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Buccaneer Palm Tree

Buccaneer palm tree in the landscape. Rare palm trees

The Buccaneer Palm Tree, scientific name Pseudophoenix sargentii, is truly a collector's palm. This palm loves warm tropical weather and is not cold hardy. Buccaneer Palm Tree has a self-cleaning trunk and is very easy to grow. This extremely slow-growing palm is perfect for small gardens. It can also be grown indoors or on the patio in the container.

Buccaneer Palm Tree Info

Scientific name: Pseudophoenix sargentii

Common names: The Buccaneer Palm Tree is also known as Cherry Palm, Sargent’s Cherry Palm, Palma de Guinea.

Family: Arecaceae

Origin: This unique and endangered palm is native to South Florida, Mexico, Belize, Cuba, and the Bahamas.

Appearance: It has a single smooth gray trunk that is ringed with scars of shed fronds. The trunk has no crownshaft. It is topped with grown dark green pinnate-shaped, feathery, leaves that are about 15ft long.

Flowers/Fruits: In the late summer, it produces small yellow flowers that grow on a branched inflorescence. Flowers are followed by green berry-like fruits that turn red when ripe. Fruit is round, about 1/5in. in diameter.

Growth Rate: Slow. This slow-growing palm gets up to 10-15 ft tall and 10-15 ft wide.

Outdoor/Indoor Use: Both.

Cold Tolerance: This palm is not cold hardy and can only tolerate cold down to 30F. It is great for growing in USDA Zones 10a (30 to 35 F) to 11 (above 40 F).

Light Req: Full sun to partial shade.

Water Req: Moderate. It likes moist but well-drained soil. It prefers alkaline soils and can tolerate saltwater.

Maintenance: Easy. Apply good quality palm fertilizer that has continuous release formula twice a year during the growing season.

Propagation: Propagated by seeds.

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