Jake - Queen Palms vary in trunk diameter. I've seen them as thin as 8" and as thick as 24". You can plant them as close to a walkway or drive as you like, however, they're high maintenance palms. You'll have to trim off the old fronds and cut down the blooms before they seed or you'll have volunteers everywhere.

There are dozens of much better choices for your zone.

Can you please tell me the other choices for my zone?

Thanks,
Jake

Howea forsteriana - Kentia palm, although it's a rather slow grower and you'll want to buy them large.
Phoenix canariensis - Canary Island Date Palm, if you've got a deep wallet. Yes, they will have maintenance, but not nearly as much as a Queen Palm and they get much larger so you need fewer palms for shade.
Roystonea regia - Royal Palms, again a much larger palm, but they're a Florida native and prices are very reasonable now for large ones.
Wodyetia bifurcata - Foxtail Palm, there are plenty of nurseries growing these in the central and northern part of the state. I wouldn't be surprised to see someone harden these off for zone 8.

If you are looking for smaller palms I love Pygmy date palms for the tropical look at a smaller size. They do require pruning and hey do have thorns much like the canary island but with less ouch factor involved. Another bonus is that you can get a single, double or triple trunk palm planting easily.

My neighbors have a very nice specimen of a quenn that they rim I would say 3-4 times a year and it still looks nice. I just planted several of them throughout the landscaping along wit ha few pygmys as accents. I know I'm sking fr=or ore work but I dont mind it and now that Im working from here I ca start keeping up wiht it all...

I was thinking about Foxtails as an option.

Jake

Sorry for a double post, but will Royals or Foxtails do to well here?

Jake

Yes to both. Take a ride around your neighborhood and have a look. I'm certain you'll find Royals; Foxtails might be a bit harder since they're a newer palm in the trade, but like I said, nurseries are working them up the state at a rapid pace.

I am SO GLAD I read this post!!! I have 2 neighbors now with the foxtail palms in their yards for a total of 4 of these trees just 2 doors down. I have googled until I'm sick of googling trying to figure out what these were called! They are such good looking palms! Thanks.

I love, love, love Foxtail or Christmas Palms (or visa versa). I don't know the botanical name, but this palm is a shorter version of the Royal Palm, and rates well on UF "good" palms. They practically maintain themselves. (Major big bonus.)

The blossoms are beautiful and attract good insects to your yard. I've seen honey bees loaded with ankle braclets of pollen. The first native anole I saw in 7 years was attracted to those blossoms. Foxtail produces long, green streamers that add interest year round.

I have several palms - Canary Date, Coconut, Sugar, Areca (one left), Pygmy Date, Bottle Neck. Foxtails rock.

If you're adding to your landscape, wtg! I'm not sure of cold hardiness though.

Ricky, I have met some people that have planted Foxtails in
South Marion county and the palms have been killed by our winters. The Royal Palms and Foxtail are hardy only to upper
20s F.
Both Jacksonville and here get temperatures way lower.
The canary date tree and queen palms are hardy here but once in a while the temperatures get low enough to do heavy damage to queen and date. Winter of 89 killed many of them.
I would love to grow more palms specially the ones mention but nature prevents it.
Felix

Felix - Any of the palms I've mentioned can be killed by a long or hard frost. But with nurseries in your area growing them from seed, it will take a few more generations and you will have frost-hardy ones that should survive. And remember, with Global Warming anything is possible!

Lastnight I saw while walking a few Foxtail Palms in people's landscape. They look like they have been there for a while. I like them and probably will try to look for them so I have something differnt from everyines Queen Palm.

Jake

Today I saw some large Spindle Palms in St. Augustine. They still had there older I assume winter damaged leaves on them. It looked like they had put in some good summer growth though.

Jake

If anyone who wants to try foxtail palms from seed, send me an e-mail @ msmmetz@aol.com. Please pay attention to including the 3 m's, there is somebody (I've heard) that doesn't appreciate my mail @ msmetz@aol.com.

I have plenty of fresh seeds to share and would be happy to send them out with no trade required. This is such a wonderful palm that I feel it is a shame to waste the seeds and have five in blossom now. I probably should have posted this on "exchanges", but I'm not asking for anything in exchange. What a great palm.

Here's a newbie question. Two of my Foxtail Palms have three trunks, three are single trunked. I think that this palm is a hybrid, so seeds may carry varying qualities of both species, right? I'm curious if the three trunk seeds will produce three trunk offspring, and if the one trunk seeds will produce one trunk offspring. I'm pretty sure somebody on this great forum will enlighten me.

So please specify in your e-mail if you want triple or singular trunk seeds, or both.

Hi Marilyn,

I would be interested in trying to grow a foxtail from seed. I have sent you an email! Thanks for offering.

~Betsy

I want to stunt my queen palm growth--?
Strange question, I know, but I planted these to block view of my pool from neighbors---they are now at the perfect height with tops around 20 feet, if they grow more, they will not work as a privacy screen. Can I stunt growth without harming? Reduce water? What happens if I cut tops?

Thanks

You can cut back on the water and fertilizer, which will make the palms look awful. If you cut the tops you will kill them. The solution is to underplant the palms with something smaller. You could plant Areca palms in between them, which will work fine as a screening but add maintenance.

Do Queen Palms get bigger than 20 feet?

Yes. I have 4 that are over 25' now and still growing. I've seen them go to 35'.