Roystonea regia (23/03/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Position: Full sun
Flowering period: Winter to summer
Soil: Moist, well drained
Eventual Height: 30m
Eventual Spread: 6m
Hardiness: 10a -11
Family: Arecaceae
Roystonea regia is a fast growing evergreen palm tree. Its dark green leaves are pinnate, up to 4m long and are composed of up to 200 leaflets. Its leaflets are lanceolate, up to 80cm long and 7cm broad. Its trunk may achieve a diameter of up to 45cm. Its grey/ white bark is smooth with the crown shaft being green. Its white flowers appear on multi branched panicles which are up to 1.2m long. Its purple/ black fruit are spheroid and up to 15mm long.
Roystonea regia, commonly known as the Cuban Royal Palm, Florida Royal Palm or the Royal Palm, is native to South Florida, parts of Mexico and Central America and northern Caribbean. It is the national tree of Cuba.
The etymological root of the binomial name Roystonea is named after General Roy Stone (1836–1905), a Union Army during the American Civil War. Regia is from the Latin meaning ‘regal’.
The landscape architect may find Roystonea regia useful as an attractive ornamental tree for the tropical or sub-tropical regions.
Ecologically, Roystonea regia its flowers are pollinated by birds and bats. Its fruit are attractive to some birds and bats.
Roystonea regia Bark (23/03/2013, Kew Gardens, London)
Roystonea regia prefers moist, fertile, well-drained soils. It tolerates most pH of soil.
Roystonea regia requires little maintenance.
