Manila Palm
(Christmas Palm)
Veitchia merrillii
Plant Family: Palmae
Leaves: Pinnate, up to 3 m long, strongly arched; the segments are held in an upright V-shape.
Bark: Smooth, gray, ringed, topped with a 1 m green crownshaft.
Flowers: Yellow, in clusters, appearing in the summer.
Fruits: Rounded, green, turning bright red when mature, to 2 cm, held in clusters just beneath the crownshaft; fall to winter.
Habitat: An attractive non-native that is widely planted; it will sometimes naturalize.
Growth Form: Small to medium-sized tree.
Similar Species: Royal Palm (Roystonea elata) also has a green crownshaft, but it has longer leaves, is much larger when mature, and lacks a ringed trunk. Buccaneer Palm (Psuedophoenix sargentii) is an endangered species that is rare in its native Keys habitat; it has similar fruits, but has a shorter crownshaft.
Comments: Manila Palm is native to the Philippines; it has long been planted in south Florida as an attractive ornamental.
