Flora Press / BIOSPHOTO / Harold Verspieren / Digitalice Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix Canariensis)

HanifMR.com - The easy-care date palm is an impressive container plant with its long fronds. During the summer, it brings Mediterranean flair to the terrace or balcony.

Characteristics

Characteristics of Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix Canariensis) Photo by Syd Sujuaan on Unsplash

Origin

The Origin of Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix Canariensis) Photo by Maria Lupan on Unsplash

The Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix Canariensis) belongs to the palm family (Arecaceae). The genus Phoenix comprises between 13 and 17 species that originally came from the Middle East. They spread to India and North Africa. The date palm is also found in the tropical and subtropical areas of Africa and on the Mediterranean islands, the Canary Islands, and the Azores. The Canary Island date palm comes - as the name suggests - from the Canary Islands, where it is now rarely seen in nature. Instead, it enjoys great popularity worldwide as a container plant.

The cultural and agricultural importance of the date palm can be recognized, among other things, by how often it was mentioned in the Bible and also by Greek and Roman historians. It was considered a symbol of justice and stands for the resurrection since Jesus was received with palm branches when he entered Jerusalem. Due to its deep roots, the date palm can thrive in oases where it is of economic importance due to its fruits.

While some species, especially the Canary Islands date palm (Phoenix Canariensis), are cultivated as a houseplant or in the winter garden and sold as a container plant, the real date palm (Phoenix Dactylifera) is relevant not least because of its fruits and firm leaves. It is A popular avenue tree in the Mediterranean regions - especially on beaches.

Growth

The dwarf date palm is ideal for planting in pots because of its low height. Flora Press/GWI

Date palms are evergreen pinnate palms with - depending on the species - differently shaped trunks. The Canary Island date palm initially had no trunk, but over the years, it developed one. It can then reach a height of 15 meters at the natural site, but it remains significantly smaller in the bucket. It has a striking pattern, including the scars on the dead leaves. The trunk of the species dwarf date palm (Phoenix Roebelenii) is only 15 centimeters thick and no higher than two meters, which is why it is particularly popular for planting in pots. The lower part of the trunk is smooth in older palms.

Leaves

Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix Canariensis) Leaves Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

At the end of the date palm trunk, the characteristic leaves protrude in an arched manner and are unpinned. The fronds are usually equidistant from each other at the leaf tips. The petiole is often thorny. New leaves are constantly being formed on the date palm, and the old ones die off. The leaf color is green.

The fronds of the Canary Islands date palm are long, pointed, wider, and not as piercing as those of the real date palm. The Canary Island date palm has an impressive crown with up to five meters long fronds at the end of the trunk. In contrast, the real date palm grows leaner and looser. Another difference: While you can eat the fruits, called dates, of the date palm growing in Asia and Africa, the fruits of the Canary Islands date palm are not edible. The fronds of the dwarf date palm (Phoenix Roebelenii) are no more than two meters long. Your petiole has hard green thorns.

Blossoms

All date palms are dioecious with floriferous panicles. The inconspicuous male white flowers have a short calyx with six stamens. The female flowers have wider bracts and three free carpels. In the Canary Islands date palm, the flower panicles can be up to 1.5 meters long.

Fruit

The fruits of the date palms, the dates, grow on long panicles and are edible. Shutterstock/Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh

The date, a fleshy and elongated berry with a hard seed, develops from the female carpels. Small drawback: The real date palms only bear fruit in the warm growing countries.

Location and Substrate

According to one idiom, date palms prefer to stand "with their feet in the water and the crown in the fire of heaven," which means that the roots always want to be kept moist. In contrast, the crown and leaves need a warm and light place. Room temperatures and light Locations are ideal. In spring to late summer, the date palm can be placed outdoors in a sheltered and sunny place, in winter in a bright room at around 15 degrees Celsius. In

In addition to the dwarf date palm, the palm trees also need a lot of space, and their spreading pinnate leaves come into their own. Date palms need a permeable and slightly acidic substrate based on compost. A mixture of potting soil, sand, and palm soil has proven itself. A drainage layer made of expanded clay and gravel ensures that the irrigation water runs off well.

Planting and Care

Above all, Wide and tall planters are best suited for date palms. Flora Press / Nova Photo Graphik

A wide planter is best for the expansive growing date palm. In addition, the container should be high, as palms form very long, strong roots that would push the plant up if the pot was too low. Planting out the date palm is not recommended in our latitudes. Cultivated as a container plant, you should always keep your date palm moist but avoid waterlogging. It is best to water again when the top layer of the earth has dried off. In between, you can also spray your date palm with a little water, so it always stays slightly damp. The fronds of smaller date palms can be wiped with a damp cloth in between to free them from dust particles.

In summer, fertilization is carried out every two weeks. Since the date palm is very sensitive to salt, it is fertilized in low doses. It is important to water the palm more sparingly in winter but never let the root ball dry out completely. The nutrients should then only be given every six weeks.

The date palm should only be repotted when the soil is deeply rooted, about every three years. Be careful not to damage the palm roots when transplanting and enriching the substrate in the new pot again with gravel or expanded clay.

How to Repot Palm Trees Successfully

The dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis) comes from the Mediterranean region. It is the only palm species native to Europe and can also tolerate light frost. Flora Press/GWI

Palms are extremely popular as container plants and can also get very old in pots. However, it would help if you repotted the delicate plants regularly. We explain to you what you have to pay attention to.

Palms don't usually need too much maintenance. But like all potted plants, you should repot them regularly. Most palm species naturally form very dense, deeply reaching roots. Therefore, the intervals between the repotting appointments should not be too long: Younger plants need a new, slightly larger pot every year. Older palms should be repotted every three to five years, depending on how strong they are.

When Are Palm Trees Repotted?

With their thick taproot, palm trees that are not repotted push themselves further and further out of the plant pot over the years. If the root ball is already slightly above the edge of the pot or if the roots are growing out of the drainage hole at the bottom, it's high time for a new planter. Even if the relationship between the pot and the plant is no longer right, the container tilts or is knocked over with every breeze, and the palm should be given a new pot. The right time to repot palm trees is in spring, between late April and early May. If you only realize that the pot has become too small for the palm during the season, you don't have to wait until the next year. In this case, regardless of the season, it is better to act immediately and repot the plant during the year.

Repotting Palm Trees: The Most Important Things at a Glance

Palm trees are repotted in April. Loosen the old root ball from the edge of the pot with a long bread knife. Lift out the palm and shake off the old earth. If necessary, cut back the fine roots a little. In the new, about two centimeters larger pot, place a pottery shard on the drain hole and fill in drainage and a thin layer of soil. Put the palm in it and fill the pot all around with soil. Please press down the new soil well and water it. Do not place the palm in full sun for the first few weeks!

Which Pots Are Suitable for Palm Trees?

Choose heavy, stable pots for your palms. Stretcher

Most palms have long stems and large leaves. It means that they offer the wind a good surface to attack if you cultivate them on the terrace. Therefore, the pot or bucket should have as high a dead weight as possible, as is the case, for example, with planters made of terracotta or earthenware. A large footprint also improves stability. Therefore, it would be best to use a cylindrical planter for your palm instead of a classic conical pot, which has a larger diameter at the top than at the bottom. Do not choose too large containers for repotting because then the substrate in the container will be rooted very unevenly. The inside of the new vessel should have a maximum of two fingers' breadth of "air" on both sides of the old root ball is in it.

What Kind of Soil Do You Need for Palm Trees?

Like most potted plants, palm trees stand in the same soil for years. The substrate must therefore be structurally stable, i.e., it must not decompose over time. Conventional potted plant soil, mixed with additional quartz sand in a ratio of 3: 1, is recommended. The silicate contained in quartz sand is an important nutrient for palms. To further improve the permeability of the earth, you can also mix in clay granules in a ratio of 1:10. However, some suppliers also have special soil for palms in their range, which you can, of course, use without adding any other ingredients.

How Do You Repot a Palm Tree?

The new pot for your palm tree should be big enough that there is still a few centimeters of space around the ball for fresh soil. Friedrich Strauss garden picture agency

When you have a suitable pot and the right potting soil together, the actual repotting can begin. Place a pottery shard on the drain hole and then cover the bottom of the pot with a layer of expanded clay about two to three centimeters high. Coarse gravel is also suitable for drainage, as palm roots are very sensitive to waterlogging. Then fill in some fresh soil if the pot is high enough. However, this is not necessary - the most important thing is that the sides of the pot are filled with new substrate. Now the root ball is removed from the old pot. It is usually easier if you water the plant well an hour in advance.

If the bale grows firmly together with the pot, first cut off any roots that grow out of the drainage hole at the bottom. Then, if necessary, loosen the roots from the pot's side with an old bread knife. You can do this by guiding the knife around the outside of the bale once. If a lot of fine roots have grown, you can shorten them with scissors.

Tip: With large plants, potting is easier with two people: One holds the old pot, and the other pulls the palm out from the bottom of the trunk. Very spreading plants should be loosely tied with a rope beforehand, so the fronds do not snap off when repotting.

When you place the palm in the new pot, the top of the root ball should be at least a finger's breadth below the edge of the pot. So you can comfortably water later without the water overflowing. Now gradually fill in the new soil around the bale. Gently press it down with your fingers until the space is filled up to the top of the bale. No new soil is spread on the ball surface. Then water the palm thoroughly and place it in a little shade for about two to three weeks. After that, species that need light, such as date palms, can return to full sun. You will soon thank me for the good care with a growth spurt.

Gold fruit palms can be divided when repotting. Flora Press / Nathalie Pasquel

Can You Share Palm Trees?

Palm species that consist of many sprouts, such as the Kentia palm (Howea Forsteriana), the dwarf palm (Chamaerops Humilis), or the golden fruit palm(Dypsis Lutescens), can be divided when repotting. Dividing the palm is necessary when the plant has grown too big. But even if you want to increase or rejuvenate the palm, repotting is a good time. When potting, you can see the young side shoots of the palm tree. These can be carefully removed from the mother plant. You may need to carefully separate the roots from the main ball with a sharp knife. Do this very carefully, and be careful not to damage any thick roots or the main root! The separated rungs can be put back into a smaller pot as described above.

Cut

A cut is not necessary for the date palm. For optical reasons, dried fronds are removed, but only when they are completely dried out.

Winter Protection and Overwintering

The date palm is best overwintered in a greenhouse or winter garden at around 10 to 15 degrees Celsius. In addition, there is also a bright hallway, a staircase, or a similar room. Date palms also need regular watering in winter quarters. Still, the breaks between watering should be much longer here than in summer.

Multiplication

The date palm, especially the Canary Islands date palm, is propagated by sowing in spring. The germination period is about three months, but the seeds should be sown quickly. It has proven useful to let the seeds soak for a few days before sowing them in small pots in potting soil at 20 to 25 degrees Celsius. Keep the seeds moist and warm afterward. After a month or two, grass-like leaves appear. The characteristic feathered palm fronds do not form until they are two to three years old.

Diseases and Pests

If the location is too warm and dark, leaf callous disease sometimes occurs, which shows up as small black dots on the leaves. If the irrigation water is too cold and hard, leaf spot disease can occur. Spider mites, shields - and mealybugs infest the date palm, especially in winter when the palm is in a warm location. As a preventive measure, you should spray the date palm regularly. You should also avoid air that is too dry and waterlogged.

Tags:   Canary Date Palm, Canary Island Date Palm, Canary Palm, Canary Palm Tree, Date Palm Tree, Home & Garden, Home and Garden, Palm Tree, Phoenix Canariensis, Plants, Potted Plants, The Palm Tree,