Pronunciation: FEE-nix sil-VESS-triss
Common Name: Silver Date Palm; Indian Wine Palm; Date Sugar Palm; Wild Date Palm
Phoenix sylvestris is an Indian and Chinese species that has pretty good hardiness but is nearly as spiny as Phoenix theophrasti, though at least is a solitary species. Mature palms look like a lot like spiny versions of Phoenix canariensis and sometimes can be hard to differentiate. Not commonly grown in California but that has been changing recently.
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Appearance and Biology
- Habit: solitary with a crown of 60+ plumose leaves
- Height: 40'
- Trunk: single; 12"+; flattened diamond-shaped leaf scars; grey
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 18'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; plumose with leaflets at two slightly offset planes; stiff, spiny-tipped leaflets; blue-green to grey-green; 10'-12' long; slightly arching
- Petiole/Leaf bases: bright green; armed with spiny modified leaflets; un-split leaf bases
- Reproduction: dioecious
- Inflorescence: oblong; 1" long; 2'-3' long; branched
- Fruit: reddish-purple when ripe
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 22F
- Drought Tolerance: high
- Dry Heat Tolerance: good
- Cool Tolerance: moderate to good
- Wind Tolerance: good
- Salt Tolerance: moderate
- Growth Rate: slow
- Soil Preference: adaptable
- Light Requirement: full sun
- Human Hazards: very spiny plant from leaflets to severely spiny, dangerous modified leaf-base leaflets
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: mild nutritional deficiencies in California
- Transplants?: moderately tolerant
- Indoor?: poor choice
- Availability: rare
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Los Angeles arboretum, Arcadia California
Huntington Gardens, near Pasadena, California
Huntington Beach, California
seedling in Los Angeles arboretum
seedling in Acton, California
