Cuban royal palm, Florida royal palm
Roystonea regia

Family: Arecaceae

What it is like

An single stemmed, evergreen palm. It grows to 30 m high and spreads 5-10 m wide. The stem is erect and smooth. It is white. It is stout and unbranched. The trunk is usually thickened near the base and in the middle before thinning towards the top. The trunk can be 0.5-0.6 m across. It has ring like markings. The leaves are divided along the stalk. The leaves are 6 m long and the leaflets are long and narrow. They are arranged in several ranks. The base sheaths the trunk below the crown. The flowers are small and white and cup-shaped. They are clustered in spikes which hang downwards. These stalks can be 1 m long. These come from just below the crown shaft. The flowers occur in 3-4 clusters with 2 boat shaped spathes. The male cluster is longer than the female. The fruit are round berries which are deep purple in colour.

There are 10 Roystonea species. The fruit are fed to pigs.

Where it is found

It suits tropical and subtropical conditions. It does best with warmth and humidity. It does best with rich, moist soil. The soil needs to be well drained. It needs a protected, sunny position. It is damaged by drought and frost. They need temperatures above 15°C. In Cuba it grows on fertile soils up to 1000 m altitude. It suits plant hardiness zones 10-12. In XTBG Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Asia, Australia, America, Bahamas, Belize, Bermuda, Caribbean (country/location of origin), Central America, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba (country/location of origin), East Africa, Fiji, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti (country/location of origin), Hawaii, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Marquesas, Mexico, Myanmar, North America, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, SE Asia, South America, Suriname, USA, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Zimbabwe

How it is used for food

The central bud or cabbage is eaten. The fruit fall when ripe and are edible.

Edible parts

Cabbage, fruit, palm heart, vegetable

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed. Seed should be sown at 27°C.

Plants respond to heavy fertiliser application especially nitrogen.

Its other names

Local names

Bottle palm, Chaguaramo, Koningspalm, Palem raja florida, Palma criolla, Palma real, Palmier Royal, Yagua

Synonyms

Euterpe acuminata of Waby; Euterpe jenmanii C.H. Wright; Euterpe ventricosa C. H. Wright; Oenocarpus regius (Kunth.) Spreng.; Oreodoxa oleracea of Griseb.; Oreodoxa regia H.B.K.; Palma elata Bartram; Roystonea elata (Bartram) Harper; Roystonea floridana O.F.Cook; Roystonea jenmanii (C.H. Wright)Burret; Roystonea regia var. honduras Allen; Roystonea ventricosa (C.H. Wright)L.H. Bailey;