Difference between revisions of "Chamaerops humilis"

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor
 
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'''''Chamaerops humilis''''' may be one of the most universally used landscape palms in the non-tropical climates about the world.  It is very durable and ornamental species, excellent for hot desert climates, windy climates, cold ones (well below freezing) and those with lousy soils.  It also tends to move well, making planting mature specimens a relatively low risk operation.  It is a somewhat variable suckering fan palm with many different leaf cultivars as well a non-suckering form.  Though it struggles a bit in deep shade and does not tend to look very robust in hot, humid climates, it is an excellent choice as a specimen landscape palm for most gardens in California.  This palm is the most northerly naturally occurring palm in the world.
 
'''''Chamaerops humilis''''' may be one of the most universally used landscape palms in the non-tropical climates about the world.  It is very durable and ornamental species, excellent for hot desert climates, windy climates, cold ones (well below freezing) and those with lousy soils.  It also tends to move well, making planting mature specimens a relatively low risk operation.  It is a somewhat variable suckering fan palm with many different leaf cultivars as well a non-suckering form.  Though it struggles a bit in deep shade and does not tend to look very robust in hot, humid climates, it is an excellent choice as a specimen landscape palm for most gardens in California.  This palm is the most northerly naturally occurring palm in the world.
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*'''Availability''': very commonly available- even large specimens readily available (but costly)
 
*'''Availability''': very commonly available- even large specimens readily available (but costly)
 
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File:Chamaerops and Luxor.JPG|Nevada
 
File:Chamaerops and Luxor.JPG|Nevada

Latest revision as of 18:38, 31 July 2015

Pronunciation: CAM-er-ropps HEW-mill-iss


Common Name: Mediterranean Fan Palm

Chamaerops humilis may be one of the most universally used landscape palms in the non-tropical climates about the world. It is very durable and ornamental species, excellent for hot desert climates, windy climates, cold ones (well below freezing) and those with lousy soils. It also tends to move well, making planting mature specimens a relatively low risk operation. It is a somewhat variable suckering fan palm with many different leaf cultivars as well a non-suckering form. Though it struggles a bit in deep shade and does not tend to look very robust in hot, humid climates, it is an excellent choice as a specimen landscape palm for most gardens in California. This palm is the most northerly naturally occurring palm in the world.

Appearance and Biology
  • Habit: multiple (rarely single) trunk with crowns of about 15- 50 leaves
  • Height: 20'
  • Trunk: multiple (or rarely singe); 12" thick; covered with leaf bases and dense, thick layer of fiber; taller palms often have lowest 1/4 of trunk naturally clean
  • Crownshaft: none
  • Spread: 6'-20'+
  • Leaf Description: palmate; stiff to whispy; leaves divided half their length, to nearly 90% in some forms (some rare forms nearly undivided); most forms have waxy coating on underside, but some do not; leaves grey-green to deep green (light green forms exist, as do 'blue' forms and variegated forms); 2'-3' long
  • Petiole/Leaf bases: petioles stiff to thin and arching; all heavily armed with very sharp brown teeth; some forms have teeth nearly 1/2 long while others have teeth about half that length; unsplit leaf bases, closely spaced, usually retained on trunk for many years
  • Reproduction: dioecious
  • Inflorescence: 6" long, densely branched and in a tight clump; flowers bright yellow to creamy
  • Fruit: ovoid; 1/2"-3/4" long; yellow to brown when ripe
  • Seed:
Horticultural Characteristics
  • Minimum Temp: 6F
  • Drought Tolerance: excellent
  • Dry Heat Tolerance: excellent
  • Wind Tolerance: excellent
  • Salt Tolerance: moderate (some forms may be good)
  • Growth Rate: moderate
  • Soil Preference: very widely adaptable
  • Light Requirement: full sun
  • Human Hazards: very sharp petiolar teeth- careful when pruning
  • Disease or Horticultural Problems: bud rot common if watered from above (with tap water)
  • Transplants?: fairly good at tolerating transplanting
  • Indoor?: poor choice- dangerous and too light needy
  • Availability: very commonly available- even large specimens readily available (but costly)


  • Nevada

  • Santa Barbara zoo, California

  • Huntington Gardens, California

  • Los Angeles

  • Los Angeles, solitary stem form

  • Los Angeles- this plant's trunks are nearly 20'

  • Huntington gardens

  • San Fernando valley, California

  • Fullerton arboretum, California

  • Huntington gardens, California

  • San Diego, California

  • Los Angeles

  • Huntington Gardens near Pasadena, California

  • San Fernando valley, California

  • Los Angeles

  • San Diego, California

  • Pasadena, California

  • Orange county, California

  • Ventura, California

  • Santa Barbara, California

  • Huntington gardens

  • Los Angeles

  • Green Mound form, Huntington gardens, California

  • Green Mound form (left) and normal clump (right)

  • stiff-waxy-leaved form, Palm Desert, California

  • two leaf varieties, Living Desert garden, Palm Desert, California

  • wispy-leaved form, Palm Desert, California

  • Waxy leaved plant

  • wispy leaf form

  • plant grown in shade showing unnaturally wispy leaves

  • stiff-leaf form

  • foliage shot

  • 'normal' leaves

  • underside of leaf

  • leaves of 'Green Mound' form

  • monstrose form, Lotusland, Santa Barbara, California

  • another unusual leaf form

  • var. argentea in Orange county, California

  • variegated form, Huntington gardens, California

  • weird leaves, Lotusland, California

  • fused leaf form, Lotusland, California

  • fused leaf form

  • petioles

  • creeping stems of very old, large mound

  • unusual morph

  • trunk with long leaf bases

  • new growth at bottom of offsetting form

  • flowers

  • plant in fruit

  • fruits

  • ripe fruits

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