Washingtonia (Mexican Fan) Palms, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Washingtonia, also called Mexican fan palm, is the tall, skinny, fast palm you see along SW Florida roads and property lines. It shrugs off cold and heat, but it can pass 60 ft and is on Florida's invasive plant list, so it suits only big sites with room to spare. We deliver and plant field-grown palms at about 8 to 10 ft overall.
- Light:
- Full sun
- Water:
- Moderate; regular water while establishing, then handles dry spells, but it needs good drainage
- Salt:
- Moderate; handles light coastal spray
Washingtonia Palm
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Washingtonia 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 |
|---|---|
| Washingtonia Palm | Field Grown 8'-10' |
Washingtonia Palm in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 60 to 80 ft or more over time, with a slender trunk and a crown about 8 to 10 ft wide
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate; regular water while establishing, then handles dry spells, but it needs good drainage
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate; handles light coastal spray
- Cold tolerance
- Very cold hardy, to about 20°F; frost is not a concern in SW Florida
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Spacing
- 10 to 15 ft apart in a row
- Florida native
- No
- Botanical name
- Washingtonia robusta
Where Washingtonia Palm works in a SW Florida yard
Plant Washingtonia where height is the point: in a row along a long drive, at the back of a big lot or as a pair at an entry gate, spaced 10 to 15 ft apart. Keep it 15 ft or more from the house, pool cage and power lines, because it outgrows most residential sites.
Low plantings of coontie, muhly grass and dwarf yaupon holly soften the base of the tall, thin trunk.
- Rows along long drives
- Fast height on big lots
- Property-line accent palm
How our crew plants it
Field-grown Washingtonia is set at the depth it grew, with the trunk base level with the soil and no soil piled against the trunk. The palm is braced with timbers for several months until new roots hold it, then the bracing comes off so it does not scar the trunk.
Our crew handles the depth, waters it in and cleans up. Lee and Collier allow extra watering on new plantings, so keep the root ball moist for the first couple of months.
Care after planting
- Feed with a controlled-release palm fertilizer, about 8-2-12 with magnesium and micronutrients, in spring and fall, because UF/IFAS calls potassium deficiency virtually universal in this palm; Lee County, Naples and Marco Island ban nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer from June 1 to September 30.
- Remove only fully dead fronds and keep tools and trimmers off the trunk, since wounds let trunk rot and fungus in.
- Young palms hold a skirt of dead fronds that shelters rats and burns easily, so have it trimmed, and mature palms eventually shed old fronds on their own.
- Pull seedlings under mature palms early, because seed sprouts freely in beds and along fences.
- Water on your assigned days after the first year; it handles dry spells but is not as drought tolerant as its desert look suggests.
What to watch for
- Mexican fan palm is a Category II invasive on Florida's list because seed sprouts in natural areas, so plant it only in a yard well away from preserves and canal banks, pull seedlings, and consider native sabal palm along natural edges.
- Fusarium wilt and Ganoderma butt rot kill Washingtonia with no cure, Fusarium showing as fronds dying on one side and Ganoderma as a shelf-like conk at the base.
- UF/IFAS notes Washingtonia is more likely than most palms to snap or uproot in a severe hurricane, and it is too tall for many residential lots.
Washingtonia Palm questions we hear
How fast does a Washingtonia palm grow?+
Fast. UF/IFAS lists Mexican fan palm as fast-growing, producing up to 50 leaves a year, so a young palm adds height quickly with regular water and feeding. Potassium shortage is the usual brake, so keep it on a palm fertilizer with micronutrients.
How tall do Washingtonia palms get?+
Mexican fan palms commonly reach 60 to 80 ft or more over the long run, with a crown only about 8 to 10 ft wide. UF/IFAS lists them as too tall for many residential properties, so plant one only where height is welcome.
Is Washingtonia palm invasive in Florida?+
It is listed. Washingtonia robusta is a Category II plant on Florida's invasive list for central and south Florida, because seedlings sprout in natural areas. Keep it in a yard away from preserves and canals, pull seedlings, and consider a native sabal palm along natural edges.
Will a Washingtonia palm survive a hurricane?+
Often, but it is more likely than most palms to snap or uproot in a severe storm, according to UF/IFAS. Tall, slender trunks catch wind. Sabal palms generally hold up better, so choose one if storm resilience is your top concern.
How far from the house should I plant a Washingtonia palm?+
At least 15 ft from the house, pool cage, fences and power lines. The trunk is slender, but the crown is heavy and the palm keeps growing for decades. Dead fronds and old seed stalks also fall, so keep it away from patios and parking spots.
Is Washingtonia palm cold and salt tolerant?+
Very cold hardy, down to about 20°F, so frost is not a concern in SW Florida. Salt tolerance is moderate, so it handles light coastal spray. It does need good drainage and regular water while it establishes.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Washingtonia 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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