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Phoenix canariensis |
| Canary Island Date Palm | ||||||||||||||||
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 Phoenix canariensis
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| Phoenix canariensis Chabaud |
The Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) is a large date palm native to the Canary Islands off the Atlantic coast of north Africa.
It grows up to 20 m tall but usually does not reach 10 m, with a stout trunk 70-90 cm diameter. The leaves are pinnate, up to 6 m long, with 80-100 leaflets on each side of the central rachis. The fruit is an oval yellow to orange-brown drupe 2 cm long and 1 cm diameter and containing a single large seed; the fruit pulp is edible but too thin to be worth eating.
Canary Island Dates are also widely known as the Pineapple Palm. The palm tree is easily recognized through its crownshaft and trunk characteristics. When they are pruned properly, the crownshaft appears to have a pineapple shape. It's not uncommon to see Canary Island Date palms, pruned and trimmed to enhance the appearance. Although, many people consider over pruning, as defacing and lessening the appearance of the tree. The trunk is very recognizable; diamond shaped ridges cover most of trunk. These ridges, appear as the palm matures, through scarring of old leaves which have fallen off. As the Canary Island Date, matures they gain different characteristics, until they have fully grown to show off a noticeable trunk.1
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The Canary Island Date Palm is very widely planted as an ornamental plant in warm temperate regions of the world, particularly in areas with Mediterranean climates. It can be cultivated where temperatures never fall below -10/-12 °C, although it will require some protection if cold periods are longer than normal. It can be grown from southernmost England in the north to Southern Chile in the south. It is particularly popular in Spain, Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, Croatia, Greece, south and western France, warmer parts of the USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
This slow growing tree is exclusively propagated by seed. Its drought tolerance contributes to its widespread use as a roadside or park landscaping element.
Due to the palm's eventual size, it is not recommended for smaller residential gardens or yards. In addition, dead leaves are difficult to remove by hand because the petioles are armed with large spines.
In the Canary Islands, the sap of this date palm is used to make palm syrup.
In California, New Zealand and Australia, P. canariensis has proven to be an invasive plant. In New Zealand, it has invaded a range of habitats, including dense rainforest. It also invades mangrove wetlands, and is salt tolerant. The seeds are spread by birds, and are at first difficult to distinguish from native palm species. New Zealand's Landcare Research has classified the palm as a 'sleeper weed' - "a plant that spreads slowly and goes unnoticed until it becomes widespread". In Auckland, New Zealand, the palm has itself become a host for the naturalised Australian strangler fig, Ficus macrophylla.
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