Pindo Palms, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Slow, compact and cold hardy, pindo palm does fine in Southwest Florida in full sun and well-drained sand, with arching blue-green fronds and edible fruit. The dropped fruit is messy, so site it with that in mind. We deliver and plant field-grown pindo palms in the 4 to 6 ft size.
- Light:
- Full sun
- Water:
- Low to moderate; very drought tolerant once established
- Salt:
- Moderate
Pindo 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 |
|---|---|
| Pindo Palm | Field Grown 4'-6' |
Pindo Palm in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 10 to 20 ft tall and 10 to 15 ft wide with arching fronds
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Low to moderate; very drought tolerant once established
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate
- Cold tolerance
- Very hardy; SW Florida cold does not bother it
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Spacing
- 10 to 15 ft apart, or as a single specimen
- Florida native
- No, native to South America
- Botanical name
- Butia odorata (also sold as Butia capitata)
Where Pindo Palm works in a SW Florida yard
Pindo palm suits a sunny front yard or a bed corner where its arching, blue-green fronds can spread 10 to 15 ft. It is slow and compact, so it reads as a specimen rather than a canopy palm. Keep it back from walkways, since the fronds droop and the frond bases are spiny, and away from the pool because of the fruit.
Agave, society garlic and muhly grass suit its dry, sunny look.
- Compact specimen palm
- Low-water accent
- Blue-green foliage contrast
- Front-yard focal palm
How our crew plants it
The trunk is never buried. Our crew digs a hole wider than the root ball, sets the top of the root ball at or just above grade, backfills with native sand, waters it in and cleans up, and stakes the palm in an exposed spot.
Mulch off the trunk. New palms qualify for extra watering under the Lee and Collier rules for new plantings.
Care after planting
- Pindos in sandy soil often run short of potassium and manganese, so apply a palm fertilizer such as 8-2-12 with micronutrients in spring and early fall, and nothing with nitrogen or phosphorus from June 1 to September 30.
- Cut off only fully brown fronds, wearing gloves and long sleeves because the frond bases are spiny.
- Water regularly while it establishes, then rely on rain and your assigned days, since it dislikes soggy soil.
- Cut flower stalks before the fruit ripens if you do not want the sticky drop on pavement.
What to watch for
- Yellowing or frizzled older fronds point to potassium, magnesium or manganese shortages in our sandy soil, which a palm fertilizer with micronutrients prevents.
- The fruit is edible but drops in quantity and ferments, which stains pavement and attracts insects, so keep the palm back from walks, driveways and pool decks.
Pindo Palm questions we hear
Do pindo palms grow well in Southwest Florida?+
Yes, in full sun and sandy, well-drained soil. They grow slowly and stay compact, and they handle drought and cold better than many tropical palms. Our sandy soil can leave them short on potassium and manganese, so a palm fertilizer matters.
Can you eat pindo palm fruit?+
Yes. Ripe pindo fruit turns yellow-orange in summer and is edible and sweet-tart, and people make jelly from it, which is why it is called the jelly palm. The fruit drops heavily and is sticky, so plan for cleanup or cut the stalks off.
How fast does a pindo palm grow?+
Slowly, and it keeps a low, full crown for many years. That is why a field-grown 4 to 6 ft palm gives you a head start of many years over a small container plant, and why the young palm is best planted where it can stay.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Pindo 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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