Mule Palm Tree (Butia odorata x Syagrus romanzoffiana)

Available sometime in 2026.  Click "Notify Me When Available" to get on our waiting list.  You will be automatically notified by email as soon as the status changes to "In-Stock".

Description: This palm was initially cultivated by Dr. Merrill Wilcox in north Florida in the 1980’s. Some early plants were planted in Florida and also sent to California. One of Dr. Wilcox’s original trees is growing beautifully at the Huntington Botanical Gardens in east Los Angeles, CA. The seed parent is Butia odorata (aka Pindo Palm; Jelly palm) from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. The pollen parent is Syagrus romanzoffiana (aka Queen Palm), also from Brazil (Bahia region). The seed parent is usually easy to work with due to its slow growth rate and smaller size. The flowers are large and generally easy to pollinate. The Queen Palm produces abundant pollen that is easy to gather and apply. Rate of viable seed is 70-90% and germination is easy- usually taking 2-3 months in mild or warm temperature conditions. Some seeds produce up to 2-3 separate palms because each of the three “eyes” on the nut may contain a separate, viable embryo. Once in a while, variegated seedlings come up in large batches, but they not surprisingly die off or grow out of their striping. This is probably the toughest hybrid palm and one of the toughest of all palms. This hybrid will grow in just about any soil, lives off very little water, requires no fertilizer, grows very fast, and is adaptable to severe frost and just about any amount of sun. It is sterile so there is no need to pull or spray seedlings that sprout underneath other pure palm species. This hybrid bears some resemblance to the common Cocos nucifera (aka Coconut Palm). This palm produces long, beautiful fronds ranging from 10-18 feet long (depending on which parent each plant take on more traits from). In general, separate plants from the same grex (batch of seed from one single seed cluster) are highly-variable, with trunks and frond size varying considerably.

Sun Requirements: Filtered sun to full sun

Growth Rate: Moderate

Fertilizer: Low

Cold Tolerance: USDA Zones 8a-11

Description of what you are buying: A live palm tree about 8-12 inches (20-30cm) tall currently growing in a 3x8 inch Treepot (pictured).

Where we ship: FREE USPS Priority Mail within the United States.  We are certified to ship to all lower 48 states, including TX, AZ, and CA, plus most foreign countries (with a phytosanitary certificate).  We do not ship to HI or AK.  For international orders, we send via USPS Global Express mail including phyto, invoice, customs declaration, and packing slip (billed separately). 

When we ship: Orders are shipped Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon each week (except for holidays).  We do our best to check on the weather between Florida and the final destination and may need to delay shipping a bit during winter to avoid frost en route. 

How we ship: All palms are shipped bare-root with moist sphagnum moss and are cushioned with newspaper to ensure a safe journey to your home.