Palm
Queen Palm
Syagrus romanzoffiana · Arecaceae
Also called: Cocos palm, Cocos plumosa
Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) is a moderate-water palm well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a fast growth rate. Expect creamy yellow blooms late spring to summer.
Queen Palm at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun; tolerates light shade. Performs marginally in Tucson and is stressed by intense low-desert heat and reflected sun.
- Mature size
- 25-40 ft tall, 15-25 ft canopy spread; single trunk to about 12 in diameter
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- Creamy yellow, Late spring to summer; creamy cascading flower plumes followed by orange date-like fruit
- Cold hardiness
- USDA 9b-11; hardy to about 25-28F. Foliage damaged by hard Tucson frosts; protect young palms on cold nights.
- Soil
- Prefers well-drained, slightly acidic, fertile soil; struggles in alkaline, caliche-laden Tucson soils which trigger chronic micronutrient deficiencies.
- Native range
- Southern Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay (South America)
- Best used as
- Specimen/accent palm, Tropical-look landscapes, Pool-side planting
- Wildlife
- Flowers attract bees; fruit eaten by birds and wildlife.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to pets and people; fruit is messy but not poisonous.
How to grow Queen Palm in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Water deeply and infrequently to a depth of 3 ft; roughly weekly in summer, monthly or less in winter. Keep moisture consistent as it is not truly drought-adapted and declines in dry, alkaline desert soil.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Heavy feeder; apply a specialized palm fertilizer with micronutrients 2-3 times during the warm season (spring through early fall). Highly prone to manganese deficiency ('frizzle top') and magnesium/iron deficiency in Tucson's alkaline soils.
Pruning & care
Remove only fully brown, dead fronds; never overprune or 'hurricane cut.' Do not remove green or yellowing fronds, which the palm recycles for nutrients. Remove old flower/fruit stalks to reduce litter.
Notes
A popular but problematic choice for Tucson. It is not well adapted to the low desert: alkaline soil, intense sun, and dry air cause frequent manganese, magnesium, and iron deficiencies, sunburned fronds, and a short, declining lifespan. Often overplanted; UA Extension and AMWUA generally steer homeowners toward better-adapted desert palms. Needs more water and feeding than most desert species. Not on the AMWUA low-water plant list.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum