The Palm Trees
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| Palm Trees | Flora Press / Visions |
HanifMR.com - No plant conveys as much tropical flair as a palm tree. But the southern plants are not entirely undemanding. We introduce you to the diverse world of palm trees.
Palm trees are the epitome of South Sea dreams and holiday mood. Their scaly trunks and large fronds are reminiscent of tropical paradises, sandy beaches, and blue seas. No wonder that palm trees are so popular as indoor, office, and winter garden plants. The genus of the palms is diverse. Their growth ranges from bushy potted plants to centuries-old giant trees. Some species of palm trees can even be planted in the garden in temperate areas.
Origin
Palms belong to the botanical order of the palm-like (Arecales), which for the most part arises from the palm family (Arecaceae or Palmae). There are around 2,600 palm species worldwide, which are divided into 183 genera. Their history on this earth goes back to the Cretaceous period. What hardly anyone knows: the plants, which often look like trees, are more closely related to grasses than to real woody plants. And palm trees are not only diverse but also real record holders. Palms of the genus Raphia bear the largest leaves in the entire plant kingdom. Your fronds measure up to 25 meters in length! The seeds of the Seychelles palm (Lodoicea maldivica) weigh an impressive 22 kilograms. The palm genus Corypha has the longest inflorescence of all plants, with over ten million flowers at 7.5 meters. All of them are at home in the subtropical to tropical regions around the world. Most species are found in the tropical rainforests. However, some palm trees grow in drier regions and higher altitudes.
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| When many people hear the term "palm", the first thing that comes to mind is the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) | iStock / Jonas Torres |
Appearance and Stature
Palms grow with one or more stems, depending on the species. However, the side trunks do not branch off from the main trunk but arise from root runners. Palms are not capable of branching branches - the only exception is the species of the doum palm (Hyphaene). In some palm trees, the trunks are also strongly compressed or do not appear above ground. In addition, unlike real trees, the trunks of the plants do not get thicker with age (secondary growth in thickness). They lack the necessary dividing tissue in the cortex. Therefore, Palm trunks do not form annual rings but consist of fiber-like vascular bundles that transport the water into the crown. The trunk shell is more or less woody, and most palm species still have old leaf scars.
All palm trees have a vegetation cone at the end of the stem, the palm heart. It constantly drives new leaves, the so-called fronds. These cover the upper section of the stem and gradually dry up in the lower area of the leaf crown. Eventually, they break away from the sprout and fall to the ground. With palm trees that grow on beach promenades or streets, this is not entirely harmless. The fronds can be very large and heavy, depending on the type of palm.
For this reason, gardeners usually cut off the leaves with sharp axes or machetes when they are half-withered. By the way: if the heart of the palm is removed or destroyed, the entire plant dies. Palm trees do not sprout from older trunk areas.
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| The palm heart is the soft tissue inside the palm trunk. It is edible and is harvested when palm trees are cleared | iStock / Dio5050 |
The palm fronds themselves are usually very large and fan-like to pinnate in shape, depending on the species. The midrib is very firm and fibrous as it often has to withstand high wind loads due to the size of the blades. It is especially true of species like the coconut palm that grows on tropical seashores. The flowers of the palm trees are optically rather inconspicuous and are usually in more or less large clusters. The fruits can be designed very differently. They all have a stone surrounded by a fibrous or edible shell. Palm fruits are also of great economic importance, for example, the fruits of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera), and the date palm (Phoenix).
Real and Fake Palms
Although the palm family is very large, not all that is called palm or looks like is a palm tree: The "yucca" or yucca (Yucca elephantipes), for example, is not related to the palm trees but belongs to the family of Asparagaceae (Asparagaceae). The cycads (Cycas revoluta) are living fossils. They look very similar to the palm trees and, like them, reproduce through seeds. In all other characteristics, cycads are very close to ferns.
The same goes for the tree ferns(Cyatheales), which laypeople often mistaken for palm trees. Like all ferns, they reproduce by spores but can form a stem. The well-known cobbler palm (Aspidistra elatior), which is very common as a houseplant, is also not a palm, but, like the yucca, an asparagus plant. The Hawaii palm (Brighamia insignis) and Madagascar palm ( Pachypodium lamerei) are succulents. Even the well-known holly (Ilex) has nothing to do with real palm trees.
The yucca (left) is often incorrectly referred to as the yucca palm, although it belongs to the asparagus family. The tree fern (right) looks very similar to the palm but is a real fern and reproduces through spores.
Location and Substrate
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| The Green Palm Tree on Hill Under Blue Sky | Photo by Taylor Simpson on Unsplash |
Palms have very different location requirements depending on their habitat. However, most of the species offered as houseplants or potted plants tend to be hungry for light and warmth. You need a location in full sun with the highest possible humidity. On the other hand, The mountain palm has a low light requirement(Chamaedorea elegans). It comes from the Central American rainforests and remains quite small in the pot with a height of up to two meters. Therefore it is one of the most popular and best-selling indoor palms. Since the soils of their natural habitat are mostly poor in humus, palms usually prefer a porous substrate with high mineral content. In most cases, coarse sand with a small amount of clay and humus and good water drainage is ideal. As a rule, waterlogging is not well tolerated by palm trees.
Plant and Care for Palm Trees
Palms form dense roots spread out in all directions and sometimes have very deep roots in the natural habitat. In contrast to woody plants, it does not consist of main and side roots but many unbranched individual roots of about the same thickness. Therefore, palm trees should be placed in a spacious, not too shallow pot. Large specimens are often very top-heavy after repotting in spring. Please support them with a sturdy stick until they have well-rooted in the new pot.
A good water supply and regular rainwater spraying of the crown are essential for many tropical palm species. It is especially true if they are cultivated indoors and in winter, possibly with dry heating air. The leaf surfaces should be dusted regularly after the heating season with a soft cloth to optimize light absorption.
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| Spray indoor palms regularly with rainwater when the heating air is dry | MSG / Bodo Butz |
Dried-up leaf tips on the palm are a sign that the keeping conditions are not ideal. Usually, the humidity is too low, or the water supply is insufficient. However, you can easily cut off dry tips with scissors without damaging the plants. A winter garden is ideal for all tropical palm trees because it offers optimal location conditions.
Subtropical, drought-compatible palm trees such as the date palm get along well with the climatic conditions in the room. In most cases, however, they have very high lighting requirements. However, a big advantage is that all subtropical species can also be cultivated as potted plants on the terrace. Subtropical palm species can even tolerate a few freezing temperatures at times. The Chinese hemp palm can even be cultivated outdoors in climatically favored regions like the Upper Rhine Valley.
The nutrient requirements are very different for the different types of palm. Fertilize during the growing season weekly to the bi-weekly rhythm with liquid palm or green plant fertilizer, which you apply with the irrigation water.
The Main Types
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| The Palm Tree Photo | Photo by Skyler Smith on Unsplash |
From a large number of palm trees, we present here some specimens that are suitable for cultivation as potted plants. In pots, they decorate the apartment as indoor plants or stand in large pots on the terrace.
The golden fruit palm (Dypsis lutescens), also called the areca palm or betel palm is one of the most delicate indoor palms with its delicate, loosely upright, feathery fronds. Like Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) and Mexican mountain palm (Chamaedorea elegans), it is easy to care for and often decorates offices, bathrooms, and shops. Their soft, overhanging fronds give the pinnate palms an elegant appearance. The youth variant of the betel nut palm (Areca catechu) shows a similar occurrence.
The Mazari palm (Nannorrhops ritchiana) is a very robust, bush-shaped, multi-stemmed palm. It remains rather small with a height of 1.80 meters. The dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis) also stays under two meters in height in the pot. Mazari palm and dwarf palm are the right choices for a bucket on the terrace or a sunny indoor location with high humidity.
The round-leaved umbrella palm (Livistona rotundifolia) or Livingston's palm and the California Washington palm (Washingtonia filifera) stand out due to their circular, pinnate leaves. The leaf shape is rather untypical for palm trees. Livistona rotundifolia and Washingtonia filifera are popular as small potted plants but can reach several meters if kept appropriately.
Three hardy palm species are:
- The needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix).
- The Chinese hemp palm (Trachycarpus fortunei).
- The honey palm (Jubaea chilensis).
These palm species, which come from higher altitudes, also tolerate freezing temperatures at the natural site. They are well suited as container plants for outdoors or in temperate regions, even for beds.
The stick palm (Rhapis excelsa) belongs to the genus of umbrella palms. This palm is native to the forests of China and copes well with cooler temperatures and weaker lighting conditions. It is therefore particularly suitable for greening weakly lit corners in the room.
If you are looking for real palm flair, the royal palm (Roystonea regia) or the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) is well-advised. These palm species, which come from the tropics, are very warm (not below 15 degrees Celsius, even in winter) and bright. They need some care and reliable watering. Then the stately palm trees adorn the south-facing terraces, large warm winter gardens, and glasshouses.
A specialty among the palms is the bottle palm (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis). Their trademark is the bulbous trunks. The warm indoor plants thrive best in the bright living room. The fishtail palm (Caryota mitis) with its fish-fin-like leaves is just as bizarre.
Canary Island date palms (Phoenix canariensis) are very decorative with their stately crowns made of arched, pinnate leaves. The palm needs good watering and enough space to develop its beautiful fronds.
Hibernate Palm Trees
Tropical palm species are mostly cultivated indoors all year round. In winter, however, they should be kept cooler, watered less, and not fertilized. Palm trees reduce their metabolism and also get by with a little less light. Subtropical species are also wintered cool and as bright as possible indoors. Date palms and other species with a slightly higher frost tolerance feel comfortable in an unheated greenhouse in winter. Incidentally, some palm species are very sensitive to cold stone floors, for example, in the winter garden. Therefore, it would be best to place wooden or styrofoam sheets under the pots as insulation in winter.
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| MSG / Alexandra Ichters The Chinese hemp palm is considered to be the most frost-hardy palm species. It can be planted in the garden in temperate regions but needs winter protection. |
The overwintering of palm trees in the open air, as mentioned above, is only possible for very few species. Exceptions to the heat-loving palms are:
- The Chinese hemp palm (Trachycarpus fortunei).
- Wagner's hemp palm (Trachycarpus fortunei 'Wagnerianus').
- Needle palm (Rhapidophyllum hystrix).
- Honey palm (Jubaea chilensis).
- The palmetto palm (Sabal palmetto).
They are considered hardy palms and, with good winter protection, can also be cultivated outdoors here. It is important, however, that the palm trees are planted and well-rooted. Protect the palm heart from winter wetness with fleece and mulch the root area thickly with autumn leaves. It would help if you generally overwintered potted palms in a cold house or a cool room.
Diseases and Pests
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| Spider | Photo by Timothy Dykes on Unsplash |
Fungal diseases rarely occur in palm trees. However, many species are somewhat susceptible to scale insects, spider mites, and mealybugs. The pests occur mainly during the winter and in unfavorable housing conditions indoors.
The Palm Tree.
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