The Bismarck Palm has a full crown of large, silvery-blue, circular, fan-shaped leaves and a tall, columnar trunk. In seedlings and young plants, the leaves are tinged with an unreal purple-red color. Bismarckia develops fairly quickly into a large and stunning tree that is excellently suited for the subtropical or tropical garden, for parks, and for breathtaking avenues. It is tolerant of drought and a few degrees of frost and wants a place in full sun, such as it enjoys in the highland savannas of its native home of Madagascar. The Bismarck palm grows slow and then moderate as the roots establish. The Bismarck palm can grow to over 20' wide and can form a bell shaped head when the palm is completely happy and left un-trimmed. The Bismarck palm will begin to show a woody trunk at around 5-6' of overall trunk. The Bismarck palm has proven itself to be rather cold hardy. Bismarck palms that are more silver in color are more cold hardy and can take a mild frost and even temperatures into the lower 20's.