Phoenix canariensis & Phoenix roebelenii – Learn, Grow & Where to Buy
Phoenix canariensis is a majestic, slow-growing palm tree, featuring a stout trunk that is topped with a rounded crown of a copious amount of arching, rich green, feathery fronds. The huge, thick trunk is sometimes grey or brown and prominently scarred with raised, diamond-shaped leaf bases. It bulges at ground level with above-the-ground roots and sometimes at the top with old leaf bases and leaf fibres.
The leaves are pinnately divided into several narrow leaflets that are arranged in linear planes. The lower leaflets on a palm frond appear as sharp, thin spines. Creamy-yellow flowers are produced on orange 1-2 metre long inflorescences followed by clusters of yellowish-red date like fruits.
Other common names are Canary date palm, Canary Island date palm, and slender date palm.
Giant Phoenix canariensis – Canary Island Date Palm
How to grow Phoenix canariensis
Canary date palm is one of the most identifiable and most cultivated palm trees in warm, tropical regions around the world. It is easy to grow in fertile, well-drained soil, acidic to neutral soil with little moisture and placed in full sun or partial shade.
It is a hardy plant, salt and drought tolerant and can survive in mildly cold winters. Temperature below -8 degrees Celsius may result in some frond damage.
Where should I position Phoenix canariensis in my garden?
Like most other palm trees, this slender date palm likes tropical regions with full sun or partial shade. Growing it in a south or west facing position is ideal.
How tall does Phoenix canariensis grow and spread?
Phoenix canariensis’ continuous slow growth results in a palm tree that extends over 12 metres in length with a spread of 8 metres and more as it grows older.
What kind of soil does Phoenix canariensis need?
The most appropriate soil type for growing Canary Island palms is loamy soil that is well-drained with a pH that is acidic or neutral.
Further Reading:
- Grow Guide: Trachycarpus Wagnerianus
- Can you eat Jelly Fruit Palm?
- Grow Guide: Butia Capitata
- How fast do Jelly Palms grow?
- How quickly does Trachycarpus Palm grow?
Other popular palm trees you might be interested in are the hardy backbone Trachycarpus Fortunei Chusan Palm, Butia Capitata, Chamaerops Humilis, Chamaerops Humilis Cerifera, Chamaerops Humilis Vulcano, Howea Forsteriana (Kentia Palm), Livistona Rotundifolia, Phoenix canariensis, Washingtonia Robusta, Areca Dypsis and Yucca Palms.
Where can I buy Phoenix canariensis for sale?
Phoenix roebelenii
An elegantly shimmering cluster of pinnately divided, lustrous, dark green, arching palm fronds form a dense crown on the slender trunk of the pygmy date palm. Each palmate leaf is divided into several linear leaflets.
A widely cultivated species, the Pygmy date palm is a majestic hardy tropical palm ideal for both indoor and outdoor spaces because its feathery leaves create a tropical and exotic look in any landscape or interior space.
They often have a single greyish-brown species but some may develop several trunks that are scarred with the diamond-shaped leaf bases. They grow to produce several creamy-yellow flowers in drooping panicles. The flowers are followed by clusters of tiny red fruits that ripen and turn black.
Other names of Phoenix roebelenii are Pygmy date palm, Dwarf date palm, Miniature date palm, and Roebelin palm.
How to grow Phoenix roebelenii
Pygmy palm dates are low maintenance plants that are propagated from seed in spring. They can grow in most soil types as long as the soil is moderately moist, well-draining, and acidic to neutral. They are hardy plants and can tolerate temperatures as low as -3 degrees Celsius.
They look great when planted in groves but in northern regions, they are grown as container plants. When growing as a container plant, plant it in a loam-based compost place where it can get indirect sunlight.
Where should I position Phoenix roebelenii in my garden?
Pygmy date palms can be planted east-facing in full sun or partial shade.
How tall does Phoenix roebelenii grow and spread?
Like most other palm trees, pygmy date palms will continue growing for up to 50 years. As an indoor plant, it grows only about 5 feet tall but when growing as an outdoor plant it can grow to about 6.5 feet while spreading 5 feet.
What kind of soil does Phoenix roebelenii need?
Most soil types are appropriate for growing Phoenix roebelenii including clay, sand, chalk, and loamy soil. Ensure that the soil is well well-draining with an acidic to neutral pH.
