Syagrus romanzoffiana

queen palm

A popular ornamental palm in southern Florida, the queen palm is easily distinguished from most other palms by its immense yellow-orange fruit stalks. While it is a pretty palm, it does require a good bit of maintenance: the leaves need to be cut off when they brown, the profusion of flowers and fruits make a mess under the tree, and a number of nutrient deficiencies and diseases/pests have been identified for this tree.

The banana/pineapple-flavored flesh surrounding the seeds is edible but it is fibrous and sticky, and I personally don’t prefer much more than a taste. Pigs and tapirs, however, seem to enjoy the fruits very much, and the leaves and flower stalks have been recommended as food for dairy cows.