Palm roots are NOT invasive, and you'll have no problem near the pool. In fact, they are perfect near the pool. Go for it!

We've got three Queens behind our pool... No problems w/invasive roots, so far, after three years (that was one of the more MAJOR items on the "Wish List"/Criteria when selecting trees for the pool).

The only problem we ran into - when building the pool, re-establishing the lawn, etc. was drainage...

Unfortunately, there's a slope on the lawn - that runs towards the pool. We have drains built into the concrete, but we did have an area of "pooling" where one of the palms was s'posed to go.

I'd bought three 8' Queens, and was all set to plant them (spring before last), but when I dug one of the holes, I found a MAJOR puddle! Ended up having to put in a french drain...

Two years later... We've got the three Queens along the backside of our pool, and they're doing very well. But they're all living in somewhat "different" conditions. The one on the far left (over the french drain) is now the fullest. The one to the right of the pool is in a pretty "wet" zone, and is planted directly above some of the pool pipes. She's surviving, but not going nuts or anything. The one on the far right is probably doing the best (in terms of the 'grade' in the yard, this one's the highest-up - and also planted directly above pool pipes) - she has no "drainage issues" and is definitely thriving.

Unfortunately, I don't have any recent pics posted - but I will add them to my website - possibly tomorrow (weather-permitting!) And if I do, I'll post the URL :-)

Anyway, they're all within 3-4' of the pool and haven't caused any problems so far...

HTH

-Nancy

When those Queens get old enough they will produce copious amounts of flowers and fruits. I have a couple nearly 8 feet from a pool and still the bits and pieces manage to fall in.
Also they get so tall that you will eventually need a pro to remove the dead fronds. I am slowly replacing all my Queens with other less messy and lower maintenance palms.

I have two queens here in Sacramento and they are doing well but I have never seen a really large queen palm here. Since we are kind of on the edge of their optimum range,they stay pretty small. I don't recall ever seeing one in flower.
They are just about the only feather palm that will grow here except date palms. I guess if there is wind protection you might do bananas or realy big giant bird of paradise. Otherwise queens or windmill palms seen like the logical choice.
Palms are well known for having fairly modest root systems that tend to go deep rather than spread. That is why they can move even really big specimens and they do so well in containers. Good luck.

Maleko, it's been years since I've been in Sacramento, but I know for sure I've seen huge, mature ones near the capitol. There's that big hotel right around there for one thing, and I know they have a whole grouping of them around their pool, they must be 30 or 40 feet tall. They really should do ok, certainly better than giant bird of paradise, which is pretty tender. I'd still stick with the palms around the pool.

OK I stand corrected. There a some bigger ones. I guess I didn't look that closely and thought they were date palms. They look much different when they mature from the seedlings that you see in pots most of the time around here. But the fact that they have them around the pool and they have had them for many many years indicates that they are not that messy or there just are not many alternatives here in northern CA, especially when it comes to taller palm trees. If you wanted a lower shrubier look cycads would be nice and very clean. Let's face it, healthy plants will reproduce and that means flowers, seeds, ect. Just be glad they are not dropping coconuts in your pool:)