Mast Tree Florida
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What is a Mast Tree, and how can you use it in your Florida landscapes? If you need tall, columnar trees to use as hedges and screening plants, you will love Palmco’s Mast Trees!
Palmco serves Florida and the contiguous U.S., providing a wide selection of palms, clumping bamboos, and ornamental plants in different heights, shapes, textures and even colors. We pride ourselves on our environmentally conscious growing process and exceptional customer service that is known throughout the industry.
We farm more than 600 acres on Pine Island along the Gulf of Mexico on Florida’s southwest coast. This fertile setting provides a long growing season due to our abundant supply of water and warm Florida sunshine. It enables us to grow truly beautiful specimens, such as Polyalthia longifolia “Pendula,” commonly known as the Mast Tree.
About the Mast Tree
The Mast Tree, or Polyalthia longifolia “Pendula”, is a beautiful evergreen tree that is covered from top to bottom with graceful, shiny pendulous leaves. It grows symmetrically to 30 to 45 feet and provides an excellent vertical accent in any landscape.
Although this ornamental tree, which is native to India and Sri Lanka, may look like it has no branches, many layers of feathery, wavy-edged leaves actually hang from drooping branches that closely hug the trunk.
The leaves are colorful – from coppery brown to shiny dark green – and remain on the tree in all seasons, creating a unique natural contrast.
The Mast Tree also features fragrant star-like pale green flowers that bloom in spring and attract birds and butterflies.
Mast Trees are ideal for use as:
- focal specimens
- container plants
- avenue or driveway plantings
- living fences
- privacy screens
- tall hedges
- noise pollution screens
- windbreaks
Growing and Caring for Mast Trees
Mast Trees are not very tolerant of cold weather (below 32° F), so they are best suited to USDA Zones 10a to 11. They are not recommended for use north of coastal Hillsborough County on Florida’s west coast or Indian River County on the east coast.
Plant them in full or partial sun in rich clay, loam or sandy soil, and make sure the soil is well-drained. Mast trees do not like to be wet and will rot if left sitting in water for long periods. Mature Mast trees are drought-tolerant.
Mast Trees are fast growing and require space to stretch out (to a full-grown width of 4 to 5 feet). Choose a location at least 10 feet from other trees or shrubs.
When watering Mast Trees, lightly soak the soil and then do not water again until the top two inches have dried out. Avoid overwatering or it may ultimately kill the tree.
The attention-getting Mast Tree is quickly becoming a popular choice of Florida landscape contractors and designers. Find them at Palmco. Call us today at (239) 283-1329 or (855) GOPALMCO for more information.
