Syagrus romanzoffiana growth speed

[Fusca]

I looked for a good example of this subject on this forum but found none so I thought I would help document the speed of the ever popular queen palm.  There have been many comments over the years on how fast this palm is and there's an excellent example from an old thread from the main forum.

I'll follow up with what I have experienced here in the RGV of deep south Texas.  Purchased this palm as a 7-gal with approximately 9' overall height in spring, 2023.

 

Here it is a year and a half later in October 2024 with the container next to it for scale.  It's approximately 13' overall height now - roughly 2.67' per year!  The base has really beefed up too.

 

[Harry’s Palms]

I have a lot of experience with these . I used them to get a canopy for other palms . The one you showed is right on track but the speed will increase dramatically once that nice fat base turns to trunk! I put some in as 10” pot size and are now HUGE after twenty years . The first 2-3 years were just getting it to the size of yours  , then ..look out , they really get big in a hurry. That said , some are much faster than others , but all are what I would consider fast growers. The only negative is the mess of the inflorescence and copious amounts of seed.Harry

[Chris Chance]

I have found like most palms they take time to establish roots then they explode. Usually around 2 years they will start fattening up and before you know it 4 years later they're too tall to maintain. 

[Fusca]

1 hour ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I have a lot of experience with these . I used them to get a canopy for other palms .

I bought a second one to provide canopy for other palms in a different part of the property.  It was about the same size as this one was at purchase and it's growing at the same rate as this one.  Not a problem here but further north of here can get some queen killing temperatures every couple of decades but you can still grow a good sized palm pretty quickly!  Houston, San Antonio and even Austin had some massive queens prior to 2021 but sadly the vast majority were wiped out.  Hopefully normal winters return to those areas so that we'll see large ones again soon.

[Scott W]

Okay, these were bought as seed February 2016 from RPS.

First picture (July 2020) shows a difference of one year in ground versus still in containers.

Second picture is today, October 2024, approximately 8 years from germination.  Could be location, but she's definitely put on some size in 4 years. Tiki head for scale is 2 feet.  

[Xenon]

8 bucks off the discount rack, planted January 2023

December 2023

Defoliated and covered in a blanket for 16 degree freeze, January 2024 

 

January 1st, 2025 

[SeanK]

On 10/25/2024 at 5:55 PM, Scott W said:

Okay, these were bought as seed February 2016 from RPS.

First picture (July 2020) shows a difference of one year in ground versus still in containers.

Second picture is today, October 2024, approximately 8 years from germination.  Could be location, but she's definitely put on some size in 4 years. Tiki head for scale is 2 feet.  

I think with water and fertilizer you could push it faster.

[Banana Belt]

On 10/24/2024 at 3:10 PM, Fusca said:

I looked for a good example of this subject on this forum but found none so I thought I would help document the speed of the ever popular queen palm.  There have been many comments over the years on how fast this palm is and there's an excellent example from an old thread from the main forum.

I'll follow up with what I have experienced here in the RGV of deep south Texas.  Purchased this palm as a 7-gal with approximately 9' overall height in spring, 2023.

 

Here it is a year and a half later in October 2024 with the container next to it for scale.  It's approximately 13' overall height now - roughly 2.67' per year!  The base has really beefed up too.

 

Thank you for posting this question and reference to earlier ones before.  Growth rate of any Palm is always a subject of discussion and interest but climates are very different from one place to another.  Here on the South Coast of Oregon there are many Queens, non of which have fast growth rates.  I planted a Queen in 1985 here in Brookings, picture below.  It took almost 20 years before this palm began to grow a trunk, but once the trunk emerged it started growing much faster.  It has never flowered even though it is almost 40 years old, perhaps it will eventually. 

[dalmatiansoap]

Planted June 2021, second picture November 2024. Seed grown, Santa Catarina sp, don't remember germination date.

[TropicsEnjoyer]

Does any other commonly found palm grow as fast as a queen? Because these things are evidently some of the fastest. 

[TropicsEnjoyer]

Also here’s mine and the size it was during Dec ‘23 compared to Dec ‘24:

Unfortunately I don’t have any earlier pics, but it started out at around 5ft tall as a $15 walmart clearance plant.

[Harry’s Palms]

I thought I would share a story about these. When i was at Home Depot about 25 years ago , they were having a parking lot sale , Spring time. As a sailor in Coastal Southern California , Spring usually means very strong afternoon westerly winds . I got there early in the day but they were still setting up . They were putting out pallets of Queen palms of various sizes. The 10” pots were very small palms , but cheap . Less than $10. I told the guy to tie them up because it was a beautiful , super clear day . To a sailor , clear mornings in Spring , along the coast = wind! I came back with my pick up to buy a few and the wind was blowing 30mph+ . The little 10” palms were scattered through the parking lot and the guy was trying to round them up , most of the poor palms were without pots or soil. I gave him $2 per palm , for 8 Queens. They all survived and are huge now. Bare rooted , I just dug holes and planted them around the house with garden soil around the bare rooted ball. Harry

[gurugu]

On 10/25/2024 at 1:22 AM, Harry’s Palms said:

I have a lot of experience with these . I used them to get a canopy for other palms . The one you showed is right on track but the speed will increase dramatically once that nice fat base turns to trunk! I put some in as 10” pot size and are now HUGE after twenty years . The first 2-3 years were just getting it to the size of yours  , then ..look out , they really get big in a hurry. That said , some are much faster than others , but all are what I would consider fast growers. The only negative is the mess of the inflorescence and copious amounts of seed.Harry

 

16 hours ago, Banana Belt said:

Thank you for posting this question and reference to earlier ones before.  Growth rate of any Palm is always a subject of discussion and interest but climates are very different from one place to another.  Here on the South Coast of Oregon there are many Queens, non of which have fast growth rates.  I planted a Queen in 1985 here in Brookings, picture below.  It took almost 20 years before this palm began to grow a trunk, but once the trunk emerged it started growing much faster.  It has never flowered even though it is almost 40 years old, perhaps it will eventually. 

Same here. I planted two back in 1997. They were about 2,5 mts tall then. Only started to get taller when the Cupresus leylandy hedge at their back grew tall and gave them warmth and shelter from northerly cold winds, full of saltpeter from the sea.

Unfortunately, they were too close to three tall Eucalyptus which deprived them from water and nutrients.

When I chopped the 3 trees, one of them started to set flowers and seeds. The other hasn't yet. 

Now they are 7/8 mts tall. Since these are the first seeds, I don't think they will be viable.

 

I also planted this double row of Romanzoffianas three years ago. As you see, they haven't grown very much yet because this is a very windy spot. I hope the Viburnum lucidum hedge at the back grows taller to see the Syagrus growing.

7 hours ago, dalmatiansoap said:

Planted June 2021, second picture November 2024. Seed grown, Santa Catarina sp, don't remember germination date.

Good growth rate for a 9A zone.

Does that Phitaya on the left, set fruits?

[dalmatiansoap]

8 minutes ago, gurugu said:

 

Does that Phitaya on the left, set fruits?

One picture worth thousand words 

[Harry’s Palms]

Here is one of my fatest trunked Syagrus R. I think it is about 25 years old , not that tall but VERY robust . This was trimmed up tight 2 months ago because of our Santa Ana wind events . Harry

[Banana Belt]

On 1/4/2025 at 7:11 AM, gurugu said:

Only started to get taller when the Cupresus leylandy hedge at their back grew tall and gave them warmth

That is absolutely fantastic, thank you so very much.  You won't believe it but we cut down 7 big Lylandi Cypress just like you last June, in 2024.  These terrible trees outgrew so much they shaded our Citrus garden and the Queen Palm.  Yes they did give some cold wind protection from the north and east, but they took over.  We had a big winter storm last Spring that came off the Ocean (Pacific) with couple Waterspouts or twisters that slammed into the Lylandi and blew 3 of them down, luckily away from our house.  So in June we removed all of them and now the Queen gets full sun all day.   The Ocean is about 300 meters to our west and although we get salt spray in winter when seas are rough we usually get lots of rain which dilutes it.  Summer the seas are not as rough so the salt is lower but does accumulate on leaves. 

Harbor, Oregon is at the 42 parallel latitude which is similar to Northern Spain. Picture below shows our Jubaea and on far left next to house you can see the Queen.   Thanks so very much for your information it gives us hope.

[Mazat]

7 minutes ago, Banana Belt said:

Das ist absolut fantastisch, vielen Dank. Sie werden es nicht glauben, aber wir haben im vergangenen Juni, im Jahr 2024, genau wie Sie, 7 große Lylandi-Zypressen gefällt. Diese schrecklichen Bäume sind so überwuchert, dass sie unseren Zitrusgarten und die Königspalme beschatteten. Ja, sie boten etwas Schutz vor kaltem Wind aus dem Norden und Osten, aber sie haben alles überwuchert. Im letzten Frühjahr hatten wir einen großen Wintersturm, der vom Ozean (Pazifik) kam, mit einigen Wasserhosen oder Tornados, die in die Lylandi krachten und 3 von ihnen umbliesen, glücklicherweise weg von unserem Haus. Also haben wir sie im Juni alle entfernt und jetzt bekommt die Königin den ganzen Tag volle Sonne. Der Ozean liegt etwa 300 Meter westlich von uns und obwohl wir im Winter bei rauer See Salzgischt bekommen, bekommen wir normalerweise viel Regen, der die Gischt verdünnt. Im Sommer ist die See nicht so rau, daher ist das Salz niedriger, sammelt sich aber auf den Blättern an. 

Harbor, Oregon, liegt auf dem 42. Breitengrad, was ähnlich ist wie Nordspanien. Das Bild unten zeigt unser Jubaea und ganz links neben dem Haus können Sie die Königin sehen. Vielen Dank für Ihre Informationen, sie geben uns Hoffnung.

magnificent jubea. they are wonderful plants, so strong 😃

[gurugu]

20 hours ago, Banana Belt said:

That is absolutely fantastic, thank you so very much.  You won't believe it but we cut down 7 big Lylandi Cypress just like you last June, in 2024.  These terrible trees outgrew so much they shaded our Citrus garden and the Queen Palm.  Yes they did give some cold wind protection from the north and east, but they took over.  We had a big winter storm last Spring that came off the Ocean (Pacific) with couple Waterspouts or twisters that slammed into the Lylandi and blew 3 of them down, luckily away from our house.  So in June we removed all of them and now the Queen gets full sun all day.   The Ocean is about 300 meters to our west and although we get salt spray in winter when seas are rough we usually get lots of rain which dilutes it.  Summer the seas are not as rough so the salt is lower but does accumulate on leaves. 

Harbor, Oregon is at the 42 parallel latitude which is similar to Northern Spain. Picture below shows our Jubaea and on far left next to house you can see the Queen.   Thanks so very much for your information it gives us hope.

That Juania is very robust and healthy. Congratulations!

I read the thread on your Juania in your last post. That's something to be proud of.

You are right, I live at 43⁰ 30' N, so our climates are very similar. Warm temperate or oceanic. 1.200 lts of rain a year and 1.800 hours of sunshine. 14,6⁰ yearly average (15⁰ in some places, since this is a very mountaineous region and country, with a lot of microclimates).

I also have problems with salt spray when low pressure storms brush the area, more in winter time, less in summer. The last one "burnt" many leaves on my plants and palms, even on the Viburnum hedge.

I don't like Leylandy as a hedge anymore. Or else they are planted in pure sandy soil, or they end up getting sick with fungus.

By the looks of it, that Syagrus in your garden seems pretty tall. Has it set seeds?

 

 

[Banana Belt]

4 hours ago, gurugu said:

By the looks of it, that Syagrus in your garden seems pretty tall. Has it set seeds?

No flowers or seeds.  43 years ago I planted 7 Lylandi Cedar next to the Sygrus and Citrus trees to provide wind protection from the east and northeast, but they grew to fast and big so I had them cut down and removed last year.  Now the Sygrus has full sun so perhaps this year it will flower and seed.

Our coldest temperatures in winter are close to 0 C and warmest at any time of year can go up to 38 C, average year around is 10 C to 21 C winter, spring, summer or fall.  Our rainfall comes mostly between October and May and was 3 meters last year.  May to October is dry with either sun or fog with temps 10 C to 21 C.  Like you salt from ocean is usuually during winter, but with all the rain it is washed off.  In summer without rain salt does accumulate on all plants.   Our Pacific Ocean off Oregon is cold year around 3.8 C to 11 C, so it keeps the land next to ocean cool but not freezing.

To the east 70 KM away from where I live are 1,200 to 2,000 meter mountains with very rugged canyons, valleys and thick with forest.

Sounds like Northern Spain especially Galicia is alot like Southern Oregon.  It would be great to visit Northern Spain sometime and go scuba diving in the ocean.

[gurugu]

2 hours ago, Banana Belt said:

No flowers or seeds.  43 years ago I planted 7 Lylandi Cedar next to the Sygrus and Citrus trees to provide wind protection from the east and northeast, but they grew to fast and big so I had them cut down and removed last year.  Now the Sygrus has full sun so perhaps this year it will flower and seed.

Our coldest temperatures in winter are close to 0 C and warmest at any time of year can go up to 38 C, average year around is 10 C to 21 C winter, spring, summer or fall.  Our rainfall comes mostly between October and May and was 3 meters last year.  May to October is dry with either sun or fog with temps 10 C to 21 C.  Like you salt from ocean is usuually during winter, but with all the rain it is washed off.  In summer without rain salt does accumulate on all plants.   Our Pacific Ocean off Oregon is cold year around 3.8 C to 11 C, so it keeps the land next to ocean cool but not freezing.

To the east 70 KM away from where I live are 1,200 to 2,000 meter mountains with very rugged canyons, valleys and thick with forest.

Sounds like Northern Spain especially Galicia is alot like Southern Oregon.  It would be great to visit Northern Spain sometime and go scuba diving in the ocean.

The one in the picture flowered for the first time just last year, after 26 years in the ground. I think it was due to being under heavy shade and too close to  eucalyptus. Receiving full sun was the key for starting to flower, in my opinion.

The temperatures you mention are very similar to mine here, except for sea temperatures. Coldest here is 13,5⁰ in January and 22⁰ in August, that's why minimum temperatures here are pretty high for its latitude .

It rains all year round. 150 litres in November and 56 in July.  That's why your climate is more similar to that in southern Galicia. Transition to Mediterranean is called, I think.

The mountain range is pretty close to the coast, only 20/30 km away in the south, that's why we have Föehn effect any time southern winds blow. Then, temperatures easily reach 20⁰ in winter (with high minimum temperatures too) and 40⁰ in summer. Which is very unusual, luckily.

Some places on the slopes of these mountains can reach 2.400 litres of rain a year.

Mountains peak from 1.400 mts to 2.600 mts high.

Very little snow on the coast and, if it does, it lasts for a very short time. Last time it snowed here was back in 2018, and it only lasted for 4 hours, it melted right away. 

Forests here are mainly eucalyptus globulus, and pine trees ( pinus radiata) up to 500 mts a s l. Beeches, oaks, birches, etc. at upper altitude.

Good luck with your Syagrus.

[UK_Palms]

One thing is for sure is that Syagrus Romanzoffiana is actually quite hardy. I am in an inland rural countryside location with no UHI and stopped protecting my one in 22/23 when we had the bad winter (worst winter since 2010). I thought it was dead but it keeps pushing out foliage. It took a few nights of -8C. The fronds got smoked, but new ones emerged the next summer. They actually seem quite hard to kill.

I have left a bunch of small potted ones outdoors last winter as well which I forgot about. They didn’t take much damage at all and are fine. The biggest problem over here is the lack of sun and proper heat to get them to grow well, or at any appreciable speed. I think you need to plant them quite big and you really need to be in the warmest of spots in summer like central London, or maybe Portsmouth or Eastbourne etc.

I have about 8 small ‘Mountain’ Queens in pots which will be planted out when I move to the south coast. I have a decent sized Butia Odorata in a pot as well, which I will plant as well. The idea is to be able to start cultivating Butyagrus hybrids from my garden for distribution and sale around the UK in the future. I will of course need a good microclimate with a patio and lots of sunlight to get a Syagrus to flower here, but I do believe it will be possible. I mean nobody thought Washingtonia would flower and produce seeds in the UK 20 years ago, but now they have. We will see how the Queen at Lamorran in Cornwall does in the coming years. I do think there is a lot of potential in the mildest/warmest areas that has not been properly utilised for this species over here.

[gurugu]

5 hours ago, UK_Palms said:

One thing is for sure is that Syagrus Romanzoffiana is actually quite hardy. I am in an inland rural countryside location with no UHI and stopped protecting my one in 22/23 when we had the bad winter (worst winter since 2010). I thought it was dead but it keeps pushing out foliage. It took a few nights of -8C. The fronds got smoked, but new ones emerged the next summer. They actually seem quite hard to kill.

I have left a bunch of small potted ones outdoors last winter as well which I forgot about. They didn’t take much damage at all and are fine. The biggest problem over here is the lack of sun and proper heat to get them to grow well, or at any appreciable speed. I think you need to plant them quite big and you really need to be in the warmest of spots in summer like central London, or maybe Portsmouth or Eastbourne etc.

I have about 8 small ‘Mountain’ Queens in pots which will be planted out when I move to the south coast. I have a decent sized Butia Odorata in a pot as well, which I will plant as well. The idea is to be able to start cultivating Butyagrus hybrids from my garden for distribution and sale around the UK in the future. I will of course need a good microclimate with a patio and lots of sunlight to get a Syagrus to flower here, but I do believe it will be possible. I mean nobody thought Washingtonia would flower and produce seeds in the UK 20 years ago, but now they have. We will see how the Queen at Lamorran in Cornwall does in the coming years. I do think there is a lot of potential in the mildest/warmest areas that has not been properly utilised for this species over here.

Good chance for you to manage it to survive and set seeds, if you plant it in a sheltered spot, by the house on the south coast some day. 

As previously mentioned, full sun is the key.

A brother of mine lives in a town at 450 mts asl in La Rioja, which is a 8B/9A USDA zone. Two years ago, I gave him some palms: sabals, trachys, serenoa, chamaerops, a livistona and an Arenga Engleri. All of them are doing just fine.

I also gave him a Kentia about 5 years ago. It is in a big pot living happily outdoors under an eave. I've told him to plant it outdoors, close to the house, next late spring, to see what happens. 

I will also give him a spare 1,5 mts tall Syagrus Rom. I have in a big pot, to be planted outdoors too.

The good thing is that he enjoys much more sunshine hours a year (2.500) than me. So the chances to get it thrive and set seeds, are better.

[Zach K]

On 1/3/2025 at 2:16 PM, Banana Belt said:

Thank you for posting this question and reference to earlier ones before.  Growth rate of any Palm is always a subject of discussion and interest but climates are very different from one place to another.  Here on the South Coast of Oregon there are many Queens, non of which have fast growth rates.  I planted a Queen in 1985 here in Brookings, picture below.  It took almost 20 years before this palm began to grow a trunk, but once the trunk emerged it started growing much faster.  It has never flowered even though it is almost 40 years old, perhaps it will eventually. 

That looks amazing! Where can one find these Many Queens around Brookings? Also are you noticing Brookings embracing more tropicals? 

[Banana Belt]

16 hours ago, Zach K said:

Also are you noticing Brookings embracing more tropicals? 

Yes, more tropicals and plants I have not seen before.  My neighbor has a Saguaro Cactus which is taking off into a tree and is growing in such a climate far from any desert one could imagine and yet it looks happy.  There are at least a dozen trunk growing Queens around Brookings, also Palms I am not familiar with.  Queens can be seen in Brookings next to Bi-mart, off Memory lane, Cedar lane, up the Winchuck and Chetco Rivers.  A few in Harbor.  There used to be several next to Azalea Park and over by the high-school.   There are also several Kings growing in Brookings.

I am putting in several new Palms, Kentia, Juania, Ribbon Fan and Butia.  I may also try a Majesty Palm if I can make the right place.  Running out of places to put plants on 1 flat acre.  Below is our 45 year old Satsuma Mandarin which is producing very sweet and juicy mandarins right now.

 

[Mazat]

On 1/7/2025 at 1:47 PM, UK_Palms said:

One thing is for sure is that Syagrus Romanzoffiana is actually quite hardy. I am in an inland rural countryside location with no UHI and stopped protecting my one in 22/23 when we had the bad winter (worst winter since 2010). I thought it was dead but it keeps pushing out foliage. It took a few nights of -8C. The fronds got smoked, but new ones emerged the next summer. They actually seem quite hard to kill.

I have left a bunch of small potted ones outdoors last winter as well which I forgot about. They didn’t take much damage at all and are fine. The biggest problem over here is the lack of sun and proper heat to get them to grow well, or at any appreciable speed. I think you need to plant them quite big and you really need to be in the warmest of spots in summer like central London, or maybe Portsmouth or Eastbourne etc.

I have about 8 small ‘Mountain’ Queens in pots which will be planted out when I move to the south coast. I have a decent sized Butia Odorata in a pot as well, which I will plant as well. The idea is to be able to start cultivating Butyagrus hybrids from my garden for distribution and sale around the UK in the future. I will of course need a good microclimate with a patio and lots of sunlight to get a Syagrus to flower here, but I do believe it will be possible. I mean nobody thought Washingtonia would flower and produce seeds in the UK 20 years ago, but now they have. We will see how the Queen at Lamorran in Cornwall does in the coming years. I do think there is a lot of potential in the mildest/warmest areas that has not been properly utilised for this species over here.

absolutely Ben, i never thought also that it is possible that washingtonia robusta would establish so good and flower in uk, untill i saw pictures and reports, a great story. here near lake constance, hmm it`s another story, maybe in near future ...

Yes it must be possible that syagrus romanzoffiana also can establish in cornwall and and in other warm regions in the uk.

 

[Zach K]

On 1/14/2025 at 8:38 AM, Banana Belt said:

Yes, more tropicals and plants I have not seen before.  My neighbor has a Saguaro Cactus which is taking off into a tree and is growing in such a climate far from any desert one could imagine and yet it looks happy.  There are at least a dozen trunk growing Queens around Brookings, also Palms I am not familiar with.  Queens can be seen in Brookings next to Bi-mart, off Memory lane, Cedar lane, up the Winchuck and Chetco Rivers.  A few in Harbor.  There used to be several next to Azalea Park and over by the high-school.   There are also several Kings growing in Brookings.

I am putting in several new Palms, Kentia, Juania, Ribbon Fan and Butia.  I may also try a Majesty Palm if I can make the right place.  Running out of places to put plants on 1 flat acre.  Below is our 45 year old Satsuma Mandarin which is producing very sweet and juicy mandarins right now.

 

Thats awesome. It's so mind blowing that we can grow those palms and exotics within OR borders. Keep at it and share photos of those new palms! Also, as a side note...I'd love to see a Rhopalostylis sapida planted in Brookings. I feel like that would thrive there. Have you heard of anyone attempting it there?

[Banana Belt]

3 hours ago, Zach K said:

Rhopalostylis sapida

• Nikau Palm or Shaving Brush palm is reported to be growing is several places around Brookings, but I don't know where.  Certainly it will grow as almost any plant from New Zealand grows on South Coast Oregon.  Many of the New Zealand plants are now growing wild such as the Tree Fern.  Along the coast just north of Brookings there are many wild Tree Ferns not native to America, though not native at present because one can find many fossil Tree Ferns in rocks from Jurrassic to Eocene in the cliffs above the ocean north of Brookings.  There are many non-native plants growing wild along South Oregon Coast, many are invasive.  New Zealand plants don't seem to be too invasive however, not like Pampas Grass, Gorse or pyracantha, New Zealand plants seem to blend in with the native very well.  Cordyling australis are wild as I found one behind my shed last summer.

[gurugu]

On 1/14/2025 at 5:38 PM, Banana Belt said:

Yes, more tropicals and plants I have not seen before.  My neighbor has a Saguaro Cactus which is taking off into a tree and is growing in such a climate far from any desert one could imagine and yet it looks happy.  There are at least a dozen trunk growing Queens around Brookings, also Palms I am not familiar with.  Queens can be seen in Brookings next to Bi-mart, off Memory lane, Cedar lane, up the Winchuck and Chetco Rivers.  A few in Harbor.  There used to be several next to Azalea Park and over by the high-school.   There are also several Kings growing in Brookings.

I am putting in several new Palms, Kentia, Juania, Ribbon Fan and Butia.  I may also try a Majesty Palm if I can make the right place.  Running out of places to put plants on 1 flat acre.  Below is our 45 year old Satsuma Mandarin which is producing very sweet and juicy mandarins right now.

 

 

https://www.palmtalk.org/forum/topic/82011-archontophoenix-in-oregon/

Here you are those above mentioned Archontophoenix Cunninghamiana in Brookings.

There are more pictures somewhere.