Queen Palm
Syagrus romanzoffiana
Plant Family: Palmae
Leaves: Pinnate, dark green, to 5 m long, the segments are held in more than one plane.
Bark: Light gray, smooth, ring scars rougher, sometimes old leaf bases will remain on the trunk; lacks a crownshaft.
Flowers: Whitish yellow, in large drooping clusters; spring to summer.
Fruits: Orange-red, edible, to 3 cm, in heavy clusters; summer to fall.
Habitat: Widely planted as an ornamental for its attractive form, this South American species has escaped from cultivation and is considered an invasive species in Florida, often appearing in hammock edges and along roadsides.
Growth Form: Medium-sized tree with long arching leaves.
Similar Species: The growth form resembles Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera), but Queen Palm has leaves with the segments in more than one plane, and has orange-red fruits.
Comments: Older taxonomic references have Queen Palm as Cocos plumosa or Arecastrum romanzoffianum.
