Purple Royal Palm

Roystonea violacea, the Purple Royal Palm, is a rare palm native to easternmost Cuba. Its smooth, dark purplish-brown trunk and long lime-green crownshaft give it a distinctive vertical profile; Kew records mature trees to about 15 m (49 ft.). ## Form and placement Use this tropical palm where the climate stays warm and the canopy has room overhead. Its slender trunk does not mean the mature crown is small, so keep it clear of buildings, wires, and neighboring trees. The recorded native range is eastern Cuba, and Kew places the species in wet tropical habitat. ## Garden value The year-round green crown provides structure, while the unusual trunk color distinguishes it from familiar royal palms. Kew records local use of its wood and leaves for thatch, as well as use of the fruit as hog feed. See [Kew’s species profile](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:222816-2/general-information) for its accepted name, Cuban range, appearance, and uses. ## Maintenance Give the palm open vertical space and a warm, humid site. Protect it from cold conditions outside its tropical range, and keep the crown unobstructed as it grows.