Foxtail Palm
About this species.
Foxtail Palm (Wodyetia bifurcata) is one of the more recently introduced ornamental palms in Florida — distinctive 'fox-tail' fronds where leaflets radiate in all directions around the stem. Hardy enough for SW Florida, structurally sound, and a popular alternative to queen palm at modest extra cost.
Identification
- Smooth light-gray ringed slender cylindrical trunk.
- Distinctive 'fox-tail' or 'plumose' pinnate fronds where leaflets radiate in ALL directions around the rachis — fluffy and three-dimensional, NOT flat like a coconut frond. The diagnostic feature.
- Tight crown of 8–10 dense fluffy fronds.
- Slight green crownshaft.
- 30–40 ft mature height.
- Comparatively short for the trunk diameter.
Where you'll see them
HOA boulevards, residential landscape entries, commercial property entrances across Southwest Florida. Increasingly popular as a queen-palm replacement in master-planned communities — same general look (single-trunk feathery palm) with substantially better hurricane performance and longer functional lifespan.
Florida-specific care
- Cold-sensitive in extended freezes (damage at below 28°F).
- Drought-tolerant once established.
- Salt-tolerant for coastal-adjacent positions.
- Better hurricane performance than queen palm — earned a 4/5 wind score in UF/IFAS surveys.
- Self-cleaning to a degree — old fronds drop reasonably cleanly without aggressive trimming.
- Disease watch: lethal yellowing has been reported in foxtail palms; monitor for sudden frond browning.
What to know.
- Don't 'hurricane cut' (over-prune) — it weakens the palm and accelerates decline.
- Only remove fronds at a 9-and-3 (180°) angle or below — never above horizontal.
Frequently asked.
Is Foxtail Palm cold-hardy in Southwest Florida?
Yes for most of SW Florida. Reliable in Lee, Collier, southern Charlotte, and Sarasota counties. Manatee and northern Sarasota are borderline in unusually cold winters. Brief freezes (low 30s°F) cause cosmetic damage; sustained low-20s temperatures can kill the palm.
How does Foxtail compare to Queen Palm?
Foxtail wins on hurricane performance (4/5 vs queen's 2/5), structural integrity, and visual distinctiveness (the fluffy fox-tail fronds are more interesting than queen palm's flat feathery fronds). Queen palm is cheaper at install and faster-growing initially. For most landscape decisions, foxtail is the better long-term choice.
Is Foxtail Palm self-cleaning?
Mostly — old fronds drop reasonably cleanly without aggressive intervention, though not as completely self-cleaning as royal palm. Annual cleanup of any persistent dead fronds is typical, with much less work required than queen palm or Washingtonia.
Services for foxtail palms.
The work we do on foxtail palms most often. Each card links straight to the service detail.