13 Types of Palm Trees in Hawaii (with Pictures)

Hawaii is known for beautiful warm weather, gorgeous beaches, great seafood, and tropical palm trees. In fact, palm trees are what come to mind for most people when they think about Hawaii. So, how many types of palm trees are found in the Aloha State? There are at least 13! Let’s check them out here.

The 13 Types of Palm Trees in Hawaii

1. Areca Palm

Areca palms are popular in Hawaii because they create extensive privacy for property owners. When planted in the ground, these palm trees stay low to the ground and get bushy. As they age, they start to grow taller yet keep their bushiness. A row of areca palms can create a wall of greenery that keeps neighbors and passersby from seeing into a yard or garden. When grown in pots, areca palms can be placed on apartment patios for extra privacy. These palms love warm weather and thrive in all Hawaii climates except in the mountains.

2. Dwarf Date Palm

Also referred to as the pygmy palm or pygmy date palm, the dwarf date palm is typically introduced to a landscape to improve eye appeal. You won’t find them growing wildly in any tropical rainforests. These palms can be grown indoors just as well as outside. Indoors, they help brighten any space. Outdoors, can grow to be about 6 feet tall, and their fronds create lovely canopies that can provide relieving shade during those hot Hawaiian days.

3. Fishtail Palm

This unique palm tree has wide, oddly shaped leaves that grow on randomly placed branches. Fishtail palms grow in natural forests but are also utilized in landscape design, especially on ranches and large properties. After the flowering season, these palms kind of “die off” for a time and become unappealing to look at. With proper care, they can grow strong and tall and will maintain hardiness that enables them to withstand harsh wind, sun, and rain.

4. Foxtail Palm

Foxtail palms are large and impressive. Native to Australia, they can grow up to a whopping 30 feet tall and 10 feet wide. They have self-cleaning smooth crown shafts and slender trunks that are usually light or dark grey in color. These palms produce small stalks of creamy white flowers that grow at the base of the tree branches. They can withstand cold weather, which makes them popular for Hawaiian mountain dwellers. Continuous release fertilizer can help keep these trees green all year long.

5. Red Sealing Wax Palm

Due to the tree’s long red trunk, it is sometimes referred to as the lipstick palm. The trunks are massive and can reach 50 feet in height once fully grown. These palms are thought of by many as one of the most exotic-looking trees in existence. They are popular at hotels around Hawaii because they help create a colorful and tropical atmosphere that entices tourists.

6. Coconut Palm

This is probably the most famous type of palm tree in the world, so you can expect to see plenty of them growing throughout the Hawaiian Islands, even on beaches as close as 20 feet from the ocean. These can be dangerous trees, though, because the coconuts that they grow are large and heavy and can fall off without notice. Many people have been hit with a coconut while hanging out on the beach. The good news is that any fallen coconuts can be opened and enjoyed for free!

7. Manila Palm

The fruit on these trees tends to turn red during the month of December, earning them the nickname of Christmas tree palms. They grow quickly until they are about 6 feet tall and then grow slowly until they finally reach about 25 feet tall. The base of the trunk is much larger than the body. Some trees even produce trunks that humans can sit and relax on. Manila palms are most commonly found in residential areas and along city streets.

8. Travelers Palm

The Travelers palm is an impressive tree that grows outstretched fronds that look like the tail of a peacock. The tree starts fanning out low on the trunk, and the stems sometimes have hints of orange and red. These trees are not technically palm trees and are more closely related to banana trees. However, they are typically considered palms by most. These trees can produce small white flowers year-round.

9. Macarthur Palm

The Macarthur palm is considered to be a small tree compared to most other common palms. These trees are multi-stemmed, which makes them look like bamboo stalks. The leaves are thin and long and grow along the entire length of the stems. Macarthur palms enjoy rich, soft soil and high humidity levels. They also seek shade from full sun during the hottest parts of the day.

10. Bottle Palm

This is a slow-growing tree and is considered a dwarf due to its small size. Bottle palms take up to a decade to grow to their full size, which is about 12 feet in height. They can live for centuries under the right conditions. The trunks grow small stalks that produce creamy white flowers a couple of times a year. As the flowers die, they leave behind round fruits with seeds that will propagate new trees if given the opportunity to.

11. Loulu Palm

Native to Hawaii, the Loulu palm has a thick trunk and fan-shaped leaves that tend to hang down to the sides. These trees can grow as tall as 60 feet, though heights vary depending on the location and conditions that they are living in. For example, Loulu palms growing near sea level on Oahu only get about half as tall as those higher up on the Big Island. There are about 25 subspecies of Loulu palm growing throughout Hawaii.

12. Bismarck Palm

Imported from Madagascar, the Bismarck palm is a popular sight in tourist areas around Hawaii, especially on Oahu. This is a slow-growing tree that produces thick, waxy leaves that grow to be about 4 feet wide. The thick trunk has interesting patterns that differ from tree to tree. Once fully grown, they can stand between 40 and 60 feet in height, which makes them good choices for large and commercial properties.

13. Rhapis Palm

The Rhapis Palm is also sometimes referred to as the lady palm due to its elegant and dainty appearance. These trees grow in clumps outside but make fantastic indoor trees that can grow in medium to large pots. They need little sun, though they do fine in direct sunlight when grown outdoors. Outside, they can grow as tall as 15 feet, but indoors, they will grow to be between 3 and 6 feet tall, depending on their pot size and location.

Conclusion

There are so many amazing palm trees growing in Hawaii! Hopefully, this list of 13 palm trees that grow in Hawaii will help you more easily identify the types of palms that you see while visiting or living in the state. If you’re looking to invest in palm trees to landscape with, any of these options should fit the bill.

Featured Image Credit: Indrek Podra, Shutterstock