Cuban royal palm Roystonea regia
Cuban royal palm (Roystonea regia) is an evergreen perennial tree in the Arecaceae family, native to Cuba, Florida, Mexico and Central America. It grows 15–25 m (49–82 ft) tall and 6–8 m (20–26 ft) wide, wants full sun and moderate water, and is hardy to about -2 °C (28 °F). Space plants about 6 m (20 ft) apart.
Plan Cuban royal palm in your garden →
Free. Draw your beds, then watch it grow through the year in 2D and 3D.
Cuban royal palm at a glance
| Type | Perennial tree, evergreen |
|---|---|
| Family | Arecaceae |
| Mature height | 15–25 m (49–82 ft) |
| Mature spread | 6–8 m (20–26 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 moderate, waterlogging tolerance moderate |
| Soil pH | 6–8 |
| Cold hardiness | About -2 °C (28 °F) once established (roughly USDA zone 9) |
| 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 | Not grown as food |
| Native to | Cuba, Florida, Mexico and Central America |
| Common in gardens of | 🇺🇸 United States, 🇹🇭 Thailand, 🇸🇬 Singapore, 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Is Cuban 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 Cuban royal palm
No well-documented helpful pairing. Group it with plants that like full sun and moderate water.
See Cuban royal palm in a botanical garden
It grows in these sample gardens, which you can walk through in 3D:
- Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden (2 plants)
- Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro (1 plants)
Questions about Cuban royal palm
- How far apart should I plant Cuban royal palm?
- About 6 m (20 ft) apart, centre to centre. A mature plant spreads 6–8 m (20–26 ft).
- Does Cuban royal palm need full sun?
- Full sun: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day.
- How much water does Cuban royal palm need?
- Moderate water. Drought tolerance is moderate and waterlogging tolerance moderate.
- How cold-hardy is Cuban royal palm?
- It tolerates about -2 °C (28 °F) once established, roughly USDA zone 9.
- When does Cuban royal palm flower?
- From about April for 9–17 weeks (northern hemisphere; later in cold climates, earlier in warm ones).
- Is Cuban 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 Cuban royal palm?
- There is no well-documented companion pairing for Cuban 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).
- UF/IFAS Extension tropical and subtropical fruit and landscape publications, University of Florida
- Plants of the World Online (taxonomy, native range), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Notes and assumptions
- Tropical: outdoors only where frost never occurs; elsewhere under heated glass.
- Trunk swells in the middle (unlike the straighter Caribbean royal palm); national tree of Cuba.
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