Types of Palm Trees

There are many different types of palm trees in Australia.

Palm trees are flowering plants that mostly live in tropical to warm temperate climate. Most of them have an unbranched stem and large leaves arranged around the top of the stem, however there are exceptions. Here are some palm trees pictures, and information about the types of palm trees found in Australia.




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Umbrella Palm (Hedyscepe canterburyana) Umbrella Palm is a small, up to 10 metres tall tree with about 1 metre long greyish green crownshaft, greyish green trunk, 3 metres long fronds, orange-yellow flowers and bright green fruits that turn brown when they ripen. Umbrella Palm is found on the Lord Howe Island off the coast of New South Wales.

Alexandra Palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) is a tall, up to 30 metres tall tree with a pale green crownshaft, grey to greenish-grey trunk, 2-3 metres long fronds, white or creamy flowers and green fruits that turn red as they ripen. Alexandra palm is found in pockets along the coast of Queensland, and the tip of the Cape York Peninsula.


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Florence Falls Palm (Hydriastele wendlandiana) is an up to 15 metres tall palm tree with whitish green crownshaft, grey trunk, 2 metres long fronds, pale yellow flowers and bright red fruits when ripe. It is found in the Top End of Northern Territory and on the eastern coast of Cape York peninsula.


Bangalow Palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana) is an up to 25 metres tall tree with bright green to brownish crownshaft, grey trunk, 2-4 metres long fronds, pale pink flowers and orange-red fruits. It is found along the eastern coast of Australia, between Mackay coast in north and Sydney in south.


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Black Palm (Normanya normanbyi) is an up to 20 metres tall palm tree with a grey crownshaft, light grey trunk, 3 metres long pinnate fronds, cream or white flowers and yellow fruit. It is found between Cairns and Port Douglas in far north Queensland.

Carpentaria Palm (Carpentaria acuminata) is an up to 30 metres tall palm tree with greyish green crownshaft and trunk, 4 metres long fronds, white or cream flowers, and scarlet flowers. It is found in the Top End of Northern Territory.


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Darwin Palm (Ptychosperma bleeseri) is an up to 12 metres tall palm tree with an open crown, 1.5 metres long fronds, white to cream flowers, and bright red fruits when ripe. As opposed to most other palm trees it has got 2-3 stems. It is found in the areas around Darwin in the Top End of Northern Territory.

Solitaire Palm (Ptychosperma elegans) is an up to 15 metres tall tree with a green crownshaft, greenish grey stem, 2.5 metres long fronds, white flowers and bright red fruits when ripe. It is found in pockets along the coast of Queensland.


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Macarthur Palm (Ptychosperma macarthurii) is a small, up to 8 metres tall tree, with a light green crownshaft, greenish grey stem, 3 metres long fronds, greenish yellow to cream flowers, and bright red fruits. It is found in pockets around Darwin, and in the tip of Cape York.

Norfolk Island Palm (Rhopalostylis baueri) is an up to 16 metres tall tree with a green crownshaft, greenish trunk, 4 metres long fronds, white flowers and scarlet red fruits. It is, as the name says, found on Norfolk Island.


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Foxtail Palm (Wodyetia bifurgata) is an up to 20 metres tall palm tree with a pale green crownshaft, light to brownish grey trunk, 3.2 metres long pinnate fronds, creamy greenish flowers and orange red fruits when ripe.

Australian Arenga Palm (Arenga australasica) is an up to 20 metres tall palm tree with 1-3 stems, light grey trunk, 3.5 metres long fronds, yellow flowers and scarlet red fruits when ripe. It is found along the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula, and the northern coast of Northern Territory.


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Fishtail Palm (Caryota albertii) is a tall, up to 20 metres tall tree with grey trunk, 7 metres long bipinnate fronds with fishtail-shaped leaflets, cream-white flowers and dark purple fruits. It is found on the eastern coast of Cape York Peninsula.


Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera) is a very tall, up to 35 metres tall tree with a grey trunk, 7 metres long fronds, cream flowers and green, yellow of reddish brown fruit. It is found along the eastern coast of Queensland between Fraser coast in south and Cape York Peninsula in north.


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Gebang Palm (Coypha utan) is an up to 25 metres tall tree with a large, dense crown, grey trunk, 4-6 metres long fronds, white to cream flowers and olive green fruits. It is found in pockets on Cape York Peninsula and the Top End of Northern Territory.

Curly Palm (Howea belmoreana) is an up to 12 metres tall tree with greenish brown trunk, 5 metres long fronds, creamy brown flowers and reddish brown fruits. It is found on the Lord Howe Island off the coast of New South Wales.


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Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana), also found on Lord Howe Island, is an up to 15 metres tall tree with a brownish grey trunk, 5 metres long fronds, creamy brown flowers and dull orange fruits which turn red when ripe.

Atherton Palm (Laccospadix australasica) is an up to 8 metres tall tree with a few dark coloured trunks, 2.5 metres long fronds, yellowish green flowers and scarlet red fruits. It is found on the Atherton Tablelands in north Queensland.


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Wedge Leaflet Fan Palm (Licuala ramsayi) is a beautiful tropical rainforest tree. It’s up to 20 metres tall, with a grey trunk, beautiful fan-shaped fronds about 2 metres long, cream coloured flowers and bright orange to red fruits. It is found in Australian tropical rainforests in north Queensland.

Cabbage Palm (Livistona Australis) is a tall, up to 30 metres tall tree with grey trunk, fan-shaped, 3 metres long fronds, yellow to cream flowers and reddish brown dull fruits. It is found along the eastern coast of Australia between Fraser coast in north and eastern Victoria in south.


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Fan Palm (Livistona benthamii) is an up to 16 metres tall palm tree with a large crown, brown trunk, fan shaped 2 meters long fronds, cream or yellow flowers and bluish black fruit. It is found in pockets in the Top End of Northern Territory and on the Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland.

Ribbon Fan Palm (Livistona decipiens) is an up to 15 metres tall palm tree with a greyish brown trunk, fan shaped 3 metres long fronds, bright yellow flowers and black fruits. It is found in pockets along the coast of Queensland.


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Sand Palm (Livistona humilis) is a very small, up to 6 metres tall palm tree with a greyish trunk, up to 1 metre long fan shaped fronds, pale yellow flowers and purplish black fruits. It is found in the Top End of Northern Territory.

Red Cabbage Palm (Livistona mariae) is an up to 20 metres tall tree with a pale trunk, fan shaped leaves, 2 metres long fronds, greenish yellow fruits and glossy black fruits. It is found in the Red Centre of Northern territory, around the areas around Alice Springs, like Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park.


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Dwarf Fan Palm (Livistona muelleri) is a small, up to 6 metres tall palm tree with a brown trunk, fan shaped leaves, yellow flowers and black fruits. It is found in patches in inland north Queensland and Gulf Savannah.

Mataranka Palm (Livistona rigida) is an up to 20 metres tall palm tree with dark grey trunk, fan shaped leaves, reddish fronds, yellow flowers and purplish black fruits. It is found in small pockets in Lawn Hill National Park, and the area near Mataranka in the Top End of Northern Territory.