51 of the Most Colorful Palm Trees in the World

Picture a palm tree on a white sandy beach. Palm trees offer a burst of bright green to beach landscapes, but many also have brilliantly colored fruits and flowers! Of the hundreds of species of palms, we’ve assembled some of the brightest.

Here’s our list of the world’s most colorful palm trees:

1. Date Palm

A close up of a phoenix dactylifera palm tree.
  • Latin name: Phoenix dactylifera
  • When it blooms: Usually in spring or summer
  • Soil needs: Needs sandy loam soil that drains well and has an alkaline pH
  • Sun exposure: Needs full sun or close to it
  • Color varieties: Like many palm species, date palms have vivid green leaves. The large clusters of dates have an orangish hue. When these palms flower, their blooms are usually creamy white.

If you’ve ever had a delicious date fruit, you’ve enjoyed the fruit of the date palm. This plant’s fruits have been enjoyed for thousands of years; fossil records indicate that the date palm has been around for at least 50 million years! The date palm is very significant in Islam and Christianity, too: it is mentioned 20 times in the Quran and 50 times in the Bible.

2. Lipstick Palm

Grove of Lipstick Palms in Thailand.
  • Latin name: Cyrtostachys renda
  • When it blooms: Typically in late summer and early fall
  • Soil needs: Needs sandy, well-draining soil
  • Sun exposure: Needs partial sun when young and full sun when mature
  • Color varieties: This is one of the most colorful palms on the list. Though its fronds are bright yellow-green, its stems are vivid red. Because the red is about the color of sealing wax, these palms are also called sealing wax palms.

This bright palm tree is in high demand as a landscape plant in tropical climates. That’s because of its very bright red stems and leaf sheaths. However, the lipstick palm is generally somewhat difficult to successfully cultivate. As a result, it is rare and often expensive: it’s not unusual for plants to sell for $1000 USD.

3. Bismarck Palm

Close-up of Bismarck Palm.
  • Latin name: Bismarckia nobilis
  • When it blooms: Typically in late spring
  • Soil needs: Thrives in a range of soil types as long as drainage is sufficient
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: Most of these palms have a striking, silvery gray color. When they flower, they produce long branches of small, cream-colored blooms. Though they are rare, there also are varieties with green, rather than silvery-green foliage.

In nature, this palm can be found on the islands of Madagascar. But it also does fairly well as a garden plant, as it is very cold-hardy for a palm tree and is fairly low maintenance. However, if you plant one, make sure you have the space: it can grow up to 40 feet tall and 20 feet wide!

4. Bangalow Palm

Seed head of Bangalow palm.
  • Latin name: Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
  • When it blooms: Usually in the middle of summer
  • Soil needs: Does best in sandy, well-draining soil
  • Sun exposure: Needs partial shade as a young tree and gradually adjusts to full sun
  • Color varieties: This palm has intense green fronds. Its fruits are also brighter than that of many palms, as they are bright red. It also has pretty violet flowers when it blooms.

The Bangalow palm may be pretty, but it causes major issues in some areas of the world. In Brazil, it was used as an ornamental plant, but it quickly became an invasive species. This palm started to take over local forests, as the native palm of Brazil, Euterpe edulis, became extinct locally.

5. Triangle Palm

Triangle Palm with other ornamental trees in the background.
  • Latin name: Dypsis decaryi
  • When it blooms: Usually in spring
  • Soil needs: Needs well-draining soil
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: This palm has beautiful, striking green foliage. When it flowers, its blooms are pale yellow, and its fruits are a pretty, creamy white.

This aptly-named palm does have a triangular shape. Its graceful, arch-like look makes it a beautiful addition to any garden. However, it has only somewhat recently been adopted as a landscape plant. In the wild, it can grow to nearly 50 feet in height. But in gardens, it tends to be much shorter.

6. Mediterranean Dwarf Palm

Close-up of a yellow flowering European fan palm tree.
  • Latin name: Chamaerops humilis
  • When it blooms: Usually from April to May
  • Soil needs: Does best in sandy soil that drains well
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: This pretty green palm has some of the brightest flowers on the list! They are a very bright yellow and provide a striking contrast with the deep green of the fronds.

This little palm is very cold-hardy; it’s one of the few that can be used to landscape in temperate areas. This is one of the few palms that naturally grow in nontropical areas. It’s usually found around the Mediterranean, but it can also be found growing in some parts of England.

7. Christmas Palm

Close-up of Christmas tree palm fruits.
  • Latin name: Adonidia merrillii
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Prefers soil that is moist but still well-draining
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade
  • Color varieties: It’s easy to see where this palm gets its name! Its fruits typically appear in winter, and they are bright red. They often resemble Christmas lights.

If you’ve ever been to southern Florida, you’ve almost certainly seen a Christmas palm! This is one of the most popular landscape plants in the region. It can be found at the site of the Miami Open tennis competition and at Mar-a-Lago. In other parts of the world, it is sometimes grown as an indoor plant in shopping malls and other places with high ceilings.

8. Chilean Wine Palm

Chilean Wine Palm on a sunny day.
  • Latin name: Jubaea chilensis
  • When it blooms: Mostly in summer
  • Soil needs: Needs soil that is moist yet well-draining
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: This palm produces beautiful yellow and purple flowers that are much more striking than those of many other palm trees!

As the name indicates, this tree can be used to make both palm syrup and palm wine. Unfortunately, the whole tree needs to be chopped down to do so. Since the International Union for the Conservation of Nature considers the Chilean wine palm to be vulnerable to extinction, there are considerable restrictions on cutting down the trees.

9. Florida Royal Palm

Royal palm tree and blue sky.
  • Latin name: Roystonea regia
  • When it blooms: Primarily in the summer
  • Soil needs: Needs moist to very moist soil
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade
  • Color varieties: This palm has intense green leaves, ut its trunk is colorful, too. The part of the trunk closest to the top is smooth and light green. The lower part is brown and ridged with leaf scars. This palm also has attractive white flowers with hints of pink.

This majestic palm is an ideal landscaping tree. And unlike some species of palm used for landscaping, this one is hardy and easy to grow. It can often be seen lining the sides of roads and walking paths. There is one population of this species native to Florida and another native to Cuba, though the Florida royal palm has been used for landscaping purposes in many parts of the world.

10. MacArthur Palm

MacArthur Palm Tree Seeds.
  • Latin name: Ptychosperma macarthurii
  • When it blooms: Usually around October or November
  • Soil needs: Needs clay-rich, loamy soil
  • Sun exposure: Needs full sun or partial shade
  • Color varieties: This green palm has especially bright fruit. The fruit is red in color, and the stems are a vivid yellow color.

These interesting-looking palms have multiple stems, making each individual tree look a bit like a group of trees. This feature combined with the slender stems makes the Macarthur palm a good choice of landscaping plant in suitable climates. In nature, it is somewhat unusual in that it is usually found in very dense rainforests.

11. Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto leaves.
  • Latin name: Serenoa repens
  • When it blooms: Usually from late spring to the middle of summer
  • Soil needs: Does best in well-draining soils
  • Sun exposure: Can tolerate lighting conditions from full sun to full shade
  • Color varieties: The saw palmetto’s fronds are a livelier green than that of many palm trees on the list. Its flowers offer a refreshing burst of cream color during the blooming season.

The saw palmetto is native to coastal plains in the southeastern United States. It makes an interesting landscape plant thanks to its ability to spread outward and gradually cover more ground. It’s also a great choice for gardeners who want something low-maintenance, as it tolerates drought well once it is established and is not known to have any problems with pests or disease. However, it does have one interesting downside: its leaves are very flammable, so it may help spread a fire if it’s caught in one.

12. Blue Hesper Palm

Close-up of Blue Hesper Palm.
  • Latin name: Brahea armata
  • When it blooms: February through March
  • Soil needs: Prefers fairly dry soil
  • Sun exposure: Does well in full sun or partial shade
  • Color varieties: As the name suggests, this is one of the very pretty plants with a bluish hue. Its blue-green fronds reach upward to form a globe-like shape.

In nature, this plant can be found in Baja California. However, its beauty has made it a garden plant in many parts of the world. In the UK, it has even been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. It tends to grow well in warm, temperate areas, and it’s a fairly common garden plant in the southwestern United States.

13. Bamboo Palm

Close-up of leaves of a bamboo palm.
  • Latin name: Chamaedorea seifrizii
  • When it blooms: Usually around late summer or early fall
  • Soil needs: Prefers soil that drains very well
  • Sun exposure: Does best in partial shade
  • Color varieties: This palm has lively green fronds, but its flowers are its most colorful feature. They are a very bright, cheerful yellow.

This aptly-named palm does have bamboo-like stems. The stems often grow in clusters that give the bamboo palm a shrub-like appearance. This plant needs to be protected from frost and freezing temperatures if it’s grown outside. But in cooler parts of the world, it can be successfully kept as a house plant if it has a large enough pot.

14. Mexican Palm

Mexican palms with blue sky in the background.
  • Latin name: Washingtonia robusta
  • When it blooms: Usually in early summer
  • Soil needs: Prefers soil that drains well
  • Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
  • Color varieties: This palm’s foliage leans more toward being bluish silver than it does green. And in the summer, it grows magnificent long sprays of small white flowers.

This palm is sometimes called the “skyduster.” It’s easy to see why: it often grows to 82 feet high or more! Though it is native to Baja California and part of Sonora, Mexico, it has quickly become one of the world’s most popular ornamental palms. It tolerates salt very well, so it can be successfully cultivated around coastlines. And in areas where the climate is similar to its native Mexico, this tree has become naturalized and grows abundantly.

15. Windmill Palm

Close-up of windmill palm.
  • Latin name: Trachycarpus fortunei
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Needs soil that both drains well and is very fertile
  • Sun exposure: Thrives in full sun or part shade
  • Color varieties: This palm has attractive light green fronds. But in summer, its pale yellow flowers add a burst of color. Once the flowers fall, the windmill palm grows small, deep blue fruit.

When you think of China, you might not picture palm trees. But this smallish palm can be found growing in Chinese forests. It makes a good garden plant or even a container plant, as it grows to a maximum height of 8-10 feet. This is another of the plants on the list that has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

16. Banana Palm

Big green banana palm leaves.
  • Latin name: Musa sp.
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Does best in soil that is reliably moist
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: Banana palms have rich green leaves, though some cultivars have striking leaves with purple-red streaks. They produce flowers ranging in color from cream to yellow. And of course, these plants also grow clusters of bright yellow bananas!

This palm is probably one of the more familiar plants on the list. It’s the source of the bananas found in grocery stores, though it also can be used as a garden plant in areas where the climate is warm and moist enough. If the climate is right, banana plants can be fairly easy to grow, as they don’t seem to be prone to diseases. They are susceptible to some parasites, namely mealybugs, aphids, and red spider mites.

17. Ponytail Palm

Ponytail palm growing in white flowerpot placed in studio against light blue background.
  • Latin name: Beaucarnea recurvata
  • When it blooms: Rarely and irregularly
  • Soil needs: Prefers sandy soils that drain well
  • Sun exposure: Does well in full sun
  • Color varieties: As the name suggests, the ponytail palm has long, slender leaves that roughly resemble hair. They are bright green and sometimes fade to a yellowish color at the tips. This plant rarely flowers, but when it does, it produces delicate white blooms.

This palm is sometimes called an elephant’s foot. The reason why only becomes apparent if you get a good look at the trunk; towards the bottom, it widens dramatically and forms a shape much like the foot of an elephant. The swollen bottom of the trunk, called a caudex, is able to store water to help the plant survive droughts.

18. Betel Palm

Betel Palm with ripe fruit.
  • Latin name: Areca catechu
  • When it blooms: Late spring to early summer
  • Soil needs: Needs soil that is moist but still drains well
  • Sun exposure: Does best in partial shade
  • Color varieties: This palm has striking green leaves that pair beautifully with its very bright yellow flowers. Its fronds are especially glossy and graceful, so this palm is also a great choice of landscaping plant.

The betel palm is one of the relatively few on the list whose fruit is both edible and commercially viable. It produces the areca nut, a nut that is popularly chewed. This practice is similar to chewing tobacco, as the nut contains a compound similar to nicotine. Unfortunately, chewing the areca nut can cause oral cancer. Thanks to its very popular fruit, the betel palm is often referred to as the areca palm tree.

19. Sugar Palm

A palm tree against a beautiful sunset.
  • Latin name: Borassus flabellifer
  • When it blooms: Usually in the dry season (varies by location)
  • Soil needs: Can handle most soil types and still grows well in poor soil
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: This eye-catching palm’s deep green foliage makes a stunning contrast with its pale gray trunk. Older leaves tend to bend downward, exposing the bright yellow-green stalks of the newer leaves.

This palm is one of the most useful on the list. Its sweet, jelly-like seeds can be eaten, and it can also be tapped to make palm wine. Its sprouts can be cultivated and eaten as well. Even its leaves are of significant cultural importance; they can be preserved as writing material or used to make hats, baskets, mats, umbrellas, and more.

20. Nipa Palm

A scenic nipa palm forest next to river.
  • Latin name: Nypa fruticans
  • When it blooms: Bloom time can vary
  • Soil needs: Needs moist, swampy soil
  • Sun exposure: Grows best in full sun
  • Color varieties: As you can see in the photo, the nipa palm is a lot brighter than many types of palms on the list. Its fronds are a bright, lively yellow-green. Its flowers are also bright, as they are typically red or yellow.

This palm is truly unique, as it is the only palm species in the world that grows successfully in mangrove swamps. It looks a bit like grass, but there’s an interesting reason for that: its trunk grows completely underground so only the stalks and leaves are exposed to air.

21. Montgomery Palm

Montgomery palm with yellow and orange fruit cluster.
  • Latin name: Veitchia arecina
  • When it blooms: Usually around summer
  • Soil needs: Prefers moist rainforest or rainforest-like soil
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: This palm is one of the prettiest on the list, as its slender whitish-gray trunk contrasts nicely with its delicate, dark green fronds. When it blooms, it has striking white to yellow flowers.

Unfortunately, the Montgomery palm is endangered in the wild. However, thanks to its beauty, it is a great landscaping plant. This is partially because of its great cold tolerance. It’s ideal for landscaping use in areas of Florida where the colder winter temperatures aren’t suitable for more common species of palms.

22. Queen Palm

Two Queen palms in a grassy field.
  • Latin name: Syagrus romanzoffiana
  • When it blooms: During spring and summer
  • Soil needs: Does best in soils that drain well
  • Sun exposure: Needs full sun to thrive
  • Color varieties: Like many landscape palms, this one has a pale trunk and dark green leaves. Its flowers are creamy in color, and its fruit is orange or yellow.

This interesting palm has a striking appearance that sets it apart from many on the list. The leaves on its fronds are slender and pin-shaped, giving it a hairy or bushy appearance. It is native to South America, though its looks have made it popular as a landscaping plant. As a bonus, it produces edible dates after it flowers! If you do add it to your lawn or garden, be prepared for it to grow very large; it can reach 70 feet high and 30 feet wide.

23. Everglades Palm

Grove of Everglades Palms.
  • Latin name: Acoelorrhaphe wrightii
  • When it blooms: Typically in the spring
  • Soil needs: Prefers moist soil, but it can also grow in drier conditions
  • Sun exposure: Needs full sun
  • Color varieties: Like many palms, this one has bright yellow-green fronds. Its flowers are more spectacular than those of many other palms, too: they form in long sprays with many cream-white blooms.

This plant has sharp, pretty, palmetto-like leaves that certainly make a statement! Its trunk is different from that of many palms, too, as it is covered in bark that appears to be matted. That makes its trunk look a little like that of a cedar tree. Since it likes moist soil, it is a good choice if you’re looking for a tropical landscape plant to place near a pond or stream.

24. Peach Palm

Peach Palm with red and green fruit.
  • Latin name: Bactris gasipaes
  • When it blooms: Bloom time can vary somewhat by plant variety and exact location
  • Soil needs: Prefers well-draining soil, though it can grow in fairly poor-quality soil as well
  • Sun exposure: Grows best in full sun
  • Color varieties: The peach palm has some of the most diverse coloration on the list. While the trees all have green fronds, the edible fruits come in a range of colors. They can be orange, yellow, or red.

The colorful fruit of the peach palm is highly nutritious, although it must be cooked for half an hour to five hours before eating. It is also very useful as livestock feed. Its flowers are unusual, as there is a curved, roof-like structure above long, slender “ropes” of pale yellowish blooms.

25. Dwarf Palmetto Palm

Close-up of Dwarf Palmetto Palm leaves.
  • Latin name: Sabal minor
  • When it blooms: Typically in spring
  • Soil needs: Does best in moist soil types
  • Sun exposure: Can grow in full sun to partial shade
  • Color varieties: These palms have some variety when it comes to leaf coloring. They can be bright green to cool blue-green. It also grows pleasant-smelling, cream-colored flowers.

This small, hardy palm is one of the species that does well in colder climates. It’s also somewhat unusual in that it prefers moist soil and can grow well in shade. If you’re looking for a smallish plant to add some interest to a moist, somewhat shady area, the dwarf palmetto is a great choice!

26. Bottle Palm

Bottle Palms in greenhouse.
  • Latin name: Hyophorbe lagenicaulis
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Needs soil that drains very well
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun, but still grows well with a little shade
  • Color varieties: When they’re young, bottle palms have interestingly-colored leaves. Though they are still largely green, they have a red to orange tint. The trunk has an interesting color, as it is green-gray toward the top, tan in the middle, and greenish at the bottom.

If you get even a passing glance at a young bottle palm, you’ll be able to see where the name comes from. The trunk becomes partially rounded like a bottle. However, unlike many other trees with swollen trunks, the bottle palm does not use its trunk to store any water.

27. Acai Palm

Acai Palm with blue sky and fluffy white clouds in the back.
  • Latin name: Euterpe oleracea
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Needs moist soil that still drains well
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: The acai palm’s deep green leaves look especially striking against its purple flowers. The purple flowers give way to especially nice-looking fruit as well; the berries themselves are small and blackish-purple, much like grapes.

As you can likely tell from the name, this palm is primarily cultivated for acai berries. Thanks to acai’s reputation as a superfood, worldwide demand has increased considerably. The acai palm can be used to produce hearts of palm and wood, though cultivation for the berries is currently its most common use. The yield of berries from each tree is substantial; each single bunch of acai berries includes between 500 and 900 individual fruits! However, there isn’t a whole lot of each fruit that is edible, as each fruit is about 60%-80% seed.

28. Kentia Palm

Close-up of Kentia Palm.
  • Latin name: Howea forsteriana
  • When it blooms: Often blooms multiple times per year
  • Soil needs: Prefers well-draining soil, though it can grow in a range of soil types
  • Sun exposure: Can tolerate partial shade, though it grows best with bright yet indirect light
  • Color varieties: These palms have beautiful, long branches of bright white flowers. Their fruits are also a dull yet pretty red. The stems are also quite nice-looking, as they are medium green and marked with light tan leaf scars.

This beautiful palm is classified by the IUCN as being vulnerable to extinction in the wild. However, it is exported worldwide as a garden or container plant, so it is unlikely to become completely extinct. Partially due to its beauty and popularity, it has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

29. Blue Latan Palm

Blue Latan Palm in rows.
  • Latin name: Latania loddigesii
  • When it blooms: Will bloom periodically throughout the year
  • Soil needs: Prefers soil that drains well
  • Sun exposure: Grows well in full sun to partial shade
  • Color varieties: This striking ornamental palm has lovely silvery-blue fronds. When it flowers, it grows cheerful yellow blooms.

The blue latan palm is a great choice of landscaping palm, as it is hardier than many garden palms. However, it’s only suitable for warm climates, as it tends to suffer if exposed to temperatures below freezing. It is not generally prone to getting pests or diseases, but it is somewhat susceptible to a condition called lethal yellowing disease.

30. Zombie Palm

Close-up of two Zombie Palm trunks.
  • Latin name: Zombia antillarum
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Grows in a range of soil types, but seems to prefer serpentine soil (soil with a high concentration of serpentine and similar rocks) or calcareous soil (soil with a large amount of calcium carbonate)
  • Sun exposure: Does well in full sun
  • Color varieties: The fruits of the zombie palm look especially striking against its green leaves. In most cases, the fruits are bright white, but some of these palms also produce orange fruit.

This oddly-named palm may be so-called because its seed oil is thought by some local people to be able to awaken zombies. The plant can be used to thatch roofs, and some people believe that zombie palm roofs can protect occupants from being spied on by zombies. However, some sources have contradicted the claims, so the origin of the name “zombie palm” remains a bit of a mystery.

31. Quindío Wax Palm

Two Quindío Wax Palms on a sunny day.
  • Latin name: Ceroxylon quindiuense
  • When it blooms: Usually in spring or summer
  • Soil needs: Needs fairly moist soil
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: These distinctive, windmill-like palms have trunks covered in white wax. As the trees grow, these pale trunks become covered with dark leaf scars. The willowy fronds are especially dark, forming a pleasing contrast with the trunk. The fruits are also colorful and are a lively red-orange.

These spindly palms are among the tallest in the world: they have been known to grow as tall as 200 feet! They also have been historically useful. The wax on the trunks was once used to make soaps and candles, while the fruits were used to feed pigs and cattle. Wax palm fronds were historically used in Palm Sunday celebrations. However, harvesting caused damage to trees, so they were later protected by law.

32. Areca Palm Tree

Close-up of Areca palm tree.
  • Latin name: Dypsis lutescens
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Prefers moist soil that still drains very well
  • Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
  • Color varieties: This colorful palm has green leaves on yellowish stalks. When it blooms, it produces bright yellow flowers. These then give way to bright red fruits.

This lovely palm is also known as the “butterfly palm.” That’s because the leaves of multiple stems curve upwards and form a shape like that of a butterfly. Thanks to its beauty, it is sometimes grown as an ornamental garden plant, but it also can be kept as a houseplant. It is an adaptable species with a large naturalized range outside of its native Madagascar. Throughout its range, it is a valuable source of food for various species of birds.

33. Carpentaria Palm

Carpentaria Palms with blue sky in the background.
  • Latin name: Carpentaria acuminata
  • When it blooms: Can bloom year-round in warm enough climates
  • Soil needs: Prefers rich, moist soil that drains well
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun to partial shade
  • Color varieties: This palm has especially beautiful flowers. When it blooms, it forms large clusters of vibrant pink, white, or even green flowers.

This pretty palm has especially elegant fronds that make it a great choice of landscape palm. However, it does have one main disadvantage. It produces a large amount of fruit that attracts pigeons and fruit bats, creating a significant mess. The fruit cannot be eaten by humans, and if touched, it tends to cause skin irritation.

34. Silver Date Palm

Silver Date Palm on a sunny day.
  • Latin name: Phoenix sylvestris
  • When it blooms: Usually in late spring or early summer
  • Soil needs: Can tolerate a range of different soil types
  • Sun exposure: Needs full sun to thrive
  • Color varieties: This exotic-looking palm has silvery blue-green leaves. It also grows colorful fruit that appears reddish-purple when fully ripe.

This palm has several different uses. Its fruit is used to make wine and jelly more than for food on its own. The plant’s sweet sap also has a few uses. It can be drunk plain or fermented. It also can be cooked to make palm jaggery, a form of palm sugar. Thanks in part to its many uses, it has a number of common names, including the sugar date palm, wild date palm, and Indian date palm.

35. Cabbage Palm

Cabbage Palm with marshland in the background.
  • Latin name: Sabal palmetto
  • When it blooms: Usually in late spring
  • Soil needs: Needs moist soil that still drains well
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: This lovely palm has leaves that are bright yellow-green. During the blooming season, it produces striking cream-white flowers. Once the flowers have fallen, the plant grows shiny black fruit.

You might wonder what gave this plant its name. The cabbage palm has a “heart” from which new palms grow. The heart grows a bit like a head of cabbage. And when extracted for food, it usually tastes somewhat like cabbage, too. This rustic-looking plant is the tree pictured on South Carolina’s state flag. It also is the state tree of Florida.

36. Cat Palm

Cat Palms next to other vegetation and rocks.
  • Latin name: Chamaedorea cataractarum
  • When it blooms: Late winter to early spring
  • Soil needs: Needs moist, well-draining soil
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: This nice-looking palm has attractive, glossy green leaves. Its stalks turn bright orange before growing fruit. The fruit starts out green and eventually turns black.

The cat palm, also called the cascade palm or the cataract palm, is fairly small. As a result, it can be successfully kept as a houseplant. However, if you do keep a cat palm inside, it’s good to know that it needs much more light than your average houseplant. It also must be watered frequently, as it does poorly with dry soil.

37. Jelly Palm

Yellow fruits hanging from a jelly palm.
  • Latin name: Butia capitata
  • When it blooms: Usually from May to July
  • Soil needs: Needs soil that drains well
  • Sun exposure: Can grow well in either full sun or partial shade
  • Color varieties: The jelly palm has pretty, feathery fronds. But its most colorful feature is its fruit. The fruit is vivid orange and occasionally red. And since it grows in large bunches, it’s hard to miss!

The fruits of the jelly palm have a delicious, pineapple-like flavor. They are somewhat unusual in that they are both fibrous and somewhat oily. They are good enough to eat plain, but they can also be used to make ice cream, marmalade, juice, and liquor. The fruit pulp is a great source of beta carotene, too.

38. Red Latan Palm

Close-up of Red Latan Palms.
  • Latin name: Latania lontaroides
  • When it blooms: Usually in spring
  • Soil needs: Needs well-draining soil that is kept moist
  • Sun exposure: Grows best in full sun
  • Color varieties: This interesting palm usually has green or blue-green leaves. However, those leaves do have hints of red, especially in the center vein and at the tips. Parts of the stems are red as well. Young palms are redder and turn progressively greener as they age. When it blooms, its yellow flowers grow on spectacular six-foot stems!

This pretty palm looks similar to both the blue latan palm and the Bismarck palm. In the wild, it grows on Reunion Island. The IUCN has classified it as an endangered species in the wild. However, since it is grown all over the world as a landscape plant, it is very unlikely to become extinct.

39. Fishtail Palm

Green leaves of fishtail palm close-up in natural light.
  • Latin name: Caryota mitis
  • When it blooms: Varies based on location and temperature conditions
  • Soil needs: Needs moist soil that drains well
  • Sun exposure: Does best with partial shade
  • Color varieties: This rich green palm has very colorful fruits and flowers. The flowers are purple, and the bright fruits are red or purple.

The fishtail palm has some of the most unusually shaped leaves on the list. They are angular and irregularly shaped and look a bit like fish tails. This palm tree does produce fruit, but it’s best to stay away from it: the fruit is full of tiny crystals shaped like needles that can cause significant skin and mouth irritation.

40. Lady Palm

Lady Palms in front of brick wall.
  • Latin name: Rhapis excelsa
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Needs well-draining soil
  • Sun exposure: Prefers part shade
  • Color varieties: The lady palm has rich, glossy yellow-green leaves. When the plant blooms, its yellow flowers provide a pleasant complement.

This palm is also called the “bamboo palm” thanks to its slender, bamboo-like stems. It has a delicate aesthetic, and its ability to tolerate low light makes it a good choice as an indoor plant. The lady palm is another plant that has been given the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award for Garden Merit.

41. Coconut Palm

Coconut Palm Tree with coconuts, against a blue sky with fluffy clouds.
  • Latin name: Cocos nucifera
  • When it blooms: Usually in the spring
  • Soil needs: Can tolerate a range of soil types, even very poor soils
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: The coconut palm has impressively glossy yellow-green leaves. It looks especially pretty in summer, as it produces yellow flowers that smell very sweet.

This palm, also called a coconut tree, is probably one of the more familiar trees on the list. In the wild, these trees grow very close to the coast, as coconuts are designed to be dispersed via the ocean. Thanks to the popularity of the coconut as a food source, the coconut tree has been domesticated, and many different cultivars now exist.

42. Canary Island Date Palm

Canary Island date Palm against blue sky and ocean background.
  • Latin name: Phoenix canariensis
  • When it blooms: Usually in spring and summer
  • Soil needs: Needs somewhat moist soil that is still well-draining
  • Sun exposure: Needs full sun to thrive
  • Color varieties: This pretty palm tree produces many creamy yellow flowers. Those flowers then give way to orangish dates.

Though this tree is a type of date palm, its fruits are not usually eaten. That’s because the fruits themselves are not regarded as being especially good. If you’re interested in a palm tree that produces edible dates, you would be better off choosing Phoenix dactylifera, the true date palm. That said, this tree makes a very nice landscape palm. It’s very hardy, and in some areas of the world, it has become an invasive species.

43. Rio Grande Palmetto

Rio Grande Palmetto against blue sky.
  • Latin name: Sabal mexicana
  • When it blooms: From about May to August
  • Soil needs: Tolerates a wide range of soil types
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: These beautiful palms have textured, blue-green leaves. The deeply colored leaves form a pleasant contrast with the pale, gray-brown trunks.

The Rio Grande palmetto is especially useful for a variety of purposes. Its leaves are used both for making thatch and for making straw hats. Since the wood is resistant to rot and some types of pests, it can be used to make fence posts and some other structures.

44. Old Man Palm

Old Man Palm in a garden.
  • Latin name: Coccothrinax crinita
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Prefers fairly moist soil that drains well
  • Sun exposure: Can grow well in either full or partial sun
  • Color varieties: This palm’s most stunning feature is probably the collection of pale, woolly fibers covering the trunk. It also has pale yellow flowers that add a touch of subtle beauty.

The unusual trunk of the old man palm makes it a curious addition to any garden. However, it is very rare and often expensive. Historically, the old man palm has had a variety of uses: the leaves have been made into bowls, the woolly fibers into pillows, and the wood for shelter.

45. Spindle Palm

Spindle palm tree plant in a garden.
  • Latin name: Hyophorbe verschaffeltii
  • When it blooms: Usually in spring
  • Soil needs: Prefers sandy soil that drains well
  • Sun exposure: Needs full sun
  • Color varieties: Spindle palms have especially beautiful trunks. They are pale, cylindrical, and striated with leaf scars. The tops of the trunks are pale green to turquoise with the dark green fronds sprouting from the top. When this plant forms fruit, it appears adorned with bright fruits that are between red and orange.

The spindle palm is one of the most colorful of the palm trees. As a result, it makes a stunning landscape plant provided you live in a warm enough area. If you don’t, though, you can still enjoy its beauty by keeping it as a container plant. Once it is established in a garden or in a container, the spindle palm is remarkably easy to grow and care for. Unfortunately, it is classified as being critically endangered in the wild, but it is grown so often in gardens that it is unlikely to become extinct.

46. Needle Palm

Grove of Needle Palms.
  • Latin name: Rhapidophyllum hystrix
  • When it blooms: Usually in spring or summer
  • Soil needs: Does best in moist soil that drains well, although it can adapt to most types of soil
  • Sun exposure: Grows best in partial sun
  • Color varieties: As you can tell from the name, this palm has striking, needle-shaped green leaves. When it fruits, it gets a new burst of color: it forms reddish-brown fruit.

The needle palm is a good choice of landscape plant if you live in a temperate area, as it can tolerate some cold temperatures. If it gets below five degrees Fahrenheit, the plant is likely to die. In some instances, though, it is able to regrow after being nearly destroyed by cold. You can help protect it from the cold by placing mulch around the base during winter.

47. Parlor Palm

Parlor Palm isolated on grey background.
  • Latin name: Chamaedorea elegans
  • When it blooms: Typically in spring, though blooms only happen if there is enough sun
  • Soil needs: Prefers relatively light soil
  • Sun exposure: Does best in partial shade or indirect light
  • Color varieties: This lively green plant has some of the prettiest flowers on the list. They look a bit like the flowers of the mimosa tree and can be yellow to reddish-orange.

The parlor palm might look a little familiar; it is one of the world’s most popular houseplants! If it does have enough light to flower, it may produce small, dark berries. In nature, this pretty palm grows in rainforest environments. It’s somewhat unique in that it has shown the ability to grow along rock walls. This can help compensate for its relatively slender stalks, as they are a good bit weaker than those of other palms.

48. Chinese Fan Palm

Chinese Fan Palm in front of mural.
  • Latin name: Livistona chinensis
  • When it blooms: Often blooms in spring
  • Soil needs: Needs moist, especially fertile soil that still drains well
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: This tree has striking, especially bright leaves that are an intense emerald green. Its fruits are also especially beautiful, as they are gray-blue in color. The older leaves toward the bottom of the fountain tend to fade to a yellowish color, giving the plant an ombre-like effect.

This stately tree is also sometimes called the “fountain palm,” as it bears some resemblance to a cascading fountain. It can reach heights of up to 50 feet, and its stately nature makes it a great option for growth in conservatories, arboretums, and gardens. However, in some tropical areas, it has grown well enough that it has become a weed or invasive species.

49. Guadalupe Palm

Close-up of Guadalupe Palm.
  • Latin name: Brahea edulis
  • When it blooms: Usually in summer
  • Soil needs: Needs well-draining soil
  • Sun exposure: Needs full sun to thrive
  • Color varieties: This attractive palm’s large fronds are generally blue-green in color. Its long stems of cream-yellow flowers also add some real visual interest in the spring. Its black fruits grow in after the flowers and form striking, unusual braided clumps.

This unique palm naturally occurs only on Guadalupe Island off the coast of Mexico. In the wild, it is classified as an endangered species. Thanks to its relative rarity, the Guadalupe palm is one of the few on the list not commonly seen as a landscape plant. Most experts believe that the species will recover. That’s because Guadalupe Island once had a very large population of goats that ate many of the saplings.

50. Foxtail Palm

Foxtail Palms in city park.
  • Latin name: Wodyetia bifurcata
  • When it blooms: Usually in spring
  • Soil needs: Needs well-draining soil and can grow on rocky ground
  • Sun exposure: Prefers full sun
  • Color varieties: This nice-looking palm grows flowers that look a bit like daisies with slender petals. The fruit is also quite colorful and is reddish-orange. The fruit is especially noticeable, as it is fairly large; it’s about the size of a duck egg.

This beautiful palm’s fronds have a bushy appearance thanks to the many narrow, pin-shaped leaves. It is one of the few palms on the list that was relatively unknown outside of its native range until recently. In 1978, an Aboriginal man introduced it to the scientific community and the rest of the world. The man’s first name was used as the genus name.

51. California Fan Palm

California Fan Palm growing outdoors.
  • Latin name: Washingtonia filifera
  • When it blooms: Typically in summer
  • Soil needs: Tolerates a range of soil types, including salty soil
  • Sun exposure: Does best in full sun
  • Color varieties: Since this palm has very waxy leaves, its fronds are especially glossy. It also has attractive, tube-shaped white flowers.

This striking palm plays a useful role in its ecosystem, as it provides a habitat for various types of invertebrates and small birds. That’s because its older fronds fold downward to make a protective “skirt.” If you live in a suitable climate for growing the California fan palm, this one makes an especially majestic landscape tree.

Nature’s Brightly Colored Palm Trees

Hopefully, you’ve now gained an appreciation for all the color palm trees bring to the world. Whether you’re on vacation or just looking in your own backyard, we hope these trees will brighten up your life!