Canary Island Date Palm - Phoenix canariensis
Healthy Canary Island Date Palms
Fig. 1
Healthy Canary Island date palms

Phoenix canariensis in Bogotá's Botanical Garden
Fig. 2
P. canariensis in Bogotá's Botanical Garden

P. canariensis canopy from below
Fig. 3
P. canariensis canopy from below

P. canariensis leaves with twisted rachis
Fig. 4
P. canariensis leaves with twisted rachis

P. canariensis leaves with leaflets in several planes
Fig. 5
P. canariensis leaves with leaflets in several planes

P. canariensis stem base and roots
Fig. 6
P. canariensis stem base and roots

P. canariensis leaf scars on stem
Fig. 7
P. canariensis leaf scars on stem

P. canariensis fruit
Fig. 8
P. canariensis fruit

P. canariensis
Fig. 9
P. canariensis fruit close-up

P. canariensis dates
Fig. 10
P. canariensis fruits and seeds

Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island Date Palm) Pineapple Trim
Fig. 11
P. canariensis (Canary Island Date Palm) pineapple trim [overpruned]


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Edible Palms Page


Scientific name
Phoenix canariensis H. Wildpret
Pronunciation
FEE-nicks kan-air-ee-EN-sis
Common names
Canary Island Date palm, Palmera canaria (Canary Islands), Pineapple Palm
Synonyms
P. canariensis var. porphyrococca Vasc. & Franco; P. cycadifolia Regel; P. erecta hort. ex Sauv.; P. jubae (Webb & Berthel.) Webb ex Christ; P. macrocarpa hort. ex Sauv.; P. tenuis Verschaff.; P. vigieri Naudin
Relative
P. dactylifera
Family
Arecacea/Palmae
Origin
P. canariensis is native to the Canary Islands which are located in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of northeast Africa
USDA hardiness zones
9A–11 2
Uses
Edible fruit; tree has outstanding ornamental features
Height
40-60 ft (12-20 m) slow growing reaching 10 ft (3 m) in 15 years
Spread
Frond spread of 20-40 ft (6-12 m)
Crown
Healthy specimens should have full, round canopies with 130–150 leaves 2
Plant habit
The massive trunk supports a huge crown of over 50 huge arching pinnate leaves that may reach 18 ft (46 cm) long
Growth rate
Slow; in South Florida, produces about 50 leaves per year 2
Trunk/bark/branches
Two to three feet diameter trunk is covered with interesting diamond designs that mark the point of attachment of the leaves
Pruning requirement
In South Florida, this species produces about 50 leaves per year, and when dead are removed manually
Leaves
Pinnate feather-like fronds; arching at top; 15-20 ft (4.5-6 m) long; green; long-lived; toothed petioles; deep green shading to a yellow stem where the leaflets are replaced by vicious spines
Flowers
Inconspicuous white flowers on orange stalks which are about 3 ft (1 m) in length; male and female flowers are borne on separate trees
Fruit
Color orange; up to 1-1.5 in. (2.5-3.8 cm) long; ovoid drupe and edible, though not particularly tasty 2
Light requirement
Full sun, will tolerate part shade
Soil tolerances
Grown on a wide range of soil types; primary requirement being good drainage
Drought tolerance
Tolerant 2
Aerosol salt tolerance
Moderate 2
Soil salt tolerance
Moderately tolerant of salt spray
Cold tolerance
Damaged at 20° F (-7 °C); frond damage is unattractive; slow to recover
Invasive potential *
None reported
Pest resistance
Highly susceptible to palmetto weevils and to a number of diseases, most of which are lethal



Reading Material

Pheonix canariensis: Canary Island Date Palm, University of Florida pdf



Origin

Native to the Canary Islands 2

Description
Massive and imposing, the Canary Island date palm is the center of attention wherever it is planted. These stately palms are popular landscape items in near frost-free climates around the world. They are grown throughout Florida and all along the Gulf of Mexico coastline. They are planted in warm areas of the western U.S. including Arizona, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Widely used on the French Riviera, this palm provides a distinctive look to the Mediterranean resorts. 1

Varieties
Will hybridize readily with other Phoenix species.

Propagation
Fresh seeds germinate in 2–3 months under high temperatures(85 °F –95 °F) and uniform moisture.

Pruning
Leaves are not self-cleaning and must be manually removed when dead, but the leaf bases eventually rot off, leaving an attractive diamond-shaped pattern of leaf scars on the 2- to 3-foot-diameter trunk. 2

Fertilizing
Canary Island Date palms in the Southeast should be fertilized three times per year (four times in South Florida) with an 8-2-12-4 Mg plus micronutrients palm fertilizer that has 100% of its nitrogen, K, and Mg in controlled-release form and its micronutrients, such as iron and manganese, in water-soluble sulfate or chelated (iron only) form. Canary Island date palms are highly susceptible to K and magnesium (Mg) deficiencies under landscape conditions. 2

Note
In areas of high rainfall, like Florida, these palms are often seen with ferns growing from among the old leaf stems. Decomposing leaf litter and other fibrous matter collect there creating an absorbent compost that sword ferns love, forming a hanging garden just below the palm's canopy. 1

Pests
Palmetto Weevils (Rhynchophorus cruentatus), University of Florida pdf
Silky Cane Weevil (Metamasius hemipterus), University of Florida pdf

Diseases
These palm trees are susceptible to a number of diseases, most of which are lethal but one disease that is mostly cosmetic in its effect is Graphiola leaf spot, commonly known as “false smut.”
Fusarium Wilt of Canary Island Date Palm, University of Florida pdf (Archived)
Ganoderma Butt Rot, University of Florida pdf 
Thielaviopsis Trunk Rot, University of Florida pdf
Lethal Yellowing (LY) of Palm, University of Florida pdf
Lethal Bronzing Disease (LBD), University of Florida pdf
Graphiola Leaf Spot (False Smut) of Palm, University of Florida pdf

Food Uses
Fruit have been eaten by humans in times of need. Sap is still extensiverly extracted in La Gomera (Canaries) to produce "Miel de Palma", which is the condensed sap that tastes somewhat like maple syrup. 3

Other Uses

This is NOT a good palm tree for residences unless you have a really BIG yard - or a Mediterranean style mansion (which they decorate very nicely!) The huge bulk of the Canary Island palm dwarfs most houses. 1

General
In areas of high rainfall, like Florida, these palms are often seen with ferns growing from among the old leaf stems. Decomposing leaf litter and other fibrous matter collect there creating an absorbent compost that sword ferns love, forming a hanging garden just below the palm's canopy. 1


Further Reading
Identifying Commonly Cultivated Palms ext. link
A review of the nomenclature and typification of the Canary Islands endemic palm, Phoenix canariensis (Arecaceae) pdf



List of Growers and Vendors


Bibliography

1 Sheper, John. "Phoenix canariensis." Floridata, Created 24 May 1998, Updated 30 May 1999, floridata.com. Accessed 12 Apr. 2014.
2 Broschat, T. K. "Phoenix canariensis: Canary Island Date Palm." Environmental Horticulture Dept., UF/IFAS Extension, ENH-598, Original pub. Nov. 1993, Revised Dec. 2006, Aug. 2013, Reviewed Dec. 2017, AskIFAS, edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Accessed 25 Apr. 2017, 9 Sept. 2020.
3 Haynes, Jody, and John McLaughlin. "Edible Palms and Their Uses." UF/IFAS Miami-Dade Extension, MDCE-00-5, First published Nov. 2000, AskIFAS, edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Accessed 14 Dec. 2015.

Photographs

Fig. 1 Broschat, T. K. "Healthy Canary Island Date Palms." Environmental Horticulture Dept., UF/IFAS Extension, AskIFAS, edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Accessed 12 Apr. 2014.
Fig. 2 Pipeafcr. "Phoenix canariensis in Bogotá's Botanical Garden." Wikipedia, 2013, wikipedia.org. Accessed 14 May 2014.
Fig. 3,4,5,6,7 Anderson, P. J. "Phoenix canariensis." Identifying Commonly Cultivated Palms, a Resource for Pests and Diseases of Cultivated Palms, 2011, idtools.org/id/palms/palmid/. Accessed 14 May 2014.
Fig. 8,9,10 MR. "Phoenix canariensis." Top Tropicals, toptropicals.com. Accessed 14 May 2014.
Fig. 11 Davidnat. "Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island Date Palm) Pineapple Trim." Wikimedia Commons, 2007, (CC BY-SA 3.0 US), wikimedia.org. Accessed 18 Nov. 2015.

UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas

Published 11 Apr. 2014 LR. Last update 9 Sept. 2020 LR
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