thatch Palm (Thrinax Radiata)

This plant is native to Florida. But, it can adapt to a wide range of areas as well. This palm tree has other common names that are interesting to know as well. For instance, Silk-top Thatch Palm and Sea Thatch Palm. The Florida Thatch Palm is a slow growing plant and you can plant it as indoor palm trees too.

18. Spindle Palm (Hyophorbe Verschaffeltii)

If you see the Spindle palm tree at a glance, you will assume that this plant is a bottle palm. They both look similar because of it’s swollen trunk, but the spindle palm is a little harder and slightly taller than the bottle palm trees. Also, this plant loves a full sun and easily adapts to a wide range of conditions.

19. Triangle Palm (Dypsis Decaryi)

When you go around the residential area in South Florida, perhaps you will see many palm trees as the landscaping area. And the palm types you see, one of them is triangle palm trees. This plant is often used for an entry focal point in the gate of a housing complex. Although some people love to plant this inside their backyard as well, since the canopies will spread beautifully.

Sabal Palm Types

If you are looking for the palm trees that are easy to maintain, not too slow growing so that you can see the progress of the tree growing significantly, and resistant to fire, flood and more, choose Sabal palm.

Because of many benefits from this kind of palm species, in 1953, Florida declared Sabal palm as the state tree. Here, we give you various kinds of Sabal palm to be planted or to broaden your information since this plant has many benefits for us.

20. Scrub Palmetto (Sabal Etonia)

This plant is identical with dwarf looks. Or we can say it looks like grass but in different species. This plant is an endemic of North Central Florida and is one of the cold hardy palm trees. The plant produces the fruit as well to be eaten by the animals, such as birds.

21. Sabal Louisiana Palm

This plant can be found often around swampy areas in Louisiana and east Texas. Although it is native to Louisiana and can be found in Florida, this is one of the cold-hardy palms. Because it can be planted in Europe due to the coldest temperature that can be handled is up to -20°C. It truly is an amazing cold tolerant palm tree.

22. Sabal Minor Palm

Dwarf palm types or we can say the small species of palm which is a very slow growing plant. This palm type is native to southeastern and south-central United States and northeastern Mexico. You can easily find it in the swamp area.

23. **Sabal Texana (Texas Palm)**

It is a Texas native plant. The exposure for this plant can be partial and full sun exposure. Since Sabal Texana can tolerate the high heat, this plant needs low water as well. Texas palm or sabal texana can grow up to 45 feets.

24. Sonoran Palmetto (Sabal Uresana)

There are various names for this plant, but the most common one is Sonoran palmetto. This plant is very unique because it needs full sun exposure and summer heat, but still belongs to cold tolerant palm trees. This plant is the one and only endemic of palm that natives to the Northwest Mexican state of Sonora.

Indoor Palm Types

For you who are in love with the types of palm trees and want to plant them inside your house, no worries, we have the options for you. If you think that planting the palm tree can be done only outdoors, you can select the palm trees below as the new ornament of your house.

Although not all palm trees can live indoors, these palm trees can be your favorite one once you start planting them.

25. Chinese fan palm (Livistona Chinensis)

You can call it a Chinese fan palm or Chinese windmill palm tree. Just like the name, this plant is native to China and Japan, but mostly it is growing in Florida. Although this plant belongs to indoor palms, you still consider the space before planting this. Because Chinese fan palm requires space that is not too tight for it to grow.

26. Parlor Palm

If you love Madagascar, then you should bring this plant inside your house. This plant is suitable for a tight space, such as a pot at the corner of the room. Also, the various lighting will be great for parlor palm to grow. Although it is small, you can see the bushy dark green fronds through this palm.

27. Kentia Palm (Howea Forsteriana)

This plant is endemic to Lord Howe Island, Australia. If you are looking for a slow growing plant that could live in an indoor area, then Kentia palm is the answer. It is highly ornamental for the room with soft green fronds and the trunks that look like stout canes of bamboo.

So, it will beautify your room perfectly. Since this plant only needs low light conditions, placing this one in the office room will be an excellent idea!

28. Areca palm (Dypsis Lutescens)

The plant that is native to El Salvador, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the surrounding areas is the fast growing plant and drought-resistant. The plants work well in a pot inside your house.

So that you can add a touch of tropical look naturally through the Areca palm. Besides, the varieties of indoor palms usually do not require full sun, that’s why it suits the indoor ornament.

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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is the most common palm?

King Palm is the most common and most commonly planted palms for tropical and subtropical landscapes. King palms are rapidly gaining species, and palm trees can go up to 45 feet and be 15 feet tall.

What palm trees can live indoors?

There are many varieties of palm trees that can live indoors. We already mentioned some of them above. For instance, there is Chinese fan palm, Parlor palm, Kentia palm, and Areca palm.

You can choose one of them to be planted inside your house. Please kindly check the requirement before planting to make sure your chosen plants can grow beautifully and perfectly.

How many varieties of palm trees are there?

Researchers found around 2600 palm trees exist, most are located in the tropical, subtropical and hot zones. Moreover, it is also classified that the palm trees can live indoor, outdoor, and tolerate the cold season.