11+ Different Types of Palm Trees With Pictures, Identification Guide

Areca Palm (Dypsis Lutescens)

This is one of the most popular palms for indoor use due to its easy-going nature, which requires little in the way of care and its ability to withstand low light. It is native to Madagascar and also goes by the common name of butterfly palm. It can grow to around 8 feet in height, though typically doesn’t get much bigger than 5 or 6 feet tall when grown indoors.

The feathered fronds of the areca palm give it an attractive tropical look, though it is technically classified as a bamboo palm because its stalks resemble bamboo when mature. It can be difficult to tell the areca palm apart from the kentia palm as they are very similar in appearance, though typically, kentia palms have slightly wider leaves. Areca palms also tend to be less expensive to buy than kentia palms as they grow more quickly when young and therefore take less work for growers to produce and less time for them to reach a saleable size.

Keep your areca palm happy by setting it in bright but indirect sunlight and maintaining moist but not wet soil. Areca palms grown in direct light will scorch easily, while those grown in very low light will have slow growth. However, if you have a shaded corner of your home that needs brightening up, an areca palm is a good choice as long as you don’t mind very slow growth.

Areca palms cope well with low light, but it does inhibit their ability to grow. If kept in low light, ensure you water much less regularly than if grown in bright indirect light. This plant likes to be watered moderately but can withstand some short periods of drought.

Kentia Palm (Howea Forsteriana)

This palm has wide leaflets that can grow up to a foot in length, demanding space when kept as a houseplant. Fortunately, this plant is very slow-growing, typically only producing one new frons each year. This means that while the plant may be quite wide, it will take many years for it to reach great heights. Its slow-growing nature also means it will not need to be frequently re-potted, making it extra easy to care for.

The kentia palm grows natively in Australia and is also commonly known as paradise palm. It is a feathered type of palm, with fronds that have a gentle arch on them. Kentia palms grow well in bright, indirect light, but they also tolerate low light very well. While they won’t exhibit much new growth in low light conditions, they will survive and maintain a healthy appearance.

Water this plant only once the top layer of its soil has dried out and mist it every few days with water to increase humidity and prevent its leaf tips from turning brown.

Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea Elegans)

This palm is native to Mexico and is the most common type of palm to be used as a houseplant. It grows exceptionally slowly, reaching maximum heights of between 2 and 4 feet, making it a suitable size for growth in almost any home. With delicately arching feathered fronds in a mid-bright green color, it’s not hard to see why this palm is so popular.

Aside from being a compact size and having a pleasing aesthetic, this palm is also super easy to care for. It enjoys a variety of lighting conditions, from bright, indirect light to shade. It also likes to be watered fairly infrequently as it is easily susceptible to root rot. Overwatering will quickly kill the plant, so only water once the top few inches of soil are dry and always be sure to plant it in well-draining soil.

As a very slow-growing plant, you may be waiting for a good few years for it to reach its mature height, but as long as you are a patient grower, then this has its benefits. The plant won’t quickly outgrow its home on your shelf or table, and it will not need to be re-potted each year. I

Sentry Palm (Howea Belmoreana)

The sentry palm is very similar in looks to the kentia palm, though there are a few distinguishing features. The leaflets are wide but not as wide as that of the kentia, and its fronds are more arched. The leaves also have a habit to curl slightly, which is why it also goes by the name of curly palm.

This palm grows even more slowly than the kentia, but it can reach extraordinary heights when mature of around 10 feet, which is very tall for an indoor plant (though it grows much taller when grown outdoors). Its stature makes it a great focal point in hotel lobbies or in shopping malls. To grow this plant indoors, allow it bright, indirect light and mist it regularly.

Pindo Palm (Butia Capitata)

The pindo palm, also known as the jelly palm, is the hardiest palm of the feathered type. It can grow to heights of 30 feet. though more typically grows to between 15 and 20 feet tall. The foliage of this tree grows in a beautiful blue-green shade, which is at its most vibrant when positioned in full sun.

With a large chunky pale brown trunk and large spiked fronds, this tree is a real showstopper. The pindo palm is tolerant of low temperatures and grows well in cool regions. It is happy in temperatures as low as 5 ºF, but any lower than this and the tree will start to show signs of ill health.

Chinese Fan Palm (Livistona Chinensis)

Chinese fan palms, also known as fountain palms, hail from China and Japan. They have become popular across the world thanks to their ability to adapt to a wide range of conditions. They perform well in both bright light and shade, they are drought-tolerant, and frost hardy. They are so easy to grow that in some regions have even become invasive, such as in the US state of Florida.

Chinese fan palms can grow up to 40 feet tall, but this is uncommon outside of their native habitat. They are easy to recognize, with their wide leaves, which grow in a circular shape in the style of an open fan in deep green to blue-green hues. This attractive tree is so hardy and easy to grow that it is recommended for beginner gardeners in climates where temperatures do not drop below 20 ºF.

Pindo Palm (Butia Capitata)

The pindo palm, also known as the jelly palm, is the hardiest palm of the feathered type. It can grow to heights of 30 feet. though more typically grows to between 15 and 20 feet tall. The foliage of this tree grows in a beautiful blue-green shade, which is at its most vibrant when positioned in full sun.

With a large chunky pale brown trunk and large spiked fronds, this tree is a real showstopper. The pindo palm is tolerant of low temperatures and grows well in cool regions. It is happy in temperatures as low as 5 ºF, but any lower than this and the tree will start to show signs of ill health.

Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus Wagnerianus)

The windmill palm is native to China and is medium in size, typically growing to 25 feet tall with leaves measuring 3 feet across. Its trunk will usually measure 8 inches around on a mature tree, though it tends to appear much thicker thanks to the loose fibers surrounding it.

This tree is tolerant of a wide variety of growing conditions. Once mature, it is drought-tolerant but can also handle soil that is too moist. It is also salt-tolerant and can grow in both full sun or partial shade.

Once mature, the tree is surprisingly cold hardy. It can withstand snow and temperatures as low as 0 °F. Younger windmill palms will need some protection from low temperatures, so they are ideal for growing in containers when young is that they can be moved indoors for winter, then planted outside in the ground once they are old enough to cope with freezing temperatures.

As evidence of their ability to grow in cold climates, the windmill palm has been spotted growing in Russia, England, western Canada, and even Alaska. It is an ideal way to add a tropical touch to your garden, even in colder climates.

Lipstick Palm (Cyrtostachys Renda)

The lipstick palm gets its name from the red coloring of its crown shaft, which is the uppermost part of the trunk. It is also commonly known as sealing wax palm, as the red is said to be the same shade as the wax used to seal envelopes in a bygone era.

This tree grows to between 25 and 30 feet tall, with leaves spanning up to 5 feet. In its native habitat, it can grow to over 50 feet in height, but this is unlikely in home landscapes. The feathered leaves of this palm appear in different shades, with pale green foliage lower down and deeper darker green leaves on the top of the tree.

The interesting thing about this tree is that it is incredibly thirsty, and unlike most plants and trees, it will thrive in soggy soil. It grows well in containers that are partially submerged in water, such as those in a water feature or in a pond, as this provides the ideal level of moisture for the tree.

You should never allow the soil of your lipstick palm to dry out. To help with this, grow the tree in rich soil, which is good at retaining moisture. When young, the tree will be best positioned in partial shade, but it can adapt to full sun when mature.

Bottle Palm (Hyophorbe Lagenicaulis)

The bottle palm tree has a unique look and is so-called due to its trunk, which bulges out at the bottom to give the shape of a bottle. This tree is ideal for growing in a container as it maintains a fairly compact size, typically not exceeding between 12 feet in height when mature. The tree is incredibly slow-growing, so if you grow the bottle palm from a young specimen, then you will be able to keep it in the same pot for quite some time.

When young, the trunk takes on a different appearance, with the bottle shape only taking form as the tree matures. The older the tree gets, the more exaggerated the bottle shape of the trunk will become.

The foliage of this tree takes the form of leaflets growing on gently arching fronds. The tree typically has no more than 6 fronds at any one time. This tree is suitable for growing outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 10 and 11, with the ability to tolerate temperatures to 34 °F. If kept in cooler climates than this, it will need to be moved indoors during winter.