Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island Date Palm)

Slow-growing, Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island Date Palm) is a majestic evergreen palm tree with a stout trunk topped with a rich green, rounded crown with up to 100 gracefully arching featherlike fronds. Each compound pinnate leaf is up to 15 ft. long (450 cm), and divided into many linear leaflets. The thick and massive columnar trunk, up to 2-3 ft. across (60-90 cm) on mature trees, is gray-brown and embossed with diamond-shaped leaf bases. Creamy-yellow flowers are produced in drooping panicles, up to 3-4 ft. long (90-120 cm) on male and female trees. The flowers on female palms give way to showy clusters of reddish-yellow datelike fruits, 1 in. long (2.5 cm), during the warm months. Easy to grow, Canary Island Date Palm is drought and salt tolerant. It also tolerates significant winter cold but may suffer frond damage when temperatures dip to 18°F (-8°C). One of the most recognizable and widespread palm trees in warm temperate regions of the world, it makes a great street tree, specimen palm, and accent plant. Terrific in containers where the plant tends to remain compact for a long time. Perfect for seacoast conditions.

• Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society
• Grows with an upright habit up to 40-60 ft. tall (12-18 m) and 20-40 ft. wide (6-12 m). This plant will naturalize in optimum growing conditions.
• Easily grown in fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade. Drought tolerant once established.
• Canary Island Date Palm performs very well in containers. Resembling a pineapple, it thrives in a loam-based compost in full sun with some afternoon shade. When in growth water moderately and feed with a balanced fertilizer once a month. Water sparingly in winter.
• No serious disease or pest issues. Keep an eye out for glasshouse red spider mite, thrips, mealybugs and scale insects.
• Needs no regular pruning, but dead leaves may be removed by cutting close to the leaf base leaving stubs to create a neat pattern.
• Propagate by seed sown at not less than 77°F (25ºC).
• This plant is considered to be invasive in southern California where it has invaded watercourses, orchards and coastlines.
• Native to the Canary Islands.