Foxtail palm

How to identify a foxtail palm

Foxtail palm has one slender, smooth grey trunk that is wider at the base, topped by a long pale green leaf sheath with a whitish bloom and a crown of arching fronds up to about 3 metres long. Each leaflet is split lengthwise into many narrow segments that sit at different angles around the midrib, so the whole frond looks full and bushy rather than flat. That fluffy, rounded frond is the feature to look for. Long sprays of small cream to green flowers are followed by egg-sized fruit that ripen to orange-red.

Growing a foxtail palm in Brisbane

Foxtail palm comes from granite country in the tropics but is widely grown in subtropical gardens. It takes full sun from a young age and copes with wind and dry spells once established, so it suits open, sunny positions rather than shady corners. Plan for a mature height of 6 to 10 metres and fronds around 3 metres long, and allow enough room overhead, away from wires and roof lines. In its home range it grows in open forest among large granite boulders.

What to watch out for

Foxtail palm is not on Brisbane City Council's weed list. Its main drawback is height: it reaches 6 to 10 metres in gardens and up to 15 metres in the wild, with fronds around 3 metres long, so allow for overhead space, wires and roof lines before planting.

Pruning and care

Foxtail palm is low maintenance. It takes full sun from an early age and, once established, tolerates dry spells and wind, so regular watering matters mostly while it settles in. Pruning is limited to taking off dead fronds and spent flower and fruit stalks, cut cleanly without damaging the trunk. Once the crown is out of reach from a stepladder, frond removal is a job for a professional with the right access gear.

• Palm tree removal
• Tree pruning