Learning About Hybrid Palm Trees

Hybridized palm trees are not necessarily a new phenomenon. In nature, palms hybridize all the time! Some aren't thrilled about this because they claim it's depleting the world of the 'pure' palm species but others welcome these new and interesting plants.

In addition, over the years the accidental cross mixing of palms have produced more heat (or cold) tolerant, soil tolerant, wind-resistant plants. If only someone could figure out how to do this with those fickle Queen palms!

While I joke about creating a better queen palm someone has actually worked on it. It's called a mule palm and it's one of the most beautiful hybrids so far. Picture a cold hardy coconut palm. The mule palm (xButyagrus nabbonnandi) is a cross between a queen palm and and pindo palm. It grows fast and produces gorgeous, lush fronds. It is less prone to the 'frazzle top' like typical queens and can withstand temperatures to at least 14F once it's at least a few years old. The mule palm is typically sterile and each offspring can be wildly different in appearance, however some have produced seed so it is slowly becoming a vibrant addition!

The biggest example of this is the Phoenix palm. In Nevada, California, Arizona and Northern Mexico these are so heavily planted they often mix with other palms. The Phoenix roebellinii and canariensis are both often grown with a strain of some other palm in them. This would explain why the Canary Island date palm can look completely different in Palm Springs than it does in Las Vegas.

Pictured - the mule palm, a pindo palm/queen palm hybrid.