Plant library · Palms & Tropicals
Wodyetia bifurcata
Foxtail Palm is a fast-growing, single-trunk palm that makes a strong vertical focal point in frost-free landscapes. It reaches about 30 feet tall and 15 feet wide, with full, feathery fronds that give the crown a broad visual presence. Use it where its height can rise above lower planting layers without crowding nearby roofs, utility lines, or small trees.[1]
Place Foxtail Palm as a specimen in an open lawn panel, at the back of a large tropical bed, or as a repeated vertical accent along a broad drive or property edge. Keep the trunk far enough from paths, patios, and entries that the mature crown does not press into circulation space. Its 8- to 10-foot fronds make it better suited to generous planting areas than narrow foundation strips or tight courtyards.[1]
Set multiple palms 12 feet apart, center to center, for a closely paced row or grove. A mature crown can spread about 15 feet wide, so reserve additional clear air around each palm where fronds need to extend over planting beds. Keep lower shrubs and perennials outside the immediate trunk zone so they remain reachable as the canopy develops overhead.
Use a full-sun site and provide moderate water, directing irrigation at the base rather than routinely wetting the foliage. A well-drained, slightly acidic soil supports this palm well. In a bed with irrigation, give the palm its own clear watering area instead of burying the base within dense groundcover.[1]
Reserve this palm for USDA Zones 10 to 11, where winter cold is not expected to be a regular design constraint. It is poorly adapted to alkaline soils and is susceptible to potassium and manganese deficiencies, so avoid treating it as a low-input choice for sites with persistently alkaline ground. Allow room to inspect the crown and surrounding soil without climbing through crowded companion plantings.[1][2]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.