Phoenix palm ∗ the 10 best care tips (Canary Island date palm)

Origin and Distribution

The Canary Island Date Palm or also Phoenix palm (bot. Phoenix canariensis) belongs to the palm family (bot. Arecaceae). It is one of around 14 different species of the genus of the phoenix palms, which, originally from the Near East, spread across India and North Africa to the subtropical and tropical regions of Africa as well as on the Mediterranean islands, the Azores and the Canary Islands to have. The phoenix palm, on the other hand, comes from the Canary Islands, where it is rarely found in the wild. The species is closely related to the real date palm (bot. Phoenix dactylifera), which has been cultivated for thousands of years because of its fruits.

use

Due to its high ornamental value and robustness, the phoenix palm is often cultivated in this country as a container plant in gardens, on terraces or balconies and in winter gardens. Since the plant is not hardy with us, it should not be planted out in the garden. In the Mediterranean regions, however, it is often found as avenue or park planting. Date palms develop deep roots that allow them to survive in a very dry environment. For this reason, the plants also thrive in oases in the middle of otherwise hostile sandy deserts.

If there is little space, we recommend the cultivation of a dwarf date palm (bot. Phoenix roebelenii), which is ideally adapted to being kept in a bucket

Use as a houseplant

Even though date palms are often touted as houseplants, you shouldn't keep them all year round Keep the living room - you only feel comfortable here during the short transition periods in spring and autumn. During the summer months, on the other hand, the Mediterranean plants need significantly more light than they would receive in the brightest place in the apartment. Because of this, they are better off outdoors. During the winter months, however, a cool, but frost-free and light wintering makes sense. Phoenix palms kept purely as indoor plants usually do not have a long lifespan.

Appearance and stature

All date palms are so-called pinnate palms, which are green all year round and, depending on the species, also develop trunks of different strengths. The phoenix palm, for example, initially grows without a trunk, because it only develops over the years. In its natural location, the Canary Island date palm reaches heights of growth of up to 15 meters, but remains significantly lower when cultivated in a pot. The strikingly patterned trunk of this species of palm develops from the woody stigmas of the dead leaves, with the lower part of older specimens ultimately being smooth. The dwarf palm, in turn, develops a trunk that is only up to 15 centimeters thick and reaches a maximum height of approx. two meters.

leaves

The characteristic, imparipinnate leaves of the phoenix palm are located at the top of the trunk and protrude in an arch. As a rule, the fronds at the tips of the leaves are equidistant from one another, which is why the plant always looks evenly grown. Date palms are constantly forming new leaves, while the old ones die off and the trunk gradually develops.

The Canary Island date palm forms long, pointed, wide and up to five meters long fronds with green leaves that can develop into an impressive crown. The dwarf date palm, on the other hand, has fronds that are no more than two meters long. In return, the petioles of both species are often thorny.

blossoms

The phoenix palm forms numerous, up to one and a half meters in its original locations between February and May long panicles of flowers that are dioecious - this means that both male and female develop Blossoms. However, the Canary Island date palm does not or does not bloom in the Central European climate. only with a corresponding culture in the air-conditioned winter garden.

fruit

In this country, dates are available in dried form in supermarkets, especially during Advent and Christmas. The fruits, which are elongated and fleshy seeds, develop exclusively from the female flowers. These are very abundant on long panicles. However, only the real date palm (bot. Phoenix dactylifera), which also only produces fruit in the warm growing regions. The fruits of the Canary Island date palm, on the other hand, are not edible due to their very bitter taste.

Toxicity

Like all real palms, the Canary Island date palm is not poisonous and can therefore be cultivated in households with small children and pets without any problems. Caution is only required with the long, hard leaves, which are easy to cut.

Which location is suitable?

The Canary Island date palm needs a bright and warm location, whereby it is best to place it outdoors in a sunny to partially shaded place protected from the cold wind. The plant, which is adapted to the Mediterranean climate, cannot tolerate constant drafts any more than cold rain. In the bright Penumbra the phoenix palm feels particularly good, but after a period of getting used to it, it can also tolerate direct sunlight quite well. However, shading against the bright midday sun should be possible. If it gets cooler than approx. 15 degrees Celsius, the plant belongs in the brightest possible place in the house.

Date palms are very suitable for cultivation in a warm winter garden, provided that there is regular ventilation and there is enough light.

Substrate

Like all palm trees, the phoenix palm feels looser Palm soil probably that you either buy ready-made from specialist retailers or two-thirds of them yourself Compost soil and mix a third of the lava gravel or coarse sand.

Watering the phoenix palm

Since a lot of water evaporates through the large fronds, the phoenix palm has a high water requirement. Always water them thoroughly when the substrate has dried on the surface. Do not let the soil dry out or let the plant stand in a puddle of water all the time. Rainwater is best for watering, but you can - unlike tropical ones Palm species - also use hard tap water. If the water is hard, compensate for the lime content with occasional fertilization with coffee grounds. Likewise, in contrast to the tropical representatives of the palm family, those that come from a semi-arid climate must Phoenix palms don't get sprayed - they usually come out great with a humidity level between 40 and 60 Percent rightly.

Fertilize the phoenix palm properly

During the growing season between April and September, you should provide the phoenix palm with a suitable fertilizer about every two weeks. More specifically is suitable for this Palm fertilizer, but any conventional foliar or green plant fertilizer can also be used. With the latter, make sure that the phosphorus (P) content is slightly lower than that of potassium (K) and nitrogen (N). Dose rather weakly, because the plant, which is sensitive in this regard, dies quickly as a result of over-fertilization. There is no fertilization during the winter rest phase.

Repot

Since phoenix palms tend to grow slowly, you only need to repot them into a larger container every few years. It is high time for this step when the roots fill the entire pot and cannot find any more space. Now choose a bucket that is both wider and deeper, as date palms form strong tap roots and therefore grow downwards like carrots. The best time to repot is in spring - before clearing out the winter quarters - or in late autumn before putting away.
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Cut the phoenix palm properly

Palms and thus also the Canary Island date palm should not be pruned, as this is visually unattractive And the wound surfaces also provide an ideal entry point for fungi and other pathogens. This also applies to drying leaves, which occur frequently and are typical for palm growth - the trunk ultimately develops from them. Therefore, do not cut the fronds until they are completely dry.

Do not try to limit the height of the phoenix palm by pruning or capping the fronds. The only way to influence growth to a certain extent is to shorten the roots during repotting - then the plant will at least grow more slowly.
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Propagate phoenix palm

The easiest way to propagate phoenix palms is to use the secondary shoots that emerge from the root area in spring next to the main trunk. Simply cut them off and then plant them in a pot Growing substrate.(€ 12.99 at Amazon *) Put it in a bright and warm place and keep the soil slightly moist, and with a bit of luck, the offshoot will take root within a few weeks.

Overwinter

If it is permanently cooler than 15 degrees Celsius outside in autumn, you should gradually prepare the phoenix palm for wintering. Stop fertilizing, gradually reduce the watering and finally place the plant in a light one and a cool place around ten to 15 degrees Celsius - for example in the (unheated) winter garden, bedroom or in Stairwell.

Species and varieties

In addition to the species Phoenix canariensis described here, the dwarf date palm (bot. Phoenix roebelenii) for a bucket culture. This Phoenix species, which grows around one meter tall in indoor culture, has very similar preferences to the related Canary Island date palm in terms of location, substrate and care.