A lot of Kiwi gardeners arrive at the same point. You’ve seen a Royal Cuban palm, admired that polished trunk and lush crown, and wondered whether you can create that same tropical presence at home without setting yourself up for disappointment.
That question matters more in New Zealand than many overseas guides admit. Royal cuban palm roystonea regia is stunning, but it isn’t automatically suited to every NZ garden. Our wet winters, cool nights, inland frosts, and variable wind exposure change the whole conversation.
If you’re gardening in sheltered coastal Northland, planning a resort-style outdoor area in Auckland, or trying to grow one in a large pot on a warm deck further south, the right advice is very different from the generic “plant in full sun and water well” guidance you’ll find elsewhere. This guide is written for local conditions, with practical detail for collectors, home gardeners, and garden designers who need clear answers.
Introducing the Majestic Royal Cuban Palm
You step into a sheltered Auckland courtyard on a still summer afternoon, and one plant sets the whole space. The trunk is clean and pale, the crown sits high and tidy, and the effect is more like architecture than foliage. That is the appeal of Roystonea regia.
Few palms create this kind of presence. A royal Cuban palm brings height, symmetry, and a refined tropical character that smaller, bushier palms cannot match. In the right setting, a single specimen can anchor a pool area, frame a formal driveway, or give a lawn planting a clear focal point without casting the heavy shade of a broad-canopied tree.
For New Zealand gardeners, though, admiration needs to be paired with judgement. This is not a palm you place casually and hope for the best. It performs well only where warmth, shelter, and soil drainage line up, which is why generic overseas advice often falls short here.
Our local conditions change the decision. A warm, protected coastal garden in the upper North Island is one thing. An exposed site with winter wet, cold air pooling, or regular frost is another entirely. The palm may look bold and effortless once established, but getting it to that point takes careful site selection and realistic expectations.
A useful way to read this species is to treat it like a premium subtropical specimen rather than a general-purpose palm. It rewards good placement. It punishes poor placement.
That distinction matters whether you are choosing one for a compact urban courtyard, trialling a large container specimen on a sunny deck, or planning a formal avenue planting for commercial grounds. In each case, success starts with the same question. Will this specific spot stay warm enough, bright enough, and protected enough through a New Zealand winter?
If the answer is yes, Roystonea regia can be one of the most impressive palms you can grow here. If the answer is uncertain, it is better to identify the risk at the start than lose years waiting for a palm that never settles.
A Profile of Roystonea Regia
Roystonea regia, usually called the Royal Cuban palm or Cuban royal palm, is a feather palm from Cuba and parts of the wider Caribbean. Its native habitat explains both its beauty and its limits. This species is built for heat, bright light, humid air, and consistently warm root zones.
That background matters in New Zealand because the name alone can mislead buyers. A royal palm may look similar to other young feather palms in a nursery line-up, especially before the trunk develops character. Once it matures, though, it is one of the easiest palms to recognise.
How to recognise it
Start with the trunk. A mature Roystonea regia has a smooth, pale grey to grey-white trunk with a refined, almost column-like finish. It is often slightly swollen near the base or through the lower to middle section, which gives the palm its stately proportion. Compared with rough-trunked palms, it looks polished, almost architectural.
The next feature is the crownshaft. This is the clean green cylinder formed by the tightly wrapped leaf bases just below the fronds. On a healthy specimen, it should look firm, bright, and well defined, like a neatly finished collar beneath the canopy.
Then look up. The leaves are pinnate, meaning feather-shaped, with long leaflets arranged along each frond. The canopy is usually full and rounded rather than loose or shaggy. That tidy structure is one reason garden designers use it in formal settings.
A simple way to check identification is to look for these traits:
- Smooth pale trunk with a clean, refined surface
- Subtle swelling low on the trunk or through the mid section
- Bright green crownshaft beneath the leaves
- Large feather-shaped fronds held in a broad, balanced crown
- Strong upright form that suits formal planting schemes
What sets it apart
Gardeners often group all big palms together, but this species has a very different presence from queen palms, phoenix palms, or other commonly planted feather palms. It is cleaner in outline and more symmetrical. The effect is closer to a classical column than a rugged subtropical screen.
That distinction helps with design decisions. If you want a palm that reads bold, tropical, and slightly wild, this may not be the right fit. If you want a specimen that brings height, order, and a sense of ceremony, Roystonea regia does that unusually well.
A royal palm usually looks strongest where the trunk can be seen clearly. Gravel courts, pool settings, clipped lawns, formal entrances, and spacious subtropical borders all suit it. Crowded planting hides one of its best features.
How it grows
Growth can be surprisingly strong in a very warm site, but it is not evenly fast from day one. Young plants often spend their early years building roots and adapting to the position. After that settling phase, top growth becomes more confident.
In New Zealand, many generic overseas articles miss the mark. They describe the palm as if warmth is a given. Here, performance depends heavily on location, shelter, and winter minimums. A specimen in a protected coastal garden in the upper North Island may grow with real momentum, while the same plant in an inland or frost-prone site may sit nearly still for long periods.
That is why accurate identification should sit alongside realistic planning. If you are comparing it with other species for local use, our guide to palms suited to New Zealand conditions gives helpful context.
In practical terms, Roystonea regia is a premium subtropical specimen palm. It is grown for trunk quality, crownshaft colour, and presence as much as for sheer size. Once you understand that, it becomes much easier to judge whether you are looking at the right palm for your site, or just the most glamorous one on the bench.
Ideal Growing Conditions in New Zealand
A gardener in Kerikeri can plant a royal palm in the open and watch it settle in well. A gardener in Hamilton can try the same species, give it the same care, and still lose it after one wet winter. That gap is the New Zealand difference. With royal cuban palm roystonea regia, success depends less on the label and more on the exact pocket of climate you can offer.
Generic overseas advice often assumes warm nights, long summers, and forgiving winters. NZ gardeners need a sharper filter. A royal palm can cope with plenty of summer growth if warmth is there, but cold wind, damp soil, and low winter light will slow it quickly. If you are still weighing it against other species, our guide to palms suited to NZ conditions helps place it in the right local context.
Light and warmth
This is a sun-loving palm, but sun alone is not the full story. In New Zealand, what matters is stored warmth as well as direct light. A site near paving, masonry, stone walls, or a north-facing courtyard often performs better because those surfaces release heat after sunset. That extra warmth can make the difference between steady growth and a palm that marks time.
Young plants need a gradual introduction. A nursery-grown specimen that has spent months under protection can scorch or sulk if moved straight into harsh afternoon sun and wind. Harden it off over a week or two, especially if the foliage is soft and lush.
The best planting positions usually share four traits:
- Full sun for most of the day, especially in winter
- Shelter from southerlies and cold westerlies
- Open sky above, without dense tree canopy
- Nearby hard surfaces that hold and release warmth
A useful way to judge a spot is to stand there on a cold morning. If it feels bright, dry, and still, you are getting closer. If it feels dim, exposed, and clammy, the palm will notice that too.
Soil and drainage
Royal palms like moisture in active growth, but they resent stagnant ground. Their root system performs best in soil that holds some nutrition while still draining freely. In NZ gardens, that usually means a fertile sandy loam or loam improved for structure, not heavy clay that stays wet for days in winter.
Raised planting helps enormously. Even a modest mound can lift the root zone out of cold, airless soil. That is often more effective than trying to correct a poor site after planting.
Before you commit, test the ground in a practical way. Dig a hole, fill it with water, and see how it behaves after rain. If water lingers, the site needs work or the palm needs a different position.
| Site feature | Good sign | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Drainage | Water clears away reasonably quickly | Soil stays wet and sticky |
| Exposure | Protected from cold winds | Open to southerlies |
| Sun | Bright through most of the day | Winter shade or low light |
| Surface level | Slight rise or mound | Hollow, basin, or frost pocket |
Winter survival in NZ
Winter decides whether this palm is practical in your garden. The common mistake is to judge the plant in late summer, when it looks glossy and full of promise, then assume that appearance will carry through the colder months. It will not if the roots are cold and the crown is exposed.
Cold damage is not always dramatic at first. Sometimes the leaves only lose colour. Sometimes growth stalls and the spear sits still for weeks. In more serious cases, the trunk and crown are slow to recover in spring. A palm under stress behaves a bit like a subtropical fruit tree planted in a bog. It is not one problem. It is several small pressures adding up at once.
For NZ conditions, a sensible winter plan looks like this:
- Choose a site with proven warmth, preferably coastal or urban and away from low-lying frost pockets.
- Mulch the root zone before winter with a coarse organic mulch, keeping it clear of the trunk.
- Protect the palm from cold wind, especially while it is young.
- Avoid pushing soft late growth with heavy feeding as autumn closes.
Here’s a useful visual overview of the species in cultivation:
Where it’s most realistic
For outdoor planting, the safest opportunities are in warm, sheltered coastal parts of the upper North Island, along with selected urban microclimates that hold heat well. Even there, placement matters. A good site can carry the palm through winter. A poor one can set it back for years.
Outside those favoured pockets, container growing is often the wiser route. It gives balcony gardeners, collectors, and horticulture specialists more control over root warmth, drainage, and shelter while the plant is still gaining size. That is not a lesser option. For much of New Zealand, it is the method that matches the plant to the climate, rather than asking the climate to behave like the tropics.
Planting and Potting Your Palm
A royal palm often succeeds or fails before it even puts out its next strong leaf. Planting sets the pace. In New Zealand, that matters more than many international guides admit, because our mix of cool soils, winter wet, salt wind, and uneven microclimates can turn a simple planting job into a long recovery period.
The first decision is practical. Will your palm grow in a container for control, or go straight into the ground for long-term scale?
For many Kiwi gardeners, especially outside the warmest northern coastal spots, containers give you more margin for error. You can shift the palm into shelter, manage drainage more precisely, and keep the root zone warmer while the plant is still building strength. If you are still weighing size, shape, and stability, this guide to large outdoor plant pots for NZ conditions is a useful starting point.
In-ground planting suits sites that already have the right ingredients. Warmth, light, air movement without harsh exposure, and soil that never sits soggy in winter. A royal palm is like a tall mast on a narrow base. If the roots struggle early, the top may still look impressive for a while, but the plant is spending reserves instead of establishing properly.
Choosing between pot and ground
Choose a container if you are growing on a balcony, in a courtyard, in a frost-prone suburb, or in a part of New Zealand where winter temperatures regularly stall tropical growth. Choose the ground if you have a proven warm site and enough headroom for a palm that will eventually dominate the space rather than merely fill it.
This choice is not about ambition. It is about matching method to climate.
A container-grown royal palm can be an excellent specimen for years if the pot is large enough, stable enough, and free-draining enough. Ground planting makes more sense once the site has shown that it can carry subtropical plants through winter without repeated setbacks.
Potting a younger plant
Start with a deep, heavy pot that will not tip in wind. Royal palms produce a strong root system, and a light container can become unstable well before the plant looks large from above.
Use a mix that drains freely but still holds some moisture between waterings. Straight compost stays too wet and too airless. A better blend includes bark, coarse material, and a mineral fraction so the root zone has both moisture and oxygen. Palm roots need both. Wet soil without air is like a waterlogged sponge around the root ball.
Keep the palm at the same depth it was growing in its nursery container. Do not mound potting mix up against the base. The crown and trunk base should stay clear and dry.
A simple potting sequence helps:
- Cover drainage holes lightly, so water escapes freely but mix does not wash straight out.
- Add enough mix to support the root ball at its original height.
- Lower the palm in by supporting the container or root ball, not by pulling on the trunk or leaves.
- Backfill evenly around the sides and firm gently with your hands.
- Water thoroughly once planted so the mix settles around the roots.
- Place it in a bright, sheltered position while it adjusts, then increase sun exposure if needed.
Do not jump a small palm into an oversized pot. In New Zealand conditions, a large mass of cool, damp mix around a modest root system can stay cold for too long. Stepping up gradually is usually the better approach.
Planting in the ground
Prepare the site before the palm arrives. That sounds obvious, but it is where many projects go off course. A royal palm should never sit waiting in its pot while you decide where to put it.
Dig wide rather than excessively deep. The aim is to open the surrounding soil so new roots can move outward easily. If your soil is heavy or holds winter moisture, raise the planting area into a mound or gentle berm. That extra height can make the difference between roots that breathe and roots that sulk through a cold season.
Use this sequence:
- Mark the final soil level first, using the nursery soil line on the root ball as your guide.
- Shape the planting area so water drains away from the base, not toward it.
- Lift the palm carefully from underneath the root ball or container.
- Set it in place without burying the trunk base.
- Backfill with the site soil if drainage is good, or with improved soil if the area needs structure and aeration.
- Water thoroughly to settle the soil, then top up only where settling creates hollows.
- Stake only if the palm is unstable, and tie loosely enough to allow slight movement.
Slight movement helps roots anchor. Constant rocking does not. The goal is support, not rigidity.
Handling larger specimens safely
Larger royal palms need planning, not brute force. Their trunks look solid, but the smooth surface marks easily, and any twisting during lifting can create damage that takes months to show clearly.
For specimen-grade palms, use padded lifting points, keep the root ball intact, and avoid dragging the trunk across hard surfaces. If machinery is involved, the operator should understand palms specifically, not just general tree handling. A palm is built differently from a broadleaf tree. The growing point is concentrated, the trunk does not heal in the same way, and careless pressure at planting time can leave permanent cosmetic or structural damage.
If a mature palm arrives on site, inspect it before it goes into the hole. Check the trunk for scuffing, cracks, compression, or fresh wounds, and look closely at the crown area for signs of rough transport.
If a large royal palm arrives with visible trunk damage or a compromised root ball, pause the planting and assess it immediately.
That is particularly relevant in New Zealand, where imported plant material, interstate transfers, and nursery movement all sit under stricter biosecurity and plant health expectations than many overseas articles acknowledge. Clean stock, clean media, and careful handling matter from both a growing and compliance perspective.
Helping it settle
After planting, expect a quiet phase. Many royal palms focus on root recovery before they show obvious top growth. That pause is normal.
What helps most is consistency. Keep moisture even, avoid letting the root zone swing from sodden to bone dry, and hold off on excessive tinkering. Do not bury the base with mulch, do not feed heavily into cold conditions, and do not keep repositioning a container-grown palm every few days. A newly planted royal palm needs calm conditions to anchor itself.
If you want a simple rule, it is this. Protect the roots first, and the canopy will follow.
Ongoing Care and Maintenance Routines
A Royal Cuban Palm can look flawless through summer, then struggle after one cold, wet New Zealand winter if the care routine is off by small degrees. That catches people out. This palm is stately, but it is not indifferent.
The goal after establishment is steady growth, not constant intervention. Roystonea regia responds best to a routine that matches our seasons, especially in northern and coastal districts where warmth helps, and in cooler inland sites where growth slows for longer than overseas guides often assume.
A simple NZ seasonal rhythm
In spring, wait for genuine warmth before restarting regular feeding. If nights are still cool and the soil is slow to warm, the palm will not use nutrients efficiently. Check the spear, clear away old mulch that has compacted, and make sure irrigation is wetting the root zone evenly rather than splashing the trunk.
Summer is the main growing period. Water well during dry spells so moisture reaches below the surface roots. A light daily sprinkle encourages shallow rooting, which is the opposite of what you want in a tall palm expected to cope with wind and heat.
Autumn is about tidying the routine, not pushing fresh growth. Reduce feeding, keep an eye on drainage as rain increases, and let the plant harden gently before winter.
Winter care is mostly restraint. Keep the root area insulated with mulch, but leave a gap around the trunk base for airflow. In frost-prone spots or exposed courtyards, cold protection for young plants can make the difference between a cosmetic setback and a damaged crown.
Feeding without forcing growth
Royal palms are heavy feeders once they are actively growing, but timing matters as much as product choice. Use a palm fertiliser with a balanced trace element package during warm months, and stop short of heavy feeding as temperatures fall. Cold, wet soil plus excess fertiliser is like asking a sleepy plant to sprint.
Nutrient problems often show first in the newest growth. A pale crown, weak-looking spear, poor leaf size, or a crownshaft that loses its usual firmness can point to hunger, root stress, or both. Before blaming insects, assess the basics. Soil moisture, drainage, temperature, and feeding history usually explain more than one isolated symptom.
A practical routine looks like this:
- Feed during active growth, usually from late spring through early autumn in warmer NZ regions.
- Water thoroughly, then allow the upper soil to breathe before the next soak.
- Mulch over the wider root area to buffer soil temperature and moisture.
- Check the newest leaf and spear first, because fresh growth shows trouble earlier than old fronds.
The crown is your progress report. If new growth is clean, upright, and evenly coloured, your routine is probably working.
Pruning and grooming
A royal palm should keep as much healthy leaf area as possible. Green fronds are food factories. Remove them too early and the palm loses energy it still needs for root strength, trunk development, and recovery from cool spells.
Only cut off fully dead fronds. If a leaf is yellowing but still partly green, leave it until the palm has finished drawing nutrients back from it. Use clean, sharp tools, make neat cuts, and avoid scraping the trunk or bruising the crownshaft.
This matters more than many gardeners realise. Palms do not respond to trunk injury the way broadleaf trees do, so rough pruning leaves a mark for years. If you are unsure whether decline is cosmetic or serious, this guide to addressing unhealthy tree signs is a useful framework for reading changes in bark, trunk, and foliage.
Container care and growth rate expectations
In pots, maintenance becomes more exact. The root zone heats up faster in summer, dries faster in wind, and stays colder for longer in winter. For balcony gardeners or courtyard growers, that means checking moisture by hand rather than watering to a calendar.
Use a free-draining mix and refresh the top layer if it turns dense or sour. If roots begin circling heavily or water runs straight down the pot edge, it is time to step up to the next container size. One size larger is usually enough. Oversized pots hold too much cold, wet media in winter.
Growth will also be slower in containers, and slower again outside the warmest parts of New Zealand. That is normal. A healthy palm in a marginal microclimate often grows in measured bursts, not as a constant tropical surge.
Growing from seed
Seed raising is possible, but it suits patient growers with warm conditions and disciplined hygiene. Fresh seed germinates better than old seed, and bottom warmth helps. So does clean media.
For many NZ gardeners, buying an established juvenile plant is the safer path. It gives you a clearer sense of how Roystonea regia handles your site, your winter lows, and your watering habits before you commit years to raising one from seed.
Common Pests and Diseases in New Zealand
A royal palm can look immaculate at the garden centre, then lose ground after one damp winter in the wrong spot. That catches Kiwi gardeners out because many overseas articles describe Roystonea regia as an easy palm without explaining how differently it behaves in New Zealand’s cooler soils, wet spells, and tightly controlled import environment.
Here, pest and disease management starts before the palm goes in the ground. Biosecurity matters with this species. Imported palms and seed-grown stock need extra care because palms worldwide can carry serious threats, and New Zealand growers should be alert to regulated risks such as the red palm weevil. For that reason, buying through a reputable local specialist with clear plant provenance is far safer than chasing anonymous online stock. If you are comparing suppliers, this guide to the range and selection of plants available in NZ from Jungle Story gives useful context on sourcing locally.
Once planted, the main problems are usually not exotic headline pests. They are the quieter issues that build in ordinary gardens. Poor drainage, cool root zones, stale air under cover, and sap-sucking insects are the usual troublemakers.
What commonly goes wrong in NZ conditions
The biggest disease risk is root and crown stress in wet conditions. Roystonea regia wants moisture, but it does not want to sit cold and waterlogged for long periods. A good way to picture it is this. The roots need air in the soil in the same way the crown needs light and warmth. If heavy soil stays saturated through winter, the palm struggles below ground before the leaves show clear distress.
In practical terms, New Zealand growers are most likely to see:
- Scale insects, especially on sheltered or glasshouse-kept plants
- Mealybugs tucked into leaf bases and protected creases
- Sooty mould growing on the sticky honeydew left by sap-sucking pests
- Root decline or basal softening after long periods of cold, wet soil
- General stress symptoms that look like feeding problems but begin in the root zone
That last point causes a lot of confusion.
A yellowing palm is not always hungry. It may be telling you the roots are impaired, the mix is staying sour, or the plant has been held too wet during cooler weather.
Early warning signs to catch quickly
Royal palms tend to decline by degrees rather than all at once, so small clues matter. Look closely at the newest growth, the base of the trunk, and sheltered parts of the foliage.
Watch for sticky residue, blackened sooty film, cottony clusters, a dull crown that fails to improve after watering, or soft tissue near the base. If a spear leaf loosens easily or the crown begins to collapse, treat that as urgent.
If you are unsure whether you are looking at pest damage, trunk trouble, or a broader decline pattern, this article on addressing unhealthy tree signs is a useful visual reference. It helps train the eye to read bark, trunk, and foliage changes in a structured way.
Prevention works better than rescue
With Roystonea regia in New Zealand, prevention is usually simpler than recovery. A stressed royal palm can be slow to regain momentum, especially outside the warmest coastal districts.
Start with clean stock. Inspect the crown, leaf bases, and root area before purchase. Avoid palms with unexplained yellowing, black spotting around the base, a sour-smelling potting mix, or obvious insect residue.
Then keep the growing conditions honest:
- Prioritise drainage in garden beds and containers
- Water thoroughly, then let excess moisture move away freely
- Improve airflow around crowded specimens and under cover
- Check hidden pest zones around leaf bases and undersides
- Isolate new arrivals before adding them to an existing collection
- Use low-impact treatments such as horticultural oil or neem for light infestations caught early
The goal is to keep the palm firm, active, and steadily growing. In New Zealand, a royal palm that stays too wet often declines long before it looks dramatically sick. Catching that early is what separates a thriving specimen from an expensive disappointment.
Landscape Design and Sourcing from Jungle Story
A well-placed royal palm changes the mood of a garden. It adds height without dense shade, formality without stiffness, and a tropical note that still feels refined rather than overdone.
That makes it particularly useful in New Zealand gardens that want a resort feel but still need structure. It works beautifully as a single lawn specimen, at the end of a path, beside a pool terrace, or as a vertical marker in a broad subtropical border. In larger projects, professionals often use it to frame entries or create a sense of procession along a drive.
Choosing the right size for your site
Bigger isn’t always better. In New Zealand, smaller stock is often the smarter buy because it adapts more readily and is easier to protect. Verified Northland guidance recommends sourcing juvenile plants at 1 to 2m for container growing or for planting out in protected coastal Zone 10a sites, where they can achieve 1.5 to 2m annual growth, according to this NZ-oriented cultivation guide.
That advice lines up with what seasoned growers see repeatedly. A juvenile palm can settle into your site and harden gradually. A very large specimen creates instant impact, but it also demands better access, more careful transport, and a much narrower margin for error.
A practical buying guide looks like this:
| Buyer type | Best starting point | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Balcony or courtyard gardener | Juvenile in a container | Easier shelter and winter control |
| Warm coastal homeowner | Juvenile or medium specimen | Better adaptation to site |
| Professional landscaper | Larger specimen in prime microclimate | Immediate design impact where risk is lower |
If you’re comparing suppliers and plant sizes, Jungle Story’s range of plants available in NZ is one local reference point for seeing what forms and grades are available through an online marketplace model.
Design pairings that work
This palm reads best when the trunk is visible and the base isn’t crowded. Underplant with lower material that supports the silhouette rather than hiding it.
Good companions in NZ-style subtropical planting include:
- Architectural lower layers such as cordylines and bold foliage plants
- Textural underplanting with ferns in sheltered, moist but free-draining spots
- Clean ground planes like gravel, clipped edges, or simple lawn
The palm should remain the vertical punctuation mark. Let it lead.
Royal Cuban Palm FAQ for Kiwi Gardeners
Can I grow it in the South Island
Usually only as a protected container specimen, conservatory plant, or collector’s project in a very warm microclimate. For most South Island gardens, outdoor long-term planting is too risky because winter cold and wet combine in a way this species doesn’t enjoy.
Is it suitable for coastal properties
It can suit coastal gardens if the site is warm and sheltered. Salt-laden wind is less of a problem than repeated cold exposure and poor drainage. The primary challenge is whether the palm can establish without being battered in its early years.
How do I know if my site is warm enough
Look at winter minimums, wind exposure, drainage, and how other tender subtropicals perform nearby. If you struggle to keep other frost-sensitive plants happy outdoors, a royal palm is unlikely to be carefree there.
Is a pot a second-best option
Not at all. In many NZ locations, container growing is the sensible approach. It allows better control over root conditions and gives you the option to protect the palm while it is still young.
Should I buy the biggest one I can afford
Only if your site, access, and aftercare are ready for it. In many situations, a smaller, healthier juvenile is a better long-term decision than a large specimen that suffers transplant stress or winter setback straight away.
What’s the biggest beginner mistake
Planting for looks rather than for survival. People often choose the most visible spot instead of the warmest, safest one. With this species, those two aren’t always the same place.
If you’re considering a royal cuban palm roystonea regia for your property, start with an honest assessment of your microclimate and growing options, then browse suitable palm stock through Jungle Story. A well-chosen plant in the right setting can become one of the most memorable features in a New Zealand garden.