Plant of the Month – May 2026

The Jelly Palm brings a unique, sculptural beauty to Florida landscapes, with its sturdy textured trunk and gracefully arching blue-green to silver-gray fronds forming a soft, fountain-like canopy. While it is especially well known for performing beautifully in North and Central Florida because of its strong cold tolerance, it can also be a striking accent in South Florida when planted in the proper location.

Hardy in roughly USDA Zones 8–11, the Jelly Palm is one of the more cold-tolerant feather palms, with established specimens tolerating temperatures around 10°F and sometimes slightly lower in protected conditions. In South Florida, cold is rarely the primary concern; the greater concern is providing it with the proper cultural conditions. The palm prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained sandy or alkaline soils. It should not be planted in wet, poorly drained areas or in landscapes that receive constant over-irrigation.

Once established, the Jelly Palm has good drought tolerance and generally requires less water than many lush tropical palms. It is also considered relatively low maintenance and has few major pest problems, though it can develop nutrient deficiencies, especially potassium deficiency, if not fertilized properly with a palm-specific fertilizer. Its salt tolerance is considered moderate, meaning it can handle some coastal influence but should still be protected from heavy, direct salt spray.

The Palm Jelly's golden-orange edible fruit adds seasonal interest and gives the palm its common name, as the fruit has traditionally been used to make jellies and preserves. With its graceful shape, edible fruit, cold hardiness, drought tolerance, and distinctive blue-gray foliage, the jelly palm offers South Florida landscapes a charming blend of texture, character, and Old-Florida appeal.