Roystonea regia (Royal Palm)

This plant is a tall palm tree native to southern Florida, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. It is the national tree of Cuba. A smooth gray trunk supports a green crownshaft and a crown of feathery leaves. Large, branching inflorescences emerge below the crownshaft and bear numerous small, fragrant, cream-colored flowers. Rounded fruits mature from green to dark red or black. Birds feed on the fruits, which are also used as livestock feed. The trunk and leaves have been used to build simple houses. Photographed in Quindio, Colombia.