Best Tropical Palm Trees for NY & NJ: Our Customer Favorites
Discover GO Palm Trees' bestselling tropical palms that transform Long Island and New Jersey properties into summer paradise. Learn why smart customers treat these as seasonal plants for maximum impact with minimal hassle.
GO Palm Trees Expert Team
Published January 2026 • Serving Northeast Since 2000
Why Treat Tropical Palms as Seasonal Plants?
Here's the reality: true tropical palms like Christmas Palms, Spindle Palms, and Bottle Palms can't survive a NY or NJ winter outdoors. While some try to overwinter them indoors, most of our repeat customers have discovered a smarter approach.
The Annual Replacement Advantage:
More Cost-Effective
Moving large palms indoors requires greenhouse space or large indoor areas with proper light. The cost of heating, special lighting, and care often exceeds buying fresh palms each spring.
Always Fresh & Vibrant
New palms arrive perfectly shaped, full, and healthy. Overwintered palms often look stressed with brown tips and sparse foliage, requiring months to recover.
Zero Winter Maintenance
No moving heavy containers, no pest management, no watering schedules, no humidity concerns. Enjoy your winter without plant babysitting.
Change Your Design Annually
Try different palm varieties each year! Christmas Palms this summer, Bottle Palms next year. Keep your landscape fresh and exciting.
Our Top 4 Bestselling Palm Trees
Christmas Palm (Adonidia merrillii)
★ #1 Customer Favorite
Why Customers Love It
The Christmas Palm is our #1 seller for good reason. Its compact size (typically 6-10 feet in containers) makes it perfect for patios, pool areas, and entryways. The elegant crownshaft and bright red fruit create instant "tropical resort" vibes.
Perfect For:
- • Pool surrounds and patios
- • Entryway statements (both sides of door)
- • Balcony and terrace containers
- • Restaurant and commercial spaces
Key Features:
- • Self-cleaning (drops old fronds naturally)
- • Bright red ornamental fruit clusters
- • Compact, tidy growth habit
- • Fast-growing for instant impact
Customer Tip: Buy 2-3 Christmas Palms and group them at different heights for a stunning tropical cluster effect. Our repeat customers often add one more palm each year to expand their collection!
Spindle Palm (Hyophorbe verschaffeltii)
★ The Showstopper
Why Customers Love It
The Spindle Palm's unique bottle-shaped trunk makes it a conversation starter. The distinctive swollen trunk (like a bottle or spindle) is unlike any other palm, creating instant architectural interest. Customers call it "the palm that everyone asks about."
Perfect For:
- • Focal point specimens
- • Contemporary/modern landscapes
- • Commercial properties wanting impact
- • Customers who want something unique
Key Features:
- • Distinctive swollen "bottle" trunk
- • Bright green crownshaft
- • Arching feather fronds
- • Medium size (8-12 ft in containers)
Customer Tip: Place Spindle Palms where the unique trunk is visible - don't hide it behind other plants! They look stunning lit from below with landscape lighting at night.
Roebelenii Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)
★ Elegant & Versatile
Why Customers Love It
Also called the Pygmy Date Palm, the Roebelenii offers delicate, graceful fronds that gently arch, creating a softer tropical look. It's smaller scale (3-6 feet) makes it perfect for residential properties where space is limited. The fine-textured foliage provides elegant movement in summer breezes.
Perfect For:
- • Flanking doorways and gates
- • Deck and porch containers
- • Small courtyard gardens
- • Layering with taller palms
Key Features:
- • Delicate, fine-textured fronds
- • Graceful arching habit
- • Can be single or multi-trunk
- • Smaller scale for tight spaces
Customer Tip: Roebelenii Palms pair beautifully with colorful tropical companions like Red Sisters, Crotons, and Red Bananas. The fine palm fronds provide elegant backdrop for bold foliage colors.
Bottle Palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis)
★ Ultimate Statement Piece
Why Customers Love It
The Bottle Palm is the ultimate luxury palm. Its dramatically swollen trunk (even more pronounced than the Spindle Palm) combined with a bright green crownshaft creates a "living sculpture" effect. This is the palm that screams "high-end tropical resort."
Perfect For:
- • Luxury properties and estates
- • High-end commercial spaces
- • Pool areas wanting drama
- • Customers who want "the best"
Key Features:
- • Extremely swollen bottle-shaped trunk
- • Vibrant green crownshaft
- • Symmetrical crown of arching fronds
- • Slower growth = mature specimens
Investment Piece: Bottle Palms are rarer and command premium prices. Many customers see them as "worth it" for the dramatic impact - especially for special events like weddings or milestone parties happening at their property that summer.
Honorable Mentions: Other Customer Favorites
Majesty Palm
Lush, tropical foliage with a full, bushy appearance. Budget-friendly option that delivers big visual impact. Great for filling large spaces quickly.
Silver Bismarck
Stunning silvery-blue fan fronds create a unique color accent. More drought-tolerant than other tropical palms. Perfect for contemporary designs.
Coconut Palm
The ultimate tropical fantasy! Real coconuts on the tree. While high-maintenance, customers love the authentic "Caribbean vacation" feel.
Complete Your Tropical Paradise
While palms create the foundation, our customers create truly stunning displays by adding complementary tropical plants:
Bold Foliage Plants:
- Red Sisters (Cordyline): Dramatic burgundy/red foliage, perfect vertical accent
- Croton Petras: Vibrant yellow, orange, red leaves for color punch
- Red Bananas: Massive red-backed leaves create instant jungle vibes
- Giant Alocasia (Elephant Ears): Enormous leaves up to 3-4 feet! Our specialty
Flowering Tropicals:
- Canna Lilies: Bold flowers in red, orange, yellow blooming all summer
- Mandevillas: Climbing vines with pink, red, or white trumpet flowers
Expert Tip: We're considered exclusive experts in giant Alocasia! Visit our locations to see specimen-sized elephant ears you won't find elsewhere.
Ready to Create Your Tropical Oasis?
Visit any of our locations to see our full selection of palms and tropical plants in person. Our team will help you choose the perfect combination for your property and style. Many customers start with 1-2 palms their first year, then expand their tropical collection annually!