Bottle Palms, Single and Triple, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
The bottle palm is a slow, compact palm with a swollen, bottle-shaped trunk, and it does well in coastal SW Florida as long as it stays out of a hard freeze. It tops out around 6 to 10 feet, so it fits courtyards, entries and pool areas where a queen or royal palm would be too big. We stock singles and triples, from 15 gallon to field-grown sizes.
- Light:
- Full sun to part sun
- Water:
- Regular while young; drought tolerant once established, but not for soggy soil
- Salt:
- High; handles coastal and canal-lot salt spray
Bottle Palm sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Variety or form | Sizes | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Bottle Palm | 15 Gallon, Field Grown Single 6'-7', 25 Gallon | A single trunk with the classic swollen base, the formal choice for an entry or courtyard, in sizes from 15 gallon to field-grown 6 to 7 foot palms. |
| Bottle Palm (triple) | 15 Gallon, 25 Gallon, Field Grown 5'-6' | Three palms planted together for a fuller crown from the start, available from 15 gallon up to field-grown 5 to 6 foot clusters. |
Bottle Palm in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 6 to 10 ft tall, 6 to 8 ft crown, after many years
- Light
- Full sun to part sun
- Water
- Regular while young; drought tolerant once established, but not for soggy soil
- Salt tolerance
- High; handles coastal and canal-lot salt spray
- Cold tolerance
- Very cold-tender: fronds burn near freezing and a hard freeze can kill it; cover on frost nights and avoid exposed inland sites
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Spacing
- 6 to 8 ft apart in groups; 5 ft or more from walls
- Florida native
- No, native to Round Island, Mauritius
- Botanical name
- Hyophorbe lagenicaulis
Where Bottle Palm works in a SW Florida yard
Bottle palms look best as a single specimen where the trunk can be seen: at an entry, in a gravel or mulch bed, or beside a patio. The swollen base develops with age, so the larger field-grown palms show the shape better than the small ones.
A triple gives a fuller crown from day one. The fronds drop on their own, which keeps pool areas tidy. Bromeliads, ti plant and low shrubs make good underplanting.
- Compact specimen palm
- Entry and courtyard accent
- Pool-area planting
- Large containers
How our crew plants it
Palms go in at the same height they grew, with the top of the root ball level with or just above the soil, never buried. We dig the hole about twice as wide as the root ball, backfill with native sand and water in well. Field-grown palms of 5 to 7 feet may be braced for the first few months on windy sites.
Lee and Collier allow extra watering for new plantings, so water every day or two at first, then taper. No fertilizer goes in the hole.
Care after planting
- Feed with an 8-2-12 palm fertilizer with micronutrients in spring and early fall, since sandy soil runs short of potassium, magnesium and manganese, and skip nitrogen and phosphorus products from June 1 to September 30 where local rules ban them.
- Remove only fully brown fronds, because it is self-cleaning and green fronds are still feeding the palm.
- On frost nights, wrap the crown or cover the whole palm with frost cloth, and take it off in the morning.
- Once rooted, water on your assigned days and keep sprinklers from soaking the base of the trunk.
- Keep mulch 2 to 3 inches deep and a few inches off the trunk, and keep string trimmers away from it.
What to watch for
- Cold is its weak point: fronds burn near freezing and a hard freeze can kill the palm, so exposed inland sites need a plan for frost nights.
- Yellow or orange-speckled older fronds point to a potassium or magnesium shortage, which palm fertilizer with micronutrients corrects over several months.
Bottle Palm questions we hear
How big does a bottle palm get in Florida?+
Most reach about 6 to 10 feet tall with a crown 6 to 8 feet wide, and they take many years to get there. The trunk swells into the bottle shape as the palm ages. It is one of the slowest palms we plant, so buy the size you want to see soon.
Is a bottle palm salt tolerant?+
Yes. Bottle palms handle salt spray well, which is why they show up on beachfront and canal lots. On the coast the bigger risk is cold, not salt. Give it full sun to part sun and well-drained sandy soil, and avoid spots where water stands after rain.
Will a bottle palm survive a freeze in Florida?+
Not reliably. It is one of the most cold-tender palms we plant. Fronds burn near freezing, and a hard freeze can kill the palm. Coastal Lee and Collier usually avoid it, but inland sites like Lehigh Acres need a sheltered spot and a cover for frost nights.
What is the difference between a bottle palm and a spindle palm?+
The bottle palm's trunk swells at the base like a bottle, while a spindle palm bulges higher up the trunk and grows taller. Both are cold-tender. Bottle palms stay shorter, which is why they suit smaller spaces and containers.
How often do I water a new bottle palm?+
Water it in at planting, then every day or two for the first few weeks, using the extra watering Lee and Collier allow for new plantings, and then drop back to your assigned days. Keep the root ball moist but not soggy. Once rooted, rain covers a lot of the year.
Can I grow a bottle palm in a pot?+
Yes. It is a good container palm because it is compact and slow. Use a heavy pot with drainage holes and a free-draining mix, and move it or cover it on frost nights. Potted palms dry out faster in summer heat, so check the soil often.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Bottle Palm
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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