Adonidia merrillii — wholesale field-grown stock for South Florida landscape contractors.
Adonidia merrillii
The Christmas Palm — also known as Adonidia or Manila Palm — is one of the most widely used palms in South Florida residential landscape work. Its compact size, clean form, and self-cleaning habit make it the right-sized palm for the vast majority of residential lots where a full-sized Royal or Foxtail would be out of scale. The bright red fruit clusters that appear in winter give it its common name.
Heritage Farms stocks Christmas Palms in multiple sizes in both single and multi-trunk configurations, as well as field-grown specimens for larger installations. Multi-trunk groupings of 2, 3, or 4 palms are among the most popular specs on residential jobs across Palm Beach County.
| Scientific Name | Adonidia merrillii |
| Common Names | Christmas Palm, Adonidia Palm, Manila Palm |
| Mature Height | 15–25 feet |
| Trunk | Single or multi-trunk |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun |
| Self-Cleaning | Yes |
| Salt Tolerance | Moderate to high |
| USDA Zones | 10–11 |
| Availability | Container & field-grown, multiple sizes — call for stock |
Note: Christmas Palms are moderately cold sensitive — protect below 35°F. Self-cleaning habit means no frond trimming is required. Remove fruit clusters if desired to keep the landscape tidy. Apply palm fertilizer with micronutrients 3x per year for best color.
Trade accounts only. Contact us for current inventory, sizes, and volume pricing.
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Yds — Christmas Palms are one of the better palm choices for pool environments. No spines, self-cleaning fronds, and a manageable canopy make them pool-safe. The one consideration is the red fruit clusters that drop in fall and winter; if planted directly over a pool deck, the berries can stain and create a slip hazard. Either plan for cleanup during that season or remove the fruit clusters before they ripen.
Slowly — roughly 1 foot of height per year under ideal South Florida conditions. This slow growth rate keeps them manageable for residential settings, but it's important to set realistic client expectations. A 6-foot specimen at install will look essentially the same to the client for the first few years.
Single-trunk specimens grow as one formal palm — clean, architectural, well-suited to rows and repeating patterns. Multi-trunk specimens (double, triple, quad) have 2–4 trunks growing from one root ball, creating more density and a lusher, tropical look. Multi-trunk configurations cost more per plant but often deliver better impact per dollar on focal point positions, courtyard entries, and pool surrounds.
Christmas Palms prefer warm temperatures and can sustain damage below 35°F. They're appropriate for South Florida (USDA Zones 10–11) but aren't suitable for locations prone to hard freezes. In Palm Beach County, occasional cold snaps may cause temporary frond damage that the palm typically recovers from without intervention.
The main concern is Lethal Yellowing, a bacterial disease spread by planthoppers that is present in South Florida. Watch for yellowing of older fronds, premature fruit drop, and blackening of the flowering bud. Infected palms cannot be saved and should be removed promptly to prevent spread to neighboring palms. Preventive trunk injections of oxytetracycline are available and recommended in high-risk areas.