Christmas Palm

Christmas Palm (Adonidia merrillii, still widely sold as Veitchia merrillii) is the neat single trunk palm for a courtyard or poolside where a royal or foxtail palm would be too big. It settles at about 6m tall with a 2.5m spread of arching fronds, with a clean grey trunk, a bright green crownshaft and heavy bunches of scarlet fruit through summer, which is where the name comes from. It carries both male and female flowers, so a single palm fruits on its own without a partner.

Why you'll love it

• It cleans up after itself. Spent fronds drop away on their own instead of hanging in a brown skirt, so there is no ladder work.
• Scale that suits a real garden. At 6m by 2.5m it gives a proper palm silhouette without taking the whole yard or shading the house.
• Non invasive roots. Safe to plant close to paving, pool shells and pipes, which is where most palms cause trouble.
• Safe around pets. Not toxic to cats or dogs, so it suits a garden where the dog has the run of the place.

Where it works best

Poolside. Non invasive roots, a self cleaning habit and salt tolerance make it one of the better palms to plant within a couple of metres of a pool. The fruit drops, so expect an occasional sweep on paving.

Feature planting. One plant makes an entry statement. A group of three at staggered heights, roughly 1.5m to 2m apart, reads better than a matched row.

Pots and courtyards. Slow and tidy enough to spend years in a large container in a warm sheltered courtyard, and heat tolerant enough for an exposed coastal frontage.

Growing Christmas Palm in Australia

Position and climate. This is a tropical and subtropical palm and it is frost tender. It thrives from about Coffs Harbour north through south east Queensland, the Queensland coast, Darwin and the tropical north. In Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and anywhere that frosts, grow it in a pot in a warm protected courtyard. Young plants prefer part shade; established plants take full sun.

Soil. Free draining and rich. Dig compost through the planting hole and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Keep the root zone consistently moist through the first two summers; it does not enjoy drying out hard. Feed with a controlled release palm fertiliser in early spring and again in midsummer; palm blends carry the extra potassium and magnesium that prevent yellow, frizzled fronds.

Pruning. Almost none required. Remove old flower and fruit stalks if you want less mess underneath, and let the fronds shed naturally.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 45L and 100L, advanced plants with real trunk and a full crown rather than seedlings. They are heavy, and travel with the fronds tied in, so the crown looks tight and creased for a week or two before it opens out.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock like this is freighted at cost, and we quote specialist transport where needed. Expect a month of little visible change, then a new frond every few weeks through the warm season. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full palm range
• Layer a tropical garden around it
• Plants that hold up in large containers
• Preparing the ground before planting

Common questions

How much cold will it take?

Very little. It is frost tender, and a single hard frost can kill the growing point. Below about 5C growth stops and the fronds mark, so treat it as a plant for frost free gardens or a moveable pot.

How fast does it grow?

Moderate. In a warm garden with water and feed, expect around 20cm to 30cm of trunk a year, reaching its full 6m over roughly fifteen years.

Can it stay in a pot permanently?

For many years, yes. Use the largest container you can manage, keep the mix free draining, water regularly and feed twice a year.