Need Palm ID in Miami Beach

[oscarkramer]

Can someone please identify this palm? I thought it might be an Alexander but some specimens had a redish-brown trunk (pictured) that looked different. Thanks!
Oscar

Mystery Palm
Mystery Palm Trunk
Mystery Palm fronds and seeds

[SurfCityPalms]

That is a Veitchia merrillii, or commonly known as a Christmas or Manilla Palm.

You can read more information on it by clicking ->HERE

[oscarkramer]

Thanks for the ID. I'm surprised as the other Christmas palms in the area have grayish trunks with the leaf scars very close together and rough. These have a smooth trunk with regular, well-spaced scar rings. Also the reddish tint doesn't seem to match other xmas palms I've seen. Is that a common variation? Is it due to some special environmental condition or fast growth?

[SurfCityPalms]

Ya, there is a difference, it's healthy! Lol, my only comparison is when you see people who have bought something fast growing and trunking from a nursery. Obviously it has been well taken care of at a nursery and then they go and put it in their lawn, never fertilize it, only water it when they water their lawn, basically treat it like crap. What happens is you get a tree that has a nice slender trunk with the rings spaced out evenly half way up the trunk and the you see the trunk double in thickness and the rings almost start to touch each other. Here, let me give you a visual;

Here are some Queens that were bought already trunking, put in the ground, and poorly taken care of. Notice the trunk thickness and ring spacing from the bottom to the top of the trees:



Now here's a nich healthy one:

Same tree, but side by side they would look very different.