Plant Library

Other Names:  Azul Thatch Palm, syn. Coccothrinax miraguama

Description:

An excellent accent plant for the landscape; attractive, fan shaped leaves, with white and silvery-blue tones, crown an interesting trunk wrapped with short, fibrous hairs; likes heat and full sun, must have good drainage

Ornamental Features

Blue Silver Palm has attractive grayish green foliage with white undersides and tinges of silvery blue on a tree with the bulk of the canopy held atop a towering trunk or stem. The palmate leaves are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter. The fruits are showy deep purple drupes with black overtones, which are displayed in mid summer. The rough tan bark is extremely showy and adds significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Silver Palm is an open evergreen tropical plant with a strong central leader and a towering form, with a high canopy of foliage concentrated at the top of the plant. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tropical plant, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Disease

Blue Silver Palm is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Blue Silver Palm will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 10 feet. It has a high canopy of foliage that sits well above the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. As it matures, the lower branches of this tree can be strategically removed to create a high enough canopy to support unobstructed human traffic underneath. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This tropical plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings.

Blue Silver Palm is a fine choice for the yard, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.