Roystonea Regia, Royal Palm - 0.5 kg Seeds

The Royal Palm (Roystonea regia) is a stately, single-stemmed feather palm with a smooth grey trunk that swells slightly, a polished green crownshaft and a graceful plume of arching pinnate fronds. It is one of the most majestic ornamental palms in cultivation.

Native to the Caribbean but planted extensively across the warmer plains of India, it lines grand avenues, driveways, parks and institutional grounds in formal rows, prized purely for its imposing, elegant silhouette. It needs full sun, deep fertile soil and ample moisture, and is sensitive to hard frost.

• Family: Arecaceae
• Native region: Cuba and the Caribbean
• Mature height: 20-30 m
• Growth rate: moderate, faster once established

Soak the cleaned, pulp-free seeds in warm water for 2-3 days, changing the water daily, to soften them. Sow shallowly, about 1-2 cm deep, in a warm, humid germination bed or community tray of sandy mix; germination is slow and uneven, usually taking 30 days or more. Pot up each seedling individually once the first strap leaf has expanded.