Royal Palm

Roystonea regia

Native to:
Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Is., Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guam, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Palau, United States

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Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Arecaceae
Genus:
Roystonea
Species:
Roystonea regia
USDA Symbol:
RORE2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Tree
Height:
2500 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Low
Bloom Months:
mar,apr,may,jun
Bloom Colors:
white, cream

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:
★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Pyroderces badia

Reported Fauna Sightings

Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Moths:Carectocultus perstrialis, Elophila obliteralis, watermilfoil leafcutter moth (Parapoynx allionealis) Butterflies:Tropical Checkered-skipper (Burnsius oileus)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds, bats
Deer Resistant:
Yes
Salt Tolerant:
Yes
Fragrant:
Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
fertile, well-drained loamy soil
pH:
6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
Thrives in rich organic matter

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
None required
Germination Time:
30–90 days
Notes:
Seeds germinate best when fresh; remove outer fruit pulp before sowing. Requires warm temperatures (80-90°F) and consistent moisture.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI