There is something about a palm tree that stirs thoughts and images in my mind and feelings. Maybe it is the silouette on the horizon, or the thought of lying in a hammock between two coconut palms. The gentle breeze on your skin is so refreshing.

 

I can remember a time in my life when there were no palm trees. After returning from that cold climate I began to really appreciate what I had always taken for granted. The Florida Cabbage Palms which I had always considered a weed began to take on a respected place in the landscape.

I have become quite adept at growing palms from seeds and also collecting seedlings and transplanting them. It is rewarding to watch them grow into mature trees.

The past two winters in Florida have been devastating to my palm collection. I lost too many of my favorites including Cuban Royals, Foxtails, Manilas and Triangles just to name a few. I am taking my palm collection to someplace that will not ever have a cold weather problem. That place is sunny, tropical Jamaica. I will keep you updated on the progress of that undertaking. 

This series of articles will be about these palms. They will contain facts and more about these  versatile plants.

Buccaneer Palm (Pseudophoenix sargentii)

Family: Arecacae

Origin: Florida Keys, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, Nassau, Cuba, Belize, Caribbean coast of Mexico

Cold Tolerance: 28 degrees F minimum

Salt Tolerance: High                                                                               

Drought Tolerance: High when established

Size: 10 to 25 feet

The Buccaneer Palm is an endangered Florida native. Collecting and development have taken its toll. Moderate salt air and short periods of storm surge flooding are tolerated. Drought is no problem. Rich, dry soil and full sun are needed.

This palm grows very slowly, but, because of its extreme coastal habitat, it will grow in almost any well-drained soil and is one of the most salt and wind tolerant of all palms, i.e. ideally suited for coastal planting. It grows well in warm as well as tropical climates. I have been growing them in containers and in the ground for four years in St Petersburg, Florida. The winters can get cold and frost and freezing conditions are not unusual. The Buccaneer  palms have thrived when other palms were dying. I lost many Foxtails, Manilas, Arecas to name a few. Because of its slow growth rate it makes an excellent container plant.

The Buccaneer is known as the world’s slowest growing palm tree. It takes a lot of patience to get to a good size for planting into your landscape. For this reason it is a very expensive palm. Sometimes it will only grow one new frond in a year. It can take up to ten years to grow into a marketable size.

The trunk is slightly enlarged, waxy and ringed  connected to a waxy crownshaft that eventually shortens as the palm matures. The pinnate leaves of the Buccaneer Palm are semi-arching, dark grey to green with light grey undersides and has a very leathery texture.  Research has found that a Buccaneer Palm at 12 Feet Tall and with 113 leaf scars or remnants, indicated the tree was 120 years old. The Buccaneer Palm is estimated to only put on one leaf each year. I have seen them put out more than one leaf a year.

This is a worthy specimen for any collector of rare palms. It will make your landscape unique it will also make you the envy of other palm enthusiasts. Have a piece of unspoiled nature and piece of true uniqueness.