With the weather starting to warm up that means epic pool parties and if you're looking to turn heads this year not only do you need a pool (duh) but a well landscaped backyard that will make you the king or queen of summer among your family, friends, and neighbors.
Fortunately for us, our climate allows us to plant a wide range of palm trees and shrubs that can turn any pool party into a tropical paradise. The best part is that all of these palms and shrubs are super easy to grow, require minimal maintenance, and have practically no mess.
If you're looking to become tropical royalty, check out the varieties our nursery pros recommend below.
Specially grown at Moon Valley Nursery farms, the Piru Queen Palm is unlike other Queen Palms. Our Piru Queen Palms feature thicker and harder trunks, denser and greener fronds, and produce fuller crowns than other Queen Palms. Moon Valley Nurseries Piru Queen Palms can handle hot summers, cold winters, and windy days. The Piru Queen Palm is supported by a narrow trunk which makes it ideal for tight spaces around your pool, but it does require overhead space as the palm grows to statuesque heights.
This striking medium sized palm is the only palm native to Europe and it is prized for its unique multi-trunk vertical growth, fan-shaped fronds, and aesthetically pleasing growth pattern that looks fantastic around pools and as centerpieces to any landscape. The reason why the Mediterranean Fan Palm can serve as a centerpiece is due to its growth pattern. The trunks of the Chamaerops humilis palm clump together, giving the palm a full thick look. Because they can be grown to display a full look, many homeowners have planted these palms in a cluster to create a barrier wall. Mediterranean Fan Palms also can fill in empty spots between large trees or in containers as well.
One of the most unique palms that we offer at Moon Valley Nurseries is the Windmill palm. It’s narrow trunk and upright growth pattern has allowed hundreds of our customers to plant these in close proximity for an interesting multi-trunk appearance. It is both cold and hot tolerant and when shaved, the trunk exposes the colorful old frond layers giving it a unique look in any landscape.
At Moon Valley Nursery, we have custom grown all of our Pygmy Date Palms from our best specimens at our farms ranging from Southern California the Arizona desert. Our climate and special Super Palm Juice fertilizer help generate thicker trunks, fuller crowns, and more robust roots for the Pygmy Date Palm. This separates our Pygmy Date Palms from other you’ll see at other nurseries. Our look better than the average Pygmy Date Palm, perform better, thrive in hot full sun, and are more cold hardy than typical Pygmy Date Palms.
A Sago may look like a palm tree, but it's actually a Cycad. This genus has been relatively unchanged for 200 million years, making the Sago a living fossil. Sagos are slow growing and the only maintenance they require is when removing the old fronds. The fronds extend out from the center of the trunk exposing the eye-catching brown trunk. Both cold and heat hardy, the Sago can be grown in full to partial sun and it a wonderful option to be planted in large pots and containers.
King Palms are some of the best palms to plant around pools, tropical landscapes, or as focal points in front of a home. As the King Palm develops, it produces a great canopy of shade and when it comes to color, the King Palm is one of the best palm varieties for Southern California. The trunk is smooth with a lime-green crown shaft and a brown trunk that shows the growth rings. At the top, dark-green fronds rarely drop below the crown shaft adding a rich color that makes the lime-green crown shaft pop.
Tropical Bird of Paradise is a surprisingly sturdy tropical shrub in hot climates. A major requirement, however, is good drainage so they can be watered deeply and set strong roots. Once established they are fairly drought tolerant. It's bright orange and blue flowers appear fall through spring on mature plants. Tropical looking leaves can reach 5’ high and spread as wide. Tropical Birds will acclimate to full sun but prefer protection in afternoons during hot summers. Grow in pots and raised planters in garden settings.
Available in red, white, yellow, and pink, hibiscus are medium to large growing shrubs with very lush, dark foliage and beautiful flowers that are sure to turn heads. These beautiful flowering plants prefer to be planted in well-prepared garden soil that drains well and need even moisture for their roots. Be careful though as heavy soil tends to suffocate them. We have them available in red, pink, white, and yellow.
Moon Valley Nurseries is your one stop shop for all your landscape needs. Our experts have decades worth of experience and they will be able to assist you with any and all projects you may have. Click here to map a nursery near you.