Think Florida – Think Tropical – Think Palms
Along the highways of Florida there are many palm trees. Most of these trees are the Canary Island Date Palm which grows up to 60 feet tall. While these massive trees adorn the highways and some back roads of Florida, they are also conducive to home landscaping. Of course, the full grown plant will not do well in home landscaping, but the young trees are very adaptive. Since they are slow growing, the young plants can be potted and are nice additions for decorating pool areas keep in mind they will eventually grow so a plan of action will be something to consider maybe calling a professional landscaper to help with the replanting of your larger palm tree. 
One suitable for Florida does not look like your typical palm. The Fishtail, a native of India, will add a far-East flair to an area. This is a quick growing plant and can get to 25 feet quickly if given lots of growing room. An interesting fact is the stem starch and heart are edible and they are used in everyday Indian food. Better yet, palm sugar can be made from the sap and still better the sap can be fermented into a liqueur. Let’s have a party!
Everyone enjoys the massive palms that are so typical of tropical areas. Although these trees are not suitable for home landscaping some species have a miniature or pygmy variety for home gardens. The Pygmy Date Palm matures at 8 feet and can also be grown in pots. If the large typical palm is what you envision in your landscape, try the Pygmy Date Palm to get the tropical feel.
The European Fan Palm starts out more like a bush than a tree. It matures at 15 feet and by then the trunk looks like the typical palm tree. The leaf growth resembles the fan shape and you can just imagine sitting on a porch rocking and fanning yourself in the summer heat. As with many plants, this one has a bit of trivia – it is said to be pollinated by one insect and is the only palm that comes from mainland Europe.
Why not add some royalty to your landscaping? Give the King Sago Palm front and center in the garden. This is another slow growing plant and will mature at about 12 feet. One interesting fact about the Sago is they are considered living fossils because they can continue growing for 100 years. Ramp up the garden with royalty.
Another tropical plant that is more like a bush is the Lady Palm. Because maturity is about 8 feet, it is suited for both inside and out. There are many slim trunks which bend away from one another giving a subtle and graceful appearance. She will add a delicate touch to royalty.
Now to get things moving, add some rock and roll to your garden with the Ponytail Palm. It is not really a palm but a palm like slow growing plant. Just about anyone can grow them since they are very hard to kill. Potted around the house it will grow to about 8 feet, but outside it will grow as tall as 30 feet. The ponytail comes from the long stalk or trunk topped with long green leaves which hang down. So if you want to add a little rock and roll with some soul to your garden, the Ponytail Palm will do the trick.
The above palms are fun and have some quirkiness to them but as always check with a professional before planting. The soil may need testing and additional nutrients may be required. Do the necessary research for your soil and get the ground ready. Then pick palms that are interesting with unique stories and let your garden speak for itself.