Mexican Fern Palm, a Tough Cycad Accent, Delivered and Planted
Slow and tough, Mexican fern palm is a cycad with stiff blue-green fronds that handles Southwest Florida's heat, drought and salt, though it is not a true palm. It fits sunny accent spots, entries and low-water beds. Sizes run 7 and 15 gallon, delivered and planted. Like all cycads, it is poisonous if eaten, so keep pets and kids in mind.
- Light:
- Full sun to part shade
- Water:
- Low; drought tolerant, needs good drainage
- Salt:
- High; a good choice for coastal beds
Mexican Fern Palm
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Mexican Fern 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.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Mexican Fern Palm | 7 Gallon, 15 Gallon |
Mexican Fern Palm in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 3 to 6 ft tall and about as wide for many years; old plants can reach 8 ft
- Light
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Low; drought tolerant, needs good drainage
- Salt tolerance
- High; a good choice for coastal beds
- Cold tolerance
- Very hardy; cold is not a concern in SW Florida
- Growth rate
- Very slow
- Florida native
- No
- Botanical name
- Dioon edule
Where Mexican Fern Palm works in a SW Florida yard
Mexican fern palm is a slow, sculptural plant. Use it as a focal point in a gravel or mulch bed, at the corner of a walkway, or in a big pot where its symmetrical crown of stiff fronds can be seen.
It pairs with agave, ponytail palm and bulbine, which like the same sun and dry feet. Plant it where you want it to stay, since it grows slowly and resents being moved.
- Architectural accents
- Low-water beds
- Entry and courtyard focal points
- Coastal sandy lots
- Large containers
How our crew plants it
Set the root ball level with or slightly above the soil, and keep the trunk base unburied. Make the hole about twice the pot's width, backfill with native sandy soil, and build up a low mound where water stands. Water it in. Lee and Collier let new plantings get extra water, but this cycad does better on much less.
Care after planting
- Water deeply but rarely once established, since rainfall is enough most of the year.
- Feed once or twice a year with a slow-release fertilizer that includes trace elements, with the second dose after the summer ban ends on September 30.
- Check the fronds every month or two for white, crusty scale and treat early with horticultural oil.
- Remove only brown, dead fronds; the plant grows slowly, so avoid cutting green ones.
- Keep mulch pulled back from the trunk base.
What to watch for
- Cycad aulacaspis scale, the white crusty scale that wrecks sago palms in Florida, can also infest dioon, so check fronds regularly and treat early.
- Like other cycads, its seeds and leaves contain toxins, so keep dogs from chewing on them.
Mexican Fern Palm questions we hear
Is Mexican fern palm a real palm?+
No. It is a cycad, an older group of plants that only looks like a palm. That changes the care: it wants sharp drainage, little water and no heavy pruning, and it shares the cycad scale problem with sago palms.
Is Mexican fern palm poisonous to dogs?+
Yes. Like other cycads, it contains toxins, especially in the seeds, that can make dogs and people very sick if eaten. Keep it where dogs cannot chew it, clear away fallen seeds, and call a vet right away if a pet has eaten any part.
How fast does Mexican fern palm grow?+
Very slowly. It puts out a flush of new fronds once or twice a year and adds only a little trunk each year. That slow pace is why larger plants are valued, and why you should place it carefully, since it is hard to move once rooted.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Mexican Fern 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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We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.