If you want a tall, tropical tree, consider palm trees that grow in Georgia. Many tall palms grow in wetlands or on barrier islands. These are slow-growing and require plenty of sunlight. These include the Canary Island date palm, Medjool Date Palm, and Mexican fan palm. These species typically grow best in USDA zones 8b through 11, and they can also tolerate part shade. They thrive in hot, humid climates.
Palms that grow in Georgia are usually native to the state. The Serenoa repens is one of these, commonly found under pine trees in the piedmont region. These trees can grow to 40 feet tall and form trunks. The silver foliage of this palm makes it a prized plant, and it’s used for fencing. The mediterranean fan palm is another great palm for Georgia. It can grow up to 12 inches per year, and its berries are often harvested from the wild and processed for the pharmaceutical industry. It grows well in this climate, and is commonly seen in Georgia and Texas.
Another type of palm that grows in Georgia is the cabbage-palm, which is found mostly in the piedmont region. This species is native to the southeast United States. It can grow from five to 10 feet tall and sometimes can even form a trunk. The needle palm is also a common tree in Georgia, but is native to the southern states. The leaves of the needle palm are dark green and shiny, and are prized by collectors.