Before you even buy any trees you may want to brainstorm some palm tree landscaping ideas that’ll be the best fit for your property. I’ve scoured the web for various photos of neat backyard displays of palm trees used either as focal points or as supporting décor.
Here are a few different ideas or layouts for you to consider when designing that tropical backyard look. All of these are various images I found online so I personally can’t take the credit for these awesome ideas thought I wish I could!
Poolside Palm Tree Landscaping Ideas
In thinking up some poolside palm tree landscaping ideas you’ll need to consider a few things to make sure you get the right type of tree not only in terms of aesthetics but also whether or not it will require more space than provided by the pool area. Here are a couple things to think about before buying a palm tree to plant around your pool.
Root structure of the palm tree
Something that is very important to know about any palm trees you are considering buying to place next to your pool is the root structure of the palm. By this I mean do the roots tend to be more compact and won’t spread out far, or do they require a wide radius from the palm’s trunk.
Some tree roots will extend outward a good distance under the surface which could be problematic since as we know, nothing gets in the way of mother nature. You’ve seen how roots can force their way through solid rock, the same could be said if you are not cautious with the type of tree you plant as well as the proximity it is to your pool (assuming it’s an in-ground pool).
Cleanliness of the Palm
Some palm trees are self-cleaning which is good in the sense that they are less work to prune however the disadvantage by having them by a pool is that they will drop their old leaves at their discretion. If you go with a tree that isn’t self-cleaning then yes it will be more work pruning it but you can setup a tarp to catch the leaves as you cut them to prevent them from falling into the pool.
Another thing to consider in terms of cleanliness when looking for a palm to place next to your pool is whether or not you want a palm the produces fruits, since they may also fall into the pool. Most will produce a fruit but the size and extent produced vary from tree to tree.
The slider below are a bunch of various photos I found throughout the web of amazing poolside ideas incorporating palm trees into the design.
Some of the more common trees that you’ll see around pools are listed below, keep in mind that not all of these may be suitable for what you’re trying to do but they can act as a starting point for your perfect poolside palm tree landscaping ideas. I’ve linked them out to an online retailer where you can see how much each would cost you
- Canary Island Date Palm
- Up to 60’ tall, single ‘pineapple’ looking trunk, zone 8b-11
- Banana Tree Palm
- Up to 20’ tall, single trunk, zone 8b-11, large paddle leaves
- Flame Thrower Palm
- Up to 20’ tall, single trunk, zone 9-11, unique red leaf
- Windmill Palm
- Up to 20’ tall, zone 7b-11, slow growing
- Florida Thatch Palm
- Up to 20’, zone 10-11, requires pruning
- Sago Palm
- Up to 10’ tall, zone 8b-11, slow growing
Focal Point Palm Tree Landscaping Ideas
If you’re looking for a tree to place at the end of a circular driveway or just to act as a large focal point then this section may give you some ideas. To find a tree to act as a focal point it needs to be either one of two things: very large, or very exotic looking. You can of course do this with any tree however these seem to be the two features that make it most appealing for what you are trying to accomplish with it.
Focal point palm trees usually work best when either planted in a elevated circular or square like base structure, whether it be a raised concrete walled bed or a raised mulch pile. This directs attention to the area where the eye will then find a beautiful palm at the center.
Additionally adding smaller low growing plants such as flowers also helps complete the overall look of the focal point. The slide deck below may give you some ideas on various focal point designs.
Again, like I said go very large or very unique in choosing a palm tree for this objective, below are a few suggestions.
- Senegal Date Palm (very unique)
- Up to 50’ tall, multiple trunks, zone 9-11, edible fruits
- European Fan Palm
- Up to 20’ tall, multiple trunks, zone 7b-11, cold hardy
- Triangle Palm
- Up to 30’ tall, zone 9-11, unique crown structure
- Canary Island Date Palm
- Up to 60’ tall, single ‘pineapple’ looking trunk, zone 8b-11
- Bismark Palm (very unique)
- Up to 60’ tall, zone 8-11, evergreen, blueish color
- Travelers Palm (very unique)
- Up to 40’ tall, fan type structure, zone 9-11
Giant Commercial or Driveway Palm Tree Landscaping Ideas
If you’ve got a either a big house, a big business, or a long driveway and then you should be looking for some palm trees that can measure up to your massive property.
Without getting too much into the psychological effects of size, height can be interpreted as power to some. Therefore if you want your palm trees to put off an aura that makes people associate your business, hotel or home as being strong, powerful, or wealthy then I’ve got a few recommendations of trees for you to look into.
When looking for these massive trees you either want them placed at the front of your building, best if spaced out in a straight line creating a wall like structure across the front of the building. Don’t transplant them too close together though, keeping a good 20′ between them usually looks better.
Another use for these palm tree giants is to have them running along a driveway leading up to a decent sized building. See some of the photos below to see how others have used them.
Some palm tree giants that are great for this purpose are the following:
- Florida Royal Palm
- Up to 70’ tall, single trunk (smooth & two tone), zone 10-11
- Sylvester Date Palm
- Up to 60’ tall, single bright trunk, zone 8b-11, cold hardy
- California Fan Palm
- Up to 60’ tall, single trunk, zone 8-11, requires pruning
- Cuban Royal Palm
- Up to 70’ tall, single smooth trunk, zone 10-11
- Caranday Palm
- Up to 40’ tall, single trunk, zone 9-11
Privacy Wall Palm Tree Landscaping Ideas
Sometimes you’re not necessarily looking for a huge, unique, or fruit bearing palm tree that stands out on your property. Sometimes it’s a much more simplistic reason like needing some natural vegetation to create a privacy screen or making a hedge row.
In colder regions many people will use needle type conifers to create these hedges, however for the warmer regions where palm trees can flourish there are a few different types of palms that work just as well. This section of palm tree landscaping ideas will offer you some ideas on palm trees to use for the following purposes:
- Building a privacy wall
- Adding a barrier on the property
- Creating ground cover for larger trees
- Providing a hideaway for small animals
In either of these cases you’re going to want to look for something thick to create that wall-like effect. The bamboo palm is a great tree to get for creating a natural looking wall that provides more than just shade but is also difficult to get through if you want to deter the neighbor’s dog from roaming over.
Or if you’re looking for a more leaf heavy palm tree many people will use the Areca Palm. I do need to caution you with this one though that though it produces a nice tall and thick screen, it does drop a lot of fronds and some even suggest it attracts ants.
When looking for a smaller palm to act either as a hideaway for animals or to create a hedge the needle palm may be something to check out. Though these do get thick and bushy, they are also very sharp, so I’d suggest planting them some place you won’t be brushing up against them. I guess you can think of the sharp leaves as a natural security system in keeping people out!
Overall some things to consider when determining what type of palm you should get for either of these uses are: how tall does it get, is it self-cleaning, and what is the leaf density on it? Below are a few suggestions for palm trees to check out to use as privacy screeners.
- Areca Palm
- Up to 15’ tall, clumping, zone 9b-11, can be messy
- Bamboo Palm
- Up to 20’ tall, cluster trunks, zone 9-11
- Needle Palm
- Up to 20’ tall, clumping, zone 7-11, sharp leaves, cold hardy
- Fishtail Palm
- Up to 20’ tall, zone 10-11, dies within 2 years of flowering
- European (Mediterranean) Fan Palm
- Up to 20’ tall, multiple trunks, zone 7b-11, cold hardy
- Giant Birds of Paradise Palm
- Up to 40’, clumping, zone 9b-11, large paddle leaves
- Seashore Palm
- Up to 10’, zone 10-11, low growing
Other Articles to Check Out
The site Houzz has some pretty neat landscaping ideas as well so check them out for other great palm tree landscaping ideas.
