Florida Thatch Palm

Location

Palm Walk Garden

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Florida Thatch Palm

Thrinax radiata

• Common Name: Florida Thatch Palm (other common names: Thrinax Species, Broad Thatch Palm, Sea Thatch Palm, Silk-Top Thatch Palm)
  
• Scientific Name: Thrinax radiata
  
• Family Name: Arecaceae
  
• Origin: Florida native
  
• Height: 30’ – 40’
  
• Width: 10’ – 12’
  
• Growth: slow
  
• Zone: 10A - 11
  
• Light Needs: Full sun – Partial shade
  
• Salt Tolerance:  high
  
• Soil/PH/Texture: grows in sand, loam, or lime rock with high pH.
  
• Soil Moisture: Average water needs, likes consistently moist soil with good drainage, do not let dry out between watering but do not over water either.
  
• Drought Tolerance: high, humidity and hurricane wind tolerant
  
• Pests/Diseases: Diseases and Insects are usually not a problem besides the occasional aphids or scales
  
• Growing Conditions: easy to grow and low maintenance
  
• Characteristics: The dark green leaves are 2’ – 3’ across and about 3’ long, and fan shaped. and the showy white blooms on yellow stems, are under 1”, fragrant, and appear in mid-fall. Its fruits are ¼”, green ripening to white, appear throughout the year but are more abundant in the fall.
  
• Propagation: by seed
  
• Wildlife: attracts bees, birds, and butterflies – larval host for the Monk Skipper, nesting site and food for misc. birds.
  
• Facts: on the endangered list for Florida state
  
• Designer Considerations: can be used as a specimen or accent tree in a landscape, street tree, alongside a road, in a median strip, and is great for xeriscaping.