Florida Thatch Palm

Florida Thatch Palm (Thrinax radiata) is a slim, single trunked fan palm that tops out around 5m tall with a 2.5m crown. That modest size, and an outstanding tolerance of salt, make it one of the few palms you can plant beside a pool or a beachfront fence without regretting it in ten years. Growth is slow, and that is a large part of the appeal.

Why you'll love it

• Salt barely registers. It holds clean, stiff fronds in front line coastal positions where salt wind scorches most other palms.
• Slow growth is the feature. It takes years to gain height, so it stays in scale with a courtyard or pool surround instead of outgrowing it.
• A very small footprint. A slender trunk and a 2.5m crown fit beside paving, a pool fence or a narrow side garden.
• Low maintenance in practice. Beyond an annual palm fertiliser and cutting away spent fronds, it asks for almost nothing.

Where it works best

Poolside. Litter comes as whole fronds now and then rather than constant leaf drop, which is what keeps a skimmer basket manageable.

Coastal gardens. This is a front line palm. Exposed sandy blocks and salt laden wind are its natural conditions, not a compromise.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. A pot 500mm or wider holds it for many years given how slowly it grows. Group three at staggered heights, about 2m apart, for a fuller effect.

Growing Florida Thatch Palm in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun once established, part shade while young. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. It is frost tender, and even a light frost marks the fronds, so cool temperate and frosting inland districts should keep it potted under cover or choose a hardier palm.

Soil. Sharp drainage above all else. Sandy coastal soil is ideal, and it handles alkaline and limey ground that many palms dislike. On clay, plant on a raised mound.

Water and feed. Regular water through the first two summers, after which it is genuinely drought tolerant. Apply a controlled release palm fertiliser in early spring and again in midsummer. Yellow flecking on older fronds usually means potassium is short.

Pruning. Remove only fully brown fronds, cut close to the trunk. Never take green fronds, because a palm this slow cannot replace them quickly.

What to expect when it arrives

Three sizes are available. The 400mm palm is a juvenile with a fan of fronds and no visible trunk yet. The 90 litre and 160 litre palms carry a formed trunk and real presence from day one, and given the growth rate, buying the size you want is the only shortcut there is.

Palms travel with the fronds tied up, so a creased or bent frond on arrival is normal and grows out. Expect it to sit still for a season before pushing new fronds. Palms are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Every palm carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare the full palm tree range.
• See other plants for poolside gardens.
• For exposed blocks, browse coastal plants.
• Read our overview of palm varieties.

Common questions

How fast does it grow?

Slowly. In warm conditions expect only 10 to 20cm of trunk a year, which is why the advanced sizes are priced as they are.

Can it go right beside a pool?

Yes. Palm roots are fibrous rather than woody and spreading, so it sits comfortably close to paving and pool coping, and the frond litter is light.

Will it survive frost?

No. It is frost tender, and even a light frost damages the fronds. In a frosting district, grow it in a pot you can move under cover for winter.

Does it clean itself?

Not fully. Old fronds hang on and need cutting away once or twice a year, though there are few of them because of the slow growth rate.