What To Plant Around Palm Trees

Figuring out what to plant around palm trees can be tricky. The unique conditions under a palm’s canopy—dry soil, shifting shade, and competitive roots—need just the right plants. This guide will help you choose beautiful, shade-loving companion plants that will thrive, not just survive, alongside your palms.

Palms create a special microclimate. They offer dappled shade, but their roots soak up water quickly. You need tough plants that handle dry shade and don’t mind sharing space. The right choices will create a lush, layered look that makes your whole garden feel complete.

Understanding the Environment Under Palms

Before you choose any plants, it’s key to know what you’re working with. Palms aren’t like dense shade trees. Their open fronds create a moving pattern of sun and shadow throughout the day. This is called filtered or dappled shade. Many plants actually prefer this to deep, dark shade.

The bigger challenge is often soil and roots. Palm roots are fibrous and spread out near the surface. They can make the soil dry and leave little room for other plants. Here’s what to consider:

Dry Soil: Palms are efficient at taking up water. The ground beneath them can be surprisingly dry, even after rain.
Root Competition: Planting directly into dense root mats is hard. You may need to start with small plants and add good soil around them.
Falling Debris: Shedding fronds and seed pods can smother small, delicate plants. Choose ones that are somewhat sturdy.

Top Shade-Loving Companion Plants for Palms

These plants are proven performers in palm tree settings. They tolerate dry spells, don’t need rich soil, and appreciate the light shade.

Ground Covers and Low-Growers

These plants spread to cover soil, supress weeds, and add greenery at the base.

Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon): This is a superstar. Its grassy clumps handle deep shade to partial sun and are very drought-tolerant. The black variety (‘Nigrescens’) offers stunning contrast.
Liriope (Lilyturf): Similar to mondo grass but with showier flower spikes in late summer. It’s incredibly tough and forms dense clumps.
Asian Jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum): A vine that acts as a ground cover. It’s slower growing than its cousin, star jasmine, and forms a neat, dense mat of green.
Ferns: Many ferns love the filtered light. Autumn fern offers coppery new growth, while holly fern has tough, glossy leaves that resist drying out.

Mid-Height Plants for Texture and Color

Add layers with plants that bring different leaf shapes and occasional flowers.

Bromeliads: These are perfect tropical partners. They collect water in their centers, need little soil, and their colorful blooms last for months. They attach to trunks or grow in pockets of soil.
Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior): The name says it all. It survives deep shade, drought, and poor soil. Its bold, upright leaves are a great textural element.
Begonias: Wax begonias and hardy begonias add reliable spots of color. They do need a bit more consistent moisture than some others on this list.
Heuchera (Coral Bells): Grown primarily for their stunning foliage in colors like lime, purple, and silver. They prefer well-drained soil and look fantastic in groupings.

Accent Plants for Drama

Use these sparingly to draw the eye and create focal points.

Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta): Not a true palm, but its architectural form complements real palms beautifully. It’s very slow-growing and drought-tolerant.
Philodendrons: The hardy, non-climbing types like ‘Xanadu’ have deeply lobed, attractive leaves and a mounding habit. They add a full, tropical feel.
Azaleas & Camellias: In areas with acidic soil, these shrubs can work under tall palms. They need consistent moisture to establish, but once settled, they provide spectacular seasonal blooms.

How to Plant Under and Around Your Palm Tree

Proper planting gives your new companions the best start. Rushing this step can lead to poor growth. Follow these steps for success.

Assess the Site: Watch how sunlight moves under the palm for a full day. Identify the shadiest and sunniest spots to place plants accordingly.
Prepare Gently: Do not trench or cut major palm roots. Instead, use a hand trowel to dig small holes between larger roots. Enrich the hole with a little compost to help the new plant establish.
Choose Small Plants: It’s easier to tuck a 1-gallon or 4-inch pot plant into a small hole than to dig a huge hole for a large rootball. They’ll adapt and grow quickly.
Plant Carefully: Place the plant in the hole, backfill with native soil mixed with compost, and water it in thoroughly to settle the soil.
Mulch Lightly: Apply a 2-inch layer of organic mulch like bark chips around the new plants, keeping it a few inches away from the palm’s trunk. This helps retain moisture.

Caring for Your Palm Tree Garden

Once established, your shade garden will need minimal care. A little attention goes a long way.

Water new plants regularly for their first growing season. After that, they should be able to handle drier periods. Always check soil moisture a few inches down before watering. Overwatering is a common mistake.

Fertilize the companion plants lightly in spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer. Avoid piling fertilizer directly against the palm trunk. Be aware that palm-specific fertilizers are often high in potassium and may not be ideal for your understory plants.

Keep fallen palm fronds and debris cleared off smaller plants so they don’t get crushed or deprived of light. This also helps prevent pest hiding spots.

Plants to Avoid Under Palm Trees

Some plants are a bad fit. Avoid anything that needs constant moisture, rich soil, or full sun to bloom well. Here are a few common mismatches:

Lawn Grass: It will thin out and struggle in the shade and dry soil.
Impatiens: They typically require more consistent moisture and richer soil than a palm base provides.
Most vegetable or herb plants: They generally need full sun and nutrient-rich, evenly moist soil.
Aggressive spreaders: Some ivies or vines can climb the trunk and become difficult to manage, potentially harming the palm.

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

Can I plant flowers under my palm tree?

Yes, but choose wisely. Opt for tough, shade-tolerant flowers like begonias, impatiens (if you can water them), or clivia. Bulbs like paperwhites (Narcissus) can also work well.

How do I deal with all the roots when planting?

Use a hand trowel, not a shovel. Dig small holes between the larger roots. If roots are too dense in one spot, move over a few inches. Cutting a few small, fibrous roots is usually okay, but avoid damaging any large, thick roots.

Should I put mulch around my palm tree?

Yes, a light layer of mulch is beneficial. It helps retain soil moisture for both the palm and companion plants and regulates soil temperature. Just keep it a few inches away from the trunk itself to prevent rot.

What if the area under my palm is very dark?

For very deep shade, your best bets are cast iron plant, mondo grass, or certain ferns like the holly fern. These have evolved to handle low light levels better than most.

Do these companion plants need a lot of water?

They need regular water to get established. Once they’ve grown a bit, they become quite drought-tolerant, mirroring the palm’s own needs. This makes for a low-maintenance landscape.

Choosing the right shade-loving plants for around your palms turns a challenging spot into a garden highlight. By focusing on adaptable plants and planting them carefully, you’ll create a beautiful, cohesive landscape that thrives for years to come. Remember, the key is matching the plant to the unique conditions—filtered light, dry soil, and gentle care will yield a stunning result.