Royal palms are the quintessential tall, straight palm tree – the ones you expect to see lining the street in southern Florida or California. While they have some specific care requirements, these trees are impressive specimens that are worth the trouble for the way they stand out. Some classify it as the genus Roystonea, but others say it’s just the species Roystonea regia (both the genus and species imply royalty, so it’s hard to commit). Royal palm trees are very large, reaching 50 to 80 feet (15-24 m.) in height and 15 to 25 feet (4.5-7.5 m.) in spread. The leaves are 10 to 15 feet (3-4.5 m.) long and can weigh as much as 50 lbs. (23 kg.) when fresh. The trees are self-cleaning, which means the naturally dying leaves fall from mature trees at a rate of about once per month. This eliminates the need for pruning, but because of their height and the sheer size of the leaves, it can pose a real danger to pedestrians below.
