Within a year, Kennemer sold his landscaping business and pursued an opportunity to sell palm trees and learn the business.

Kennemer’s first business in the area opened in Sugar Land in 1996 and offered installation and maintenance of palm trees, focusing on businesses and high-end residences. In 2006, he moved his business to Houston, but he returned to Sugar Land in 2011.

“I’ve learned a lot working with these trees. There are literally thousands of palm varieties, including about 50 that are cold-hardy, and a few that can tolerate temperatures below freezing,” Kennemer said. “We sell palm trees all over the world, from Canada to Japan. There are a lot of people in cold climates who really want palm trees.”

Kennemer said the most popular palm tree in the Greater Houston area is the queen palm, followed by the pygmy date palm. Both of these varieties are also reasonably priced, he said.

“The queen palm is the tall palm you usually see around resorts and swimming pools,” Kennemer said. “It grows fast and can reach 40 feet, and it’s fairly easy to maintain. The pygmy date is a miniature version of the date palm, and we use it a lot as a complement to other trees.”

Kennemer, who is the third generation of his family to work with plants, said the palm tree market is rising, partially because of people moving to the area from colder climates.

“We have a lot of people moving from areas where there are only a few palm trees,” he said. “When they get here, they want the whole experience, including palm trees in their yards and around their pools.”

Palm Professionals, which does consulting for many large botanical gardens including Moody Gardens, is a member of the International Palm Society.

“We’re growing—we’ve got growing fields all over Houston, and we’re still expanding,” Kennemer said.

Palm Professionals Tropical Nursery 

20113 Hwy. 59 S., Sugar Land 713-621-7256 www.palmprofessionalstropicalnursery.com Hours: Sat. 7 a.m.-7 p.m., Mon.-Fri. hours vary