Licuala Sumawongii Palms, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida

Licuala sumawongii is a rare, slow fan palm with huge, round, pleated leaves, and it grows well in SW Florida in a sheltered, shady spot. It is cold-tender and wind-tender, so it suits courtyards, entries and lanais more than open yards. We deliver and plant specimen-size palms, set at the right depth and watered in.

Light:: Part shade to shade; protect from hot afternoon sun and wind
Water:: Regular; keep evenly moist, with good drainage and humidity
Salt:: Low; keep it out of salt spray

Text Me a Planted Price Call (239) 799-5594

Licuala 'Sumawongii' 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.

Plant	Sizes
Licuala 'Sumawongii'	Specimen

Licuala 'Sumawongii' in SW Florida, at a glance

Mature size here: Roughly 8 to 12 ft tall after many years, with leaves up to about 4 ft across
Light: Part shade to shade; protect from hot afternoon sun and wind
Water: Regular; keep evenly moist, with good drainage and humidity
Salt tolerance: Low; keep it out of salt spray
Cold tolerance: Very cold-tender: leaves burn near freezing, so plant in a sheltered courtyard and cover on frost nights
Growth rate: Slow
Florida native: No, native to southern Thailand and Malaysia
Botanical name: Licuala peltata var. sumawongii

Where Licuala 'Sumawongii' works in a SW Florida yard

Licuala sumawongii is a collector's palm for a protected spot: a walled courtyard, a covered entry, or the shade of larger trees where wind can't tear the big leaves. Let it be the focal point, somewhere the round leaves can be seen from a few feet away.

Underplant with ferns, cast iron plant or bromeliads, and keep it away from open exposures and hot western walls.

Sheltered courtyard specimen
Shade garden focal point
Lanai and entry planting

How our crew plants it

Pick a sheltered, shaded spot with good drainage. We set the palm at the height it grew, level with the soil and never buried, in a hole twice as wide as the root ball.

We water in well and mulch 2 to 3 inches deep, off the trunk. Lee and Collier allow extra watering for new plantings, so keep it moist, not soggy.

Care after planting

Keep the soil evenly moist and the air humid; this palm sulks if it dries out between waterings.
Protect it from wind, which shreds the large leaves, and from hot afternoon sun, which scorches them.
Feed lightly with a palm fertilizer with micronutrients in spring and early fall, skipping nitrogen and phosphorus products from June 1 to September 30 where local rules ban them.
Cover it with frost cloth on cold nights, or grow it where overhead cover keeps the chill off.

What to watch for

Cold and wind are the main risks: leaves burn near freezing and tear in wind, so site it in a sheltered courtyard and plan for frost nights.
Yellowing older leaves point to a potassium or magnesium shortage, which palm fertilizer with micronutrients corrects over time.

Licuala 'Sumawongii' questions we hear

Can licuala sumawongii grow in Cape Coral or Fort Myers?+

Yes, in a sheltered, shaded spot, but it is not a plant for open yards. It is cold-tender and its big leaves tear in wind. Coastal Lee and Collier courtyards and entries work best, and inland sites need frost cover. Treat it as a specimen, not a mass planting.

How big does licuala sumawongii get?+

Slowly, to roughly 8 to 12 feet tall over many years, with a short trunk and round leaves up to about 4 feet across. It is a slow grower, so the specimen size we plant gives you a head start. Leave room for the leaves to spread.

Does licuala sumawongii need shade?+

Yes. Part shade to shade suits it best. Morning sun is fine, but hot afternoon sun scorches the big leaves, and wind shreds them. Put it where a wall, hedge or tree canopy gives shelter, and keep the soil evenly moist.

Updated October 2026