Love Palms? Landscaping with Palms in Florida

When you live in a state as surrounded by water as Florida is, palm trees are almost an expected part of the landscape. There is an art to landscaping with palms, however, as some types are more conducive to certain yard layouts. When you want your palms to be complementary, that’s an important thing to consider. There are palms perfect for centerpiece arrangements, palms for privacy, palms that are great for shade…You name it, there’s probably a palm for that. The key is to know which is best for which application before you start planting.

Creating Singular Focus with Centerpiece Palms

For a single palm that’ll serve as a focal point in your yard, keep in mind their size, shape and leaf shape. Palms that grow large in either height or width are ideal for this application, as they naturally command the eye. Be aware, however, that the palm shouldn’t be too large or too small once it reaches its full mature size. A few great palms to use as a centerpiece include:

  • Bottle palm
  • California fan
  • Canary Island date palm
  • Latin palm
  • Sabal palmetto
  • Sago palm
  • Silver date
  • Travelers palm
  • Triangle palm

Great Palms for Grouping

When you’re planting in groups, select palms that are single-trunk variety and plant them close together. Using groups of two to four will give you a great centerpiece that still has definition. Groupings of three or more – especially shorter, stouter types of palm –offer a more shrub-like and clustered look that really stands out.

Great palms for centerpiece groupings include:

  • Bottle palm
  • Coconut
  • Dwarf Palmetto
  • Foxtail
  • Silver thatch
  • Spindle palm

Drought-Tolerant Palms

Florida often experiences dry, hot temps, which means that drought-resistant palms are ideal. A few to keep in your repertoire for a great tropical-style Floridian landscape plan using palms include:

  • California fan
  • Date palm
  • Pindo palm
  • Sago palm
  • Spindle palm
  • Thatch palm
  • Triangle palm

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Planting Palms for Privacy

Certain types of palm are ideal for creating privacy in your yard. These palms are clumping varieties that will have many trees at varying heights, creating a natural “screen” through different levels of full leaves. Use privacy palms as a division between houses, along a wall, or even at the end of the swimming pool. If you’re going for a more layered look, add other smaller plants in front of your palms. Great privacy palms include:

  • Bamboo palm
  • Butterfly palm
  • Fishtail palm

Planting a palm takes proper planning. Your initial investment can become even greater if you need to move them later, which could happen if they grow too tall or too wide. Too wide, and they could brush up against the house too much in the wind. Too tall, and they could become a danger to power lines. At Executive Landscaping, Inc., we have the knowledge and expertise to help you create a paradise of palms in your yard, and we’ll help you select the perfect palms to bring your vision to life and make your landscape a true masterpiece.

To learn more about pruning palm trees, read this article from the University of Florida.

Give the outdoor experts at Executive Landscaping, Inc. a call to learn more about how we can landscape with palms to create an Executive Masterpiece for you today!