Bangalow and Alexander Palms

How to choose a bangalow or Alexander palm

The Bangalow Palm comes from the rainforests of New South Wales and southern Queensland. It is the most cold tolerant of the three, with fronds that are green on both sides and lilac flowers followed by red fruit. Choose it for Sydney, Perth, coastal Victoria and other temperate gardens, and anywhere winters are cool.

The Alexander Palm is the north Queensland relative. Its fronds are silvery underneath, its flowers are cream, and the base of the trunk is often swollen. It grows faster in heat and handles more sun when young, which makes it the usual pick for Brisbane and north.

The King Palm is Archontophoenix purpurea, from the mountains of far north Queensland, known for the purple tint of its crownshaft. It is slower growing and prefers mild, humid conditions without extremes of heat or cold.

Where these palms grow

All three are rainforest palms. They want moisture, soil rich in organic matter and some shelter from strong wind, which tatters the fronds. The bangalow palm grows from the tropics to mild temperate zones and takes light frost once established. The Alexander palm suits tropical and subtropical gardens and is damaged by frost. Both reach 15 metres or more in time, with a trunk only about 20 to 30 centimetres thick, so they fit narrow spaces where a spreading tree would not. Young plants appreciate part shade, and the bangalow in particular can scorch in harsh sun while small.

Browse our wider palm trees, large palms for instant impact and tropical plants for palms and underplanting to go with them.

Planting and spacing

These palms look their most natural in groups of three, five or more, planted at uneven distances and in mixed sizes. Space them one to two metres apart for a dense grove or a loose screen, and closer still for a clump that leans outward like a multi trunked palm. Keep them at least two metres from the pool edge and from roofs, as falling fronds are heavy. Dig compost into the planting hole, set the palm at the level it grew in the pot, water in well and mulch.

Care basics

Water deeply two or three times a week through the first summer, and keep watering in dry spells for the first couple of years. These are not drought hardy palms, and the Alexander palm in particular enjoys damp ground. Feed in spring and again in summer with a palm fertiliser, and keep a thick layer of mulch over the roots.

There is no pruning to do. Old fronds fall cleanly with their sheath, leaving a smooth trunk. Never cut the growing tip, as a single trunked palm cannot reshoot. Our bangalow palm care guide has more detail.

Common questions

What is the difference between a bangalow palm and an Alexander palm?

Turn a frond over. The Alexander palm is silvery underneath, while the bangalow is green on both sides. The bangalow also tolerates more cold, and its flowers are lilac where the Alexander's are cream.

How fast do bangalow palms grow?

Quickly for a palm. With warmth, water and feeding, expect up to a metre of height in a year once they are established in the ground.

How tall do bangalow and Alexander palms grow?

Commonly 10 to 15 metres in gardens over many years, and taller still in ideal rainforest conditions.

Can I grow them in pots?

For a few years, in a large pot with regular water. Long term they are tall palms that do far better in the ground.