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Growing Palm trees in your garden
If you are just starting, an important part of your garden and palm tree care is to have a scheme or plan of what you are doing. Unlike other types of trees, palms are very predictable. You can predict trunk diameter, crown diameter, and eventual overall height. You also know whether or not it will have spines, whether it will sucker, and the cultural requirements. What one must do is give the palm enough space for what it is going to be, not what it is now or in the near future. Think ahead. When growing palm trees, think about how much space a species will ultimately need. For instance, if you put in a large species such as Phoenix canaries, give it a lot of room. Such a plant could easily dominate a 20-foot circumference area. Likewise, Phoenix reclinata will, in time, form multiple stems and need a large area. Even a triple Archontophoenix cunninghamiana needs a fair amount of room. It is true that, when some species have “trunked out” and are well overhead, one can add smaller understory palms near their base. However, if you put a small Chamaedorea directly next to a Chamaerops humilus, the Chamaedorea will eventually be lost in the mix. If you can’t step back and take a photograph of a palm in your garden, you have probably planted things too closely. Establishing a canopy of palm trees is a very important factor in creating a lush palm garden. Fast growing species such as Archonotophoenix, Caryota, Syagrus, and some Ravenea will grow fast and eventually tower over everything else. This is important for several reasons. It satisfies the enthusiast because he sees results. It offers shade for species that like less than full sun. It helps maintain humidity and lowers water requirements. It also helps create “microclimates” within your garden, the latter providing increased humidity, less wind and warmer winter temperatures.
Some palms don’t like full sun. Others demand full sun. Proper palm tree care demands that you do a little research and find out the sun requirements of any given species. The published Palms for Southern California is an excellent resource for learning a species’ sun preference. Also, all sun is not the same. In Southern California, inland sun is much more intense than coastal sun. Bismarkia nobilis, Dypsis decaryi, Chamaerops humilus, Roystonea regia, Acoelorrhaphe wrightii, and many other species demand full sun. You might keep these species alive in partial sun, but they will perform better in full sun. Chamaedorea tepejilote, Chamaedorea ernesti-augustii, and Rhapis excelsa all do better in filtered light.
In general, palms do not lift sidewalks nor damage foundations. However, there is a limit to this statement. A very large species planted inches away from a house’s foundation can cause problems. It is like trouble waiting to happen. Also consider if the plant’s crown will clear the house’s eaves. Also, give some distance between your palm and a walkway or sidewalk. A suckering palm just might crawl right onto your thoroughfare. Also, never put a spiny palm, especially Phoenix species, next to an area where people walk or play. Palm spines can cause serious body injury.
Remember one of my opening statements "an important part of your garden and palm tree care is to have a scheme or plan of what you are doing" - I hope that this has fuelled that belief, or to quote my wife's favourite saying (particularily if something I'm doing goes wrong) - "fail to prepare, prepare to fail" |
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This intel was contributed by Phildave
Phildave
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May, 2012
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