If you’re thinking of possibly putting a palm tree in your garden, one of the most important things to consider is how much it will cost. Trees can be expensive, and palm trees no less so than other trees. Let’s find out how much do palm trees cost.
Of course, the price of a palm tree will depend on its size, type, age, and attractiveness. You might pay considerably more for some kinds of palm trees than others, but usually, a starter palm of average height will be between $200 and $300. If you want a particular species or a larger tree, it will often cost considerably more.
What Do Palm Trees Usually Cost On Average?
There isn’t really an average for these trees because they are so varied. If you go to a store or nursery, you might see options anywhere between $10 and $800, depending on the size and the kind of tree (and possibly on the supply and demand in your area).
Before you decide you are going to add a palm tree or several to your yard to create a gorgeous tropical theme, you need to think about how much you are prepared to spend, how many trees you would like to get, and where you are going to put the trees. Some trees can be grown indoors, although many palms need to be kept outside.
Set yourself a budget and do some research into the different kinds of palm trees and their prices before you buy any. This will better enable you to create a look that works for you, and you can make sure you have enough money before you go buying your first tree.
Mark out places in the yard or your home for the trees; you do not want to find the trees don’t fit when you have bought them, and you might be surprised by how much space they can take up – palm trees are shallow-rooted and tend to spread out around the trunk.
How Much Does A Small Palm Tree Cost?
If you’re going to get a young palm, you will be paying considerably less than if you try to get a larger specimen. A young palm could be anywhere between a seedling and a three-gallon bucket, and of course, the price will vary between these two ends, but it is certainly cheaper to buy them at this size than to buy bigger trees.
You can even try growing palm trees from seeds, but this is a slow way to get palms in your yard, so it would be better to buy one that is already established.
A small palm will probably be between $15 and $50, with the larger trees being more expensive. Of course, if you want one of the rarer palms or the supply in your area does not easily meet demand, you may find that it costs more.
How Much Does A Large Palm Tree Cost?
If you’re designing your yard, you may want a tree that is already quite large, so it fills its space nicely, without leaving a big gap that it is intended to grow into.
In this case, you are probably looking at trees that are bigger than four feet. These trees tend to start from around $145, so you can see that there is a significant price jump. Up to around six feet palms can cost roughly $325, which is again a large amount to pay for a relatively small height increase.
You may be better off getting a small tree and nurturing it carefully, but obviously, this depends on your needs and how long you want to wait to see your garden plan come together.
How Much Does A Fully Grown Palm Tree Cost?
What if you want to put a fully grown (or nearly fully grown) palm tree into your yard? These are not cheap trees, although they will of course quickly transform your home, making it decidedly tropical with very little time, and only a medium amount of effort.
Fully grown palms often cost between $600 and $2000, sometimes even more. Particularly beautiful specimens are likely to cost more, and you again will find that the type of palm you choose makes a difference to the price.
Remember to get quotes for delivery and for the work involved in getting the tree into the ground, too!
How Fast Do Palm Trees Grow?
Your next question is probably how quickly these trees grow. If you buy a three foot tree, how soon can you expect it to become a four foot or five foot tree? This will help you to work out how much time you are saving for the amount extra you pay when buying the tree.
Again, this of course depends on the kind of palm, but many will grow about a foot per year. They are not fast growers, especially when grown away from their native environment, so if you want a large palm quickly, you will need to buy one that is already quite big.
Obviously, individual palms will grow at different speeds, and their growth rates will be somewhat dependent on how good the conditions are for it, but about a foot per year is fairly reasonable and approximately what you should expect. Most will also produce around five to seven fronds in a year.
What Are The Popular Kinds Of Palm Trees?
Let’s dive into what kind of palms exist, and what are the pros and cons of the various types.
The Kentia Palm Tree
For anyone who doesn’t live in a tropical environment, this is one of the best options, as these trees do not mind being grown in colder conditions. These are very tall and can reach a whopping forty feet in some instances.
The Coconut Palm Tree
This one you are certainly familiar with, coconut palms are one of the most common and popular kinds of palm trees, and these may well be what you think of, when somebody says the phrase “palm tree.”
Coconut palms get to a phenomenal sixty feet high in some cases, and you’re usually looking at paying around $70-$80 per foot when you buy one of these.
They look terrific in a backyard, and there’s certainly no better way to shout “tropical holiday.” Don’t try and put one of these inside your home, they are too big!
The Princess Palm Tree
Occasionally referred to as Hurricane Palms, these are usually quite a lot shorter than other palm trees, and generally only reach about thirty feet tall – around half the size of the coconut palm.
They lack the delicacy that some of their cousins have, so if you’re looking for a shorter, stockier option, they may be right for you.
Hurricane palm prices will vary depending on the size of the tree, but you will probably pay around $80 for one.
The Bottle Palm Tree
If even thirty feet is sounding too tall and you were thinking of something significantly shorter and more manageable, try a Bottle Palm. These only reach around ten feet high at the most, so they are far shorter. If your backyard is small, they are probably a perfect option that avoids having to deal with a massive tree in a few years’ time.
However, Bottle Palms are pretty expensive. Even a small Bottle Palm will probably cost you somewhere around $60 or $70, and when they get to their full size, they can cost nearly a thousand dollars – so it may be better to buy them young and let them growing once they are in your yard.
The Royal Palm Tree
The clue is in the name: this is among the fanciest palm trees and can reach a full one hundred feet tall when it is fully grown. That is a phenomenal height, so make sure you really want one this tall before going out and buying one.
The fronds will spread to around twenty-five feet wide, so we’re not exaggerating the size of this enormous tree. It is simply enormous, and you probably need to see one to really take it in!
You do not want to put one of these trees in a little backyard (and certainly not in your home). Only consider purchasing one of these to grow if you have a large property. That said, they make a very striking entryway and do look absolutely incredible. Nothing better proclaims your love for palm trees and hot places!
Royal Palms cost a lot of money. They are often between $200 and $300 even for reasonably small ones, and huge ones could cost thousands. Obviously, you also have the cost of transporting them to your home and getting them situated in the ground, so these are far from a budget addition to the home.
You may be wondering if you can grow Royal Palms from seed to reduce the expense. The answer is that you can, but they are not easy to grow because they are quite prone to diseases.
If you try, you will need to nurture them very carefully, and it will be a long time before they are large enough to really feel as splendid as the name suggests. However, it can be done!
The Parlor Palm Tree
With another well-suited name, the Parlor Palm is exactly that – a palm that can be grown in the parlor. If you are wanting a palm tree inside the house instead of your yard, this is the perfect choice for you.
That said, these palms can still get tall, with many specimens achieving six feet and more – so don’t dismiss these as a small tree. They are big enough to impress and look particularly striking in hallways and entryways. You may have seen them in fancy hotels, too.
Their price is very varied, and you may find Parlor Palms as low as $40, while others could be well over $100. However, as palms go, they are not the most expensive option, so they may be suitable if you are on a budget.
The Foxtail Palm Tree
If you’re after a more delicate and elegant option, the Foxtail Palm might be the one for you. These won’t tolerate temperatures below about fifteen degrees F, so make sure that the climate is suitable before you purchase one, or it may die in the winter.
The Foxtail Palm is a very slow grower, which makes it more expensive than some others, and of course, more difficult to grow from seed. However, it has beautiful, shiny leaves that come to points, lending it a distinctive and distinguished air.
They are long-lived, and if you buy one in a pot of around 12 gallons, you’re looking to pay about $200. A larger specimen could cost $300-$500, or more.
The Coco De Mer Palm Tree
You might be wondering, especially after the last few sections, what the most expensive palm tree of all is. It is thought that the Coco De Mer Palm Tree, which you may have never heard of, is the most expensive one you can buy.
It is quite hard to get hold of, and it is possible you won’t be able to get one in your area. These are rarely seen outside of the Republic of Seychelles, which is near Madagascar. It is native to just two islands there, and it is very difficult to grow. It is also vulnerable to poaching because of its rarity and high value.
It is thought that this is among the oldest palm trees, and it is a much-loved plant in its native home. The Coco De Mer Palm Tree produces very heavy and large green nuts that are not easy to disperse.
In terms of its height, it can grow to a hundred and ten feet tall, with fronds stretching over thirty feet long. A single one of its fruits can weigh up to twenty pounds and will take up to seven years to mature, plus a further two or three years to germinate. Each only has a single seed in it, which probably tells why these trees are so rare.
Furthermore, the trees have male and female plants, so they depend upon pollination with a specific other Coco De Mer Palm Tree (rather than just any other) in order to produce viable fruits. If you only have a male or only have a female, it cannot reproduce properly.
So, how much does it cost? Well, it is hard to tell exactly because this plants are so rare, but the tree is often sold for anywhere between $300 and $9000. If you find one for significantly less than $300, treat it with caution as it may be mislabeled or a stolen plant. Avoid buying these, as supporting the black market further endangers this species.
The Needle Palm Tree
If you want something really hardy, the Needle Palm Tree is probably your best option. This tree is tough and resilient, and although it likes hot summers, it will cope with cold weather as well as any palm tree. If you live somewhere cold, it’s a good choice.
It will manage temperatures as low as minus five degrees F, and it copes with most soil types reasonably well. A mature needle palm will even handle shade.
These trees get very big, however, so they are not suitable for a backyard, and you need to give them lots of room to grow. They will easily swamp other plants and kill them as they spread.
The Dwarf Fan Palm Tree
For another smaller option, the Dwarf Fan Palm Tree will often only reach a modest two meters tall. Many people use these beneath the level of other plants, filling in spaces beneath the taller palms to make a great tropical display, and get rid of any big “gaps” that are left by the height of this plant’s relatives.
It has very spiky leaves, creating a striking display, but it doesn’t handle the cold well. If you live in the UK, you may want to look for other options, but it should survive well in many warm parts of the US.
This is a spiky addition to a garden, so it might not be ideal if you have young children or pets.
Conclusion
There is an enormous range of palm trees, and the price will vary massively depending on the kind you buy, and particularly on the size. Do not forget to count the cost of getting it transported (if it’s too big to collect yourself) and digging a space for it.
Check out the different kinds of trees, and then get some idea of the price that the particular variety you like goes for. You can then look at how big a tree you can afford is, so your new gardening addition doesn’t run over your budget.