Caribbean royal palm Roystonea oleracea
Caribbean royal palm (Roystonea oleracea) is an evergreen perennial tree in the Arecaceae family, native to Lesser Antilles, Trinidad, Venezuela and Colombia. It grows 25–40 m (82–131 ft) tall and 6–9 m (20–30 ft) wide, wants full sun and moderate water, and is hardy to about 2 °C (36 °F). Space plants about 6 m (20 ft) apart.
Plan Caribbean royal palm in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Caribbean royal palm at a glance
| Type | Perennial tree, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Arecaceae |
| Mature height | 25–40 m (82–131 ft) |
| Mature spread | 6–9 m (20–30 ft) |
| Spacing | 6 m (20 ft) centre to centre |
| Sun | Full sun, at least 6 h of direct sun a day |
| Water | Moderate; drought tolerance low, waterlogging tolerance moderate |
| Soil pH | 6–8 |
| Cold hardiness | About 2 °C (36 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 10) |
| Heat stress | Likely above about 40 °C (104 °F) |
| Flowering | from about April for 9–17 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones) |
| Wind tolerance | Moderate |
| Pollinator value | Moderate |
| Edible | Yes: heart of palm |
| Native to | Lesser Antilles, Trinidad, Venezuela and Colombia |
| Common in gardens of | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Is Caribbean royal palm toxic?
- People: not known to be toxic
- Cats: not known to be toxic
- Dogs: not known to be toxic
No toxicity reported in ASPCA or standard poison references.
If a child or pet may have eaten part of a plant, call a poison centre or vet straight away.
Companion planting: what to grow with Caribbean royal palm
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like full sun and moderate water.
See Caribbean royal palm in a botanical garden
It grows in these sample gardens, which you can walk through in 3D:
- Singapore Botanic Gardens (1 plants)
- Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro (20 plants)
- New York Botanical Garden (1 plants)
Questions about Caribbean royal palm
- How far apart should I plant Caribbean royal palm?
- About 6 m (20 ft) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 6–9 m (20–30 ft).
- Does Caribbean royal palm need full sun?
- Full sun: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Caribbean royal palm need?
- Moderate water. Drought tolerance is low and waterlogging tolerance moderate.
- How cold-hardy is Caribbean royal palm?
- It tolerates about 2 °C (36 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 10.
- When does Caribbean royal palm flower?
- From about April for 9–17 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones).
- Is Caribbean royal palm poisonous to cats and dogs?
- For cats it is not known to be toxic; for dogs not known to be toxic; for people not known to be toxic. No toxicity reported in ASPCA or standard poison references.
- What grows well with Caribbean royal palm?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Caribbean royal palm. Group it with plants that like the same sun (full sun) and water (moderate).
Sources and evidence
Evidence grade B (B: extension service or peer-reviewed).
- Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro: arboretum and collections, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro
- Plants of the World Online (taxonomy, native range), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
- UF/IFAS Extension tropical and subtropical fruit and landscape publications, University of Florida
Notes and assumptions
- Tropical: outdoors only where frost never occurs; elsewhere under heated glass.
- Smooth, grey, concrete-like columnar trunk with a glossy green crownshaft. Rio's famous avenue (Aleia Barbosa Rodrigues) of 134 palms descends from the "Palma Mater" planted in 1809 by Prince Regent John.
Reference values for planning, not horticultural, veterinary or medical advice. Varieties, soils and local climates differ: check with a local nursery or extension service.
Related plants
- Coconut palm Cocos nucifera
- Date palm Phoenix dactylifera
- Açaí palm Euterpe oleracea
- Mexican fan palm Washingtonia robusta
- African oil palm Elaeis guineensis
- Areca palm (golden cane palm) Dypsis lutescens
- Chilean wine palm Jubaea chilensis
- Joey palm Johannesteijsmannia altifrons