We regularly receive the question which palm tree will not grow taller than 6 tot 10 feet (2 to 3 metres) and whether growth can be limited. After all, not everyone has enough space for a huge palm tree and you want to avoid unpleasant surprises of course. In this article we will give you more insight into which types of palm meet your wishes, what you should pay attention to and which expectations are realistic.

Keeping small by pruning not possible

Unlike many other trees and shrubs in the garden, the growth of a palm cannot be controlled by pruning. The leaves are formed in only one place, in the heart of the palm and if you prune this you end up with a dead trunk without foliage. Some claim that you can limit growth by leaving the palm in a pot. This too is only partly true. The palm will indeed grow a bit slower but the growth will continue. Above all, it will look less beautiful and will need more attention in terms of nutrients and watering. This also applies to palms that are placed in pots in the open ground. It will not restrict growth but will cause problems later on due to reduced support because insufficient lateral roots were formed.

Pick the right species

There are over 4000 palm species but only a handful is really suitable to keep in the garden with a temperate climate. This is what we focus on in this article. For the sake of convenience, we also limit ourselves to those species that are easy to obtain. When choosing a suitable palm, it is advisable to look carefully in advance at what the right properties of the palm are and what exactly the needs of this type of palm are. The desired height of the palm can be such a wish, but also think of the hardness of the palm, the water needs,….

The following articles are certainly relevant here:

Palm trees care
What should I look for when buying a palm?
Can a palm tree be planted next to the pond/terrace?
How to plant a palm tree in your garden

Once you have an eye on a certain species, this article can give a realistic picture of the growth rate:

How old is my palm tree and how fast does it grow?

Below is a non-exhaustive overview of some common species and their characteristics, starting with 2 species that indeed more or less meet the demand of 6 to 10 feet (2 to 3 metres) maximum height.

Chamaerops humilis

(full description)
The European fan palm is a small perennial species that grows more in shrub form because of the offshoots. It is hardy to -12°C/10.4°F and likes the drier sunny location. If there is too much moisture, it is particularly troublesome in winter, which is initially manifested by black dots on the leaves. It requires no special care and growth is rather slow. The leaf stalks have sharp spines, keep this in mind in places that are frequently walked past. Ideal for smaller gardens and also very suitable for pots on the terrace or balcony.

Trachycarpus fortunei

(full description)
The Chinese windmill palm is actually the palm of choice for almost any garden. Although the final height is about 12 meters it will take many years before the palm is actually that big. So don’t be put off by this. We estimate that the Trachycarpus at the very top of this article is at least 30 years old. The pictures below illustrate the effective growth best. It is striking that smaller planted palms grow much faster than palms plantend when they were already large. It’s an extremely easy palm that grows well in almost any place. It is hardy down to -18°C/-0.4°F and therefore doesn’t really need any real care. It grows best in open ground but can also be kept in pots if desired. Due to its narrower appearance it fits even in smaller gardens.

Alternatives

Possible alternatives to palms that do not grow too big too quickly and do not require too special care are

Jubaea chilensis

This palm grows very slowly and is therefore a lot more expensive. It is hardy to around -12°C/10.4°F but needs to be kept dry during more extreme winters. Although it can become very substantial over time, its slow growth makes it a beautiful palm, even for the medium sized garden.

Butia odorata

A beautiful palm that is hardy to around -12°C/10.4°F and therefore only needs protection during the colder winters. It grows relatively compact, which makes it easy to place even in the smaller garden. However, the palm is less common and is commonly sold under the name Butia capitata.

Less appropriate…

Phoenix canarienis

(full description)
The Canary date palm is often offered for sale as a small specimen in supermarkets, DIY stores and garden centres. However, this is typically a palm that quickly becomes unmanageable in size. It grows relatively fast, especially once it’s really established in open ground but is only hardy to -6°C/21.2°F, so with the exception of very mild winters it always needs protection. A beautiful palm but only suitable for large gardens and mild climates or for enthusiasts who have no problems applying the protection which is a huge job once it’s bigger. It also does well in pots but will still continue to grow well, so the pot will become too small after a while. It can withstand root pruning so it can be kept in the same pot a little longer.

Washingtonia robusta

(full description)
The Mexican fan palm is another typical palm that often appears in advertising leaflets as a small specimen. However, it grows very fast and needs little specific care. Due to its limited hardness, – 4°C/24.8°F and its generous size after a few years, planting is only recommended for enthusiasts who know what they are getting into. Sooner or later it will become too big to protect and then a slightly harsher winter can be fatal.

© La Palmeraie

This summer, after 20 years, we went back to the beautiful Cevennes, in the south of France, near Alès. Of course a visit to the largest bamboo forest in Europe is a necessity. In this article we give a short impression of the visit.

Bambouseraie De Prafrance

Trench as root barrier

cross section: clumping vs running

Cornus contreversa ‘variegata’

© La Palmeraie

In every do-it-yourself and/or garden centre you will find them; pergolas. However, the canvas isn’t really durable. That’s why we converted our pergola into an exotic hut. In the video below you can see how.

Bamboo-hut

© La Palmeraie

The attentive television watching Belgian will have noticed it. The familiar ‘oh ho-o Paradisio’ commercial was replaced by a new video. Indeed, Paradisio has a new attraction and a new name Pairi Daiza. A botanical pearl less than 10 km from Ath and not far from France. A must see for all exotic plant lovers.

Every year I visit this Zoo. The fact that the zoo is only a small one is obsolete. Apart from the well-kept animal shelters, this park is also rich in botanical delights. For example, there is the “Oasis“; a conservatory with tropical plants, rope bridges, a waterfall, Koi ponds, etc. For an exotic plant lover like me worth the journey in itself. The Chinese garden that was opened a few years ago merits its title of being the ‘largest of Europe’. You can easily imagine yourself in being really in Asia.

“Ganesha”

When crossing the lake, I obviously seemed to be insufficiently informed. Not only the path took me to the other side, but I was also suddenly travelling across continents. Standing at the bottom of the stairs of “Ganesha“; the largest Indonesian garden in Europe, I did not know were to look first. Ganesha, the Hindu god with elephant head, is subtly addressed in various places, and with the beautiful fountain at the start of the trail, the symbolism behind this god also emerges.

Cocos nucifera

The plants

The goal of the Indonesian garden is to make people dream. The choice of plants may differ from the common plants found in Indonesia.  This means that not all plants are necessarily native to Asia. As long as the overall picture is correct. To achieve this, the team travels all over the world. For example, all materials of the buildings come straight from Indonesia, where they have been prepared and built up afterwards, in the park by Indonesians specially flown in for this purpose. Nice detail: the roofing is made of palm fibres.

The walk started at the bottom of the impressive stairs. To the left and right rice fields are simulated by grassed terraces. The lower sections effectively contain water and aquatic plants. These artificial ponds were immediately successful because the rich water from the lake was used for this purpose. The intention is to make the rest of the terraces really serve as a rice field later on. The biggest obstacle is the waterproofing of these basins.

Photo in the middle from to front to behind: Typha variegata, Nelumbo nucifera, Papyrus, Thalia dealbata

During our tour, the coconut palm was missing. Only the planting hole was still visible to the attentive visitor, discreetly concealed behind a statue. The coconut palm was already in a private greenhouse for winter storage. After the park’s closure in early November, everyone has the contribute to prepare all plants for the winter season. In the photo shoot below you will not only get an impression of the great collection you will find in the Indonesian garden, but also the winter protection that is used is mentioned. On the right an exclusive picture of the winter storage of the Cocos nucifera and the Ficus microcarpa “Compacta” bonsai (in the front).

Photo from left to right: Bambusa ventricosa (hibernates in a greenhouse), Chorisia speciosa (heat cables and covered by a polycarbonate structure), Coccotrinax crinita (hibernates in a greenhouse)

Photo from left to right: Cycas pectinata (hibernates in a greenhousee), Musa basjoo and Canna indica (protected by mulching), Musa basjoo and Musa siam ruby (are covered with straw)

Photo from left to right: Cycas revoluta (hibernates in a greenhouse), Dasylirion longissimum (hibernates in a greenhouse)

Photo from left to right: Jubaea chilensis (covered by a polycarbonate structure), Musella lasiocarpa (straw and covered with a sheet of plastic), Phoenix canariensis (heat cables and covered by a polycarbonate structure)

Photo from left to right: Phoenix roebelinii (hibernates in a greenhouse), Trachycarpus fortunei (no protection), Washingtonia robusta (hibernates in a greenhouse)

Photo left: Trithrinax campestris (covered with straw)
Photo right: Thalia dealbata

Schinus molle (covered with fleece cloths)

settlement with two magnificent Jubaeas

Not always a success

Something that hadn’t really struck me during my first visit was that there were also some plants among them that were a little less successful. Below you can see the pictures of these. In fact, I did not find this at all disturbing, in fact, it reassured me. After all, not every attempt is successful in this hobby. It always remains a bit of an experiment even for the professionals.

Photo from left to right: Bismarckia nobilis, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Tithrinax campestris. These plants didn’t survived the last winter despite their protection.

The two big adult Jubaeas in the entrance of Ganesha didn’t survived neither sadly enough. These palms at an estimated age of 80 years, showed signs of rotting on the spears (photo in the middle) and the bottom of the trunks (photo right).

Conclusion

Pairi Daiza has succeeded in its aim; the visitor will be able to dream of remote places in this garden. For both the simple visitor as the more experienced hobbyist, a walk through Ganesha is definitely worth the visit. In addition, no effort is spared to achieve this goal. And after your visit, take a moment to think about the fact that this and all other gardens are maintained by 7 people only. On behalf of La Palmeraie, bravo Pairi Daiza!

You can visit Pairi Daiza from April to November.

© La Palmeraie

Guy Vandersande, botanical director of the park Pairi Daiza, has this privilege! We had the opportunity to discover his 5 favourite spots in the park together with him.

After a first pleasant phone call, we sat there early in the morning at the opening of the park in the waiting room. We have an appointment with Guy Vandersande. French-speaking enthusiasts will undoubtedly know him as a co-presenter of the garden programme “Jardins & Loisirs” on the RTBF and of his latest book “Guide de la couleur au jardin“. We will visit the park together with this reference in the world of botanists. It seemed like we were waiting for a job interview, but as soon as we had shakend hands we were completely immersed in what was promised to be a passionate morning.

An unique park

In the preliminary telephone conversation we asked Mr. Vandersande to select his 5 favourite places. This turned out to be almost mission impossible. Without exaggerating, the park has many fantastic spots, one even more beautiful than the other. The question would be better which places could still be improved. Pairi Daiza is therefore a unique park; neither zoo nor botanical garden but a mix of both worlds in constant development. It no longer resembles the old Paradisio of the past. Partly for that reason the park changed its name. Pairi Daiza, old Persian for ‘closed garden’, covers the load better. A zoo with so much attention to the botanical aspect is rather rare. Moreover, the whole family will experience a great day for everyone!

Evolved approach

As we walk around the pond and along the aquarium, Mr. Vandersande tells us that not only the name has changed since our last visit (“The largest Indonesian garden in Europe: the secret of Paradisio” dd 2010). They now actually only use plants that can stay outside all year round. We do remember how much earlier an important part of the plants was excavated for overwintering in the greenhouse “Oasis”. This new approach may limit the choice of plants, but they now suffer far less losses and the plants adapt much better, resulting in better growth. He tells us that they prefer to use young plants because they adapt faster. We stop for a Cycas revoluta at the entrance of the Chinese garden “la cité des immortels“. Like many other more sensitive plants, this is also protected in the on the spot during winter. Frankly, we fully support this new approach. We too are increasingly protecting more and more on site and bringing in fewer and fewer plants for winter.

Choise of plants

As we enter the Chinese garden deeper and deeper, Mr. Vandersande tells us that he gets a lot of inspiration for the choice of plant from all his botanical travels. He regularly participates in organised garden trips and the UK and Japan are visited almost every year. His passion for plants translates into an immeasurable knowledge and experience. Did you know that he himself is responsible for the choice of plant for the whole park? There is only one rule in this respect, and that is to simulate the right atmosphere. The plants do not necessarily have to come from that region. After all, this is not always feasible in terms of hardiness. There is a practical side to it: the plants must not only be able to withstand the many visitors but also the free moving animals! Some of them, such as geese and peacocks, can mess up considerably some borders as he says. There are some additional requirements in the animal enclosures. The plant must not be toxic and the plant must not create a risk of escape. Also, the plants should not be too vulnerable to look beautiful at all times. The maintenance should also not be too demanding as the park is no less than 54 hectares large within the fence, 12 hectares around it and all this is maintained by only 12 gardeners! What an achievement!

The favorite spots

Chinese garden – spot 1

We walk on small winding roads and arrive at the first favorite spot. A bit surprised by the chosen place, at the foot of a large tree with a tree house at the top and relatively remote, we ask what makes this place so special. Mr Vandersande says that it is the tranquility that reigns in this place. Indeed, when you stop for a moment at this place you feel the “Zen” coming over you. Just a little further from the larger sights and you would almost walk past it. The varied planting along the white wall, the bamboo hedges and the small Japanese maples in two colors underline the character of this place.

Photo right: Acer palmatum

Photo gauche: Phyllostachys vivax ‘Aureocaulis’

New Zealand garden – spot 2

Treeferns: Dicksonia antarctica

We follow the path and pass a huge Chinese temple. Kitsch it is certainly but how impressive is this! Even though this is the most visited zoo in the country, at no time do you have the impression that it is crowded. Perhaps this is because it is not really possible to follow a fixed route. The park consists of many small winding roads that show new facets of the park from every direction. After several years, we are still surprised every visit in different places. Every path is worth the effort. We walk past the panda’s that have become the icons of the park, and enter the New Zealand garden. This section has been widely discussed on the exotic forums. Nobody believed that this was going to be a success. All those tree ferns in full sunshine? And what about winter? Some even spoke of “cold shivers over the back” because a protected plant species had been removed from nature before. Mr. Vandersande explained that these tree ferns are indeed a protected species in New Zealand and therefore should not be exported. However, they were located in a place where a road had to be built and would all be destroyed! The park has therefore attempted to save them all and successfully! The natural habitat is eminently imitated. Our visit fell early in the year, but we saw all the new leaves ready for the coming season. Remember that every (!) tree fern gets its own protective cover and heat cable in winter and that they are also all kept moist. A huge amount of work!

Photo middle: Chamaerops humilis

Gleditsia aurea

Indonesian garden (1) – spot 3

We leave the New Zealand garden and walk through the African part “La terre des origines“. Mr. Vandersande tells us that the Asian part of the area is relatively easy to plant in comparison with this piece. Not only is the black continent less rich in plant species, but most of them are not at all hardy. He therefore opted mainly for plants with a more aggressive appearance. There are also plans for some Albizia Julibrissin ‘Summer Chocolate’, but we suggested using the variety ‘Evi’s Pride’ instead. It has the same color of leaves but is more resistant to our winters. After a passage along the rhinoceroses and elephants where the planted trees provide beautiful shades of color, we arrive at the top of the Indonesian garden “Le royaume de Ganesha“. It is no surprise that this place has ended up in the top 5. You really think you are abroad. The Tetrapanaxes along the pass, the real (!) rice fields and the banana plants complete it all. Mr. Vandersande explains to us how they have found a stronger rice variety in southern France, better suited to our climate. Every spring the rice plants are planted out and when they are large enough and sufficiently rooted, the water level is increased to the edge. We think that, when the young Tetrapanaxes are a bit bigger, this path will be breathtaking when you can walk underneath the typical leaf.

Photo middle: Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Steroidal Giant’ & Musa basjoo

Indonesian garden (2) – spot 4

Tetrapanax papyrifer ‘Steroidal Giant’ & Chamaerops humilis

Not much further on we already come to the next place. With the Indonesian temple slantingly behind us, palms and Tetrapanax along the path and behind it the typical huts. It looks like you are on holiday. It is nice to see how the Chamaerops humilis replaced the Jubaea’s who were planted along this pass but died. In a few years time, when the palms are more developed, you would hardly believe that you are still in Belgium.

Photo right: Trachycarpus fortunei

Brahea armata

Allium giganteum

Impressionists garden – spot 5

We leave the Indonesian garden behind us and follow the path towards “La terre du froid“. This place is still a lot of construction but is interesting with an impressive restaurant “Izba” and a hangar with seaplane and typical off-road vehicles. Of course, this part will also present the necessary botanical challenge, as the Mongolian steppes are not exactly known for their biodiversity. The morning is almost over when we walk towards the characteristic tower. This landmark was the tower of the old Abbey of Cambron. At the foot of this tower is the last favorite spot, the Impressionist Garden. You would almost walk past it! Mr. Vandersande tells us how Monet and Van Gogh’s paintings formed the basis for this garden. We do indeed recognize the colors and even some plants. We see the typical cypresses Van Gogh also painted. The giant photo frames are a playful nod to painting. This garden was preceded by a lot of study work, but the result is impressive. Moreover, you are usually alone on this spot so you can optimally enjoy this botanical work of art.

Photo middle: ‘Lilium Lollypop’
Photo right: Podophyllum versipelle ‘Spotty Dotty’

Photo middle: Sambucus nigra

Phoenix canariensis

On our way to the exit we pass a huge Phoenix canariensis that had only just been planted in 2010. It keeps on going perfectly well. Mr. Vandersande quickly picked up a ripped out plant from the footpath at the last flower bed. That is sure to know the work of a peacock he concludes!

We thank Mr. Eric Domb, owner of the park for this opportunity and Mr. Guy Vandersande for the very pleasant exchange.

Practical information:

The park is situated in southern Belgium between Mons and Ath

Parc Pairi Daiza: https://www.pairidaiza.eu/nl
Domaine de Cambron
B-7940 Brugelette (Belgium)

© La Palmeraie

La Palmeraie is also active on Twitter. You can find a direct link in the navigation menu on the right side of the website. This way you keep informed, see nice pictures or “nice to know” information. Like this alphabet.

The idea was to tweet a new letter with a specific palm-nice-to-know fact every new day…. at least to try so. Not always that easy but here you will find them all.

A

Areca, or golden cane palm, one of the most popular isn’t an Areca but a Dypsis! #palmalphabet

B

Bismarckia nobilis ‘Silver’; the stunning grey leaves turn red when he is kept at temperatures too low. #palmalphabet

C

Chamaedorea microspadix is a pinnate palm that is worth a try in the garden. With some winter protection of course. #palmalphabet

D

Date palm or Phoenix dactylifera; nice and easy to try for yourself. Just eat a date and sow the seed afterwards.#palmalphabet

E

Elaeis guineensis or African oil palm. The principal source of palm oil.#palmalphabet

Everglades palm, or Accoelorraphe wrightii. A really nice species with seed that conserves really well. Growth rate is rather slow though. #palmalphabet

F

Freeze or not to freeze! Take a look at all our winter protection articles to be well prepared for the winter. #palmalphabet

G

Guihaia argyrata used to be seen as a Trachycarpus-species. With DNA research wo now know it isn’t! #palmalphabet

H

Howea forsteriana or Kentia; one of the most famous. Did you knew that every single stem becomes a full adult palm tree? #palmalphabet

I

If you see some transparent and sticky liquid on the leaves you might have scale insects on the palm! #palmalphabet

J

January and february are most ideal for sowing some new palm species. The seed trays can benefit from the heat of your heating system indoors. #palmalphabet

K

@kewgardening THE Royal Botanic garden of the UK. Beside a impressive palm collection the also have the biggest seed database. #palmalphabet

L

Licuala elegans is very unique with its entire leaves. Difficult one to cultivate indoors however. #palmalphabet

La Palmeraie is #atyourservice since 2009 already. Wow! :) #palmalphabet

M

Magnesium. Important for the well-being of your palm. Without the leaves may turn yellow. #palmalphabet

N

Nannorrhops ritchiana, relatively unknown but nice and very hardy palm. Easy to germinate but difficult to keep afterwards. #palmalphabet

O

One palm is all you need to get the virus… Your collection will only be increasing afterwards. #palmalphabet

P

Palmtalk is the place to be if you like to discuss palm tree 24/7. Are you a member yet? #palmalphabet

Q

Quebec is one of the most remote places that we have already received questions form. There’s also, Qatar, Hong Kong, Finland,…   #palmalphabet

R

Red Palm Weevil is the little insect that destroys complete palm populations in Southern Europe. A big issue with too little attention! #palmalphabet

Rhapidophyllum hystrix is extremely hardy. But very slow to grow as well. #palmalphabet

S

Syargus romanzoffiana is called ‘Cocos plumosa’ in Spain. Quite confusing. #palmalphabet

T

Trachycarpus fortunei, THE most popular species here in Northern Europe and with reason. But still often sold as a Chamaerops excelsa. #palmalphabet

U

USDA zones helps you to determine if your palm can cope with your local climate #palmalphabet

V

Veitcha merrillii is called Adonidia merrillii now. This Christmas palm looks a bit like a small Archontophoenix #palmalphabet

W

Wodyetia bifurcata or Foxtail palm does honor to its name. The leaves do in fact look a lot like…. well you guess… #palmalphabet

X

X in the name of a palm species stand for a crossing or hybrid. As women come first,… the female species is mentioned before the “x”. #palmalphabet

Y

Youtube channel where you equally can find us: https://www.youtube.com/user/NYL020905/featured . #palmalphabet

Z

Zombia antillarum is a species that not only really exists but does have a scary spiny trunk that would repel any zombies. #palmalphabet

© La Palmeraie

Around this time of year, the average gardener is busy with seed collecting. After all, the first months of the year are the ideal time to sow. The seed trays can benefit from the warmth indoors and by the time the seedlings may be potted, the plants can grow further outdoors. But how does such a seed actually come about?

The flower

Flowers come in all kinds, scents and colours. From the most striking forms such as the Strelitzia to much more unobtrusive inflorescences such as grasses. Despite the large differences in appearance, the construction is more or less the same. At the heart of the flower is the ovary, which resembles a bottle with a long neck. This neck is called the style. On top of the style is a sticky cushion; the stigma. The ovules lie in the abdomen of the bottle, the ovary. The ovary with style and stigmas are the female parts of the flower. Around this ovary are the stamens, each with an anther at the top. The pollen comes out of the anthers. The stamens form the male parts of the flower.

Not all plants have both female and male flowers. Think for instance of the Kiwi plant. We call that dioicous. You then need both a female and a male plant to obtain seed. If the flower contains both male and female parts, we call it monoicous.

pollination

The pollination

For a successful fertilisation of the ovary, the plant must be able to obtain pollen on the stigmas of other flowers of the same species (cross-pollination). Some plants use the wind (for instance grasses, and some deciduous trees), others use insects. Flowers use their nectar to lure hungry insects from flower to flower. The sticky pollen remain attached to the hairy body of the insect and end up on the stigma of the next flower. But of course you can do this yourself with your finger! You can then be much more precise and grow hybrids, for example. The pollen can of course also end up on the stigma of the same flower or on other flowers of the same plant (self-pollination). If you have a successful fertilization, you will then have an identical clone of the plant. After all, no new DNA has been added.

fertilized ovary

The fertilization

When pollen ends up on the stigma, it is called pollination. From a pollen, a thin tube grows down to the ovule through the style, which is then fertilized. The seed grows out of the fertilized ovule, the ovary grows into a fruit. Just think of an apple. On one side, the dried sepals are clearly present and on the other side the dried flower residues are still present. If you look at the inside carefully, you will notice in each part 1 or more seeds, something similar can be seen with most fruits. If the flower is not pollinated properly, the fruit will show an anomaly; e. g. a dent. Each segment must have pollen in order to obtain a nice round fruit.

The distribution

The fruit contains the seeds. Of course, these must get back into the ground again so that the whole cycle can start over again. Some plants do this themselves by swinging their seeds away. Others produce tasty fruits for this purpose, which are found elsewhere thanks to greedy animals. For instance, you can easily grow a new date palm from ordinary dates you buy in the supermarket. Other plants use the wind to spread the seeds or even the water. Think for instance of the coconut. It is taken by the sea to be washed up somewhere else to germinate again. The seedling will do everything it can to carry flowers as quickly as possible and in grow fruit. And so the cycle continues uninterruptedly.

© La Palmeraie

Planten nomenclature

In “Species Plantarum” (underneath this article fully downloadable!) he describes over 5,900 species. Each plant was given a dual name consisting of a genus and species designation.

In order to facilitate the quicker retrieval of plants, he used an artificial arrangement based on numbers of stamens (“class“) and stamps (“order“) in the flowers. This classification is therefore mainly practical rather than scientific. He demonstrated his sense of structure earlier, namely in the ‘Fundamenta botanica‘ (1736), the ‘Critica botanica‘ (1737) and the ‘Philosophia botanica‘ (1751) in which he states that it is necessary to determine the genus of each plant first and then the species.

The monks work of Linnaeus became the official starting point of the modern plant nomenclature when the International Botanical Congress of Vienna decided in 1905 to use the first edition of Species Plantarum as the starting point. The official names are defined in a kind of code, the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN or ICNafp).

Taxonomy

The nomenlature (name) should not be confused with taxonomy (classification into groups). Taxonomy is an empirical science that eventually divides plants into taxonomic groups.

By way of illustration:

• Kingdom of plants (Regnum vegetabile):
  

  Robert Fortune

  Taxa:
  Empire: Plantae (Plants)
  Stem: Embryophyta (Landplants)
  Class (Classis): Spermatopsida (Seed plants)
  Clade: Angiospermae (Flowering plants)
  Clade: Monocotylen (Monocots )
  Clade: Commeliniden
  Order (Ordo): Arecales
  Family (Familia): Arecaceae (Palmae)

Nomenclature:

• Genus: Trachycarpus
  Species: fortunei

In the nomenclature, the species almost always describes a characteristic (e. g. grandifolia – large-leaf), origin (e. g. chilensis – Chile) or a reference to the botanist (fortune – Robert Fortune)

Notation

The genus is always written with a capital letter: Trachycarpus, Chamaerops,….
The species is always written with a small letter: fortunei, humilis, humilis,….

additions to the name are possible which give more information about the plant itself;

• Natural variety (Varietas): notated small and abbreviated, followed by a lowercase letter “Trachycarpus fortunei var. wagnerianus”
  Subspecies: written small and abbreviated, followed by a lowercase letter ”Quercus coccifera subsp. calliprinos”
  Shape (forma): written small and abbreviated, followed by a lowercase letter ”Quercus alba f. elongata”
  Breed (cultivar): as these are cultivated varieties, we do encounter them most frequently. The name of the variety must be written between single quotation marks and with a capital letter. ”Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Niger’“
  Crossing: where two different species are crossed, it is indicated by an’ x’ indicating the female species before’ x’ and the male species after ‘x’. ”Trachycarpus fortunei x wagnerianus“

Download:
Species plantarum vol I
Species plantarum vol II

© La Palmeraie

Exotic plants can not always be found in the local garden center, that is maybe just why we like them as much. The rarity makes owning that one plant extra special. However, when you are looking for a specific plant, distance can be a barrier.

Of course you can wait for one of the major plant fairs, but of course it is also possible to send by mail. In this article we give some tips for both the lovers who want to buy and those who want to send themselves!

Is sending by mail safe?

Terms of sale:

For internet purchases a specific regulation exists in which, among other things, the return rights are regulated. As all of this is determined by law, we will not discuss this item any further. Generally spoken, it is sufficient to carefully review the terms of sale and use a dose of common sense. Be sure to check the shipping conditions and any additional costs! If necessary, make clear arrangements with the seller before purchasing.

Payment:

With internet purchases it is very common to pay first before the seller sends the purchase. Of course this is not without risk. Therefore, only deal with trustworthy sellers with feedback from other buyers. Most sites have a handy feedback system.

Paypal can also offer a solution. With this service, you pay by means of a secure account, which means that your credit card data can not be misused.

For payments within Europe, payment can also be done by means of a bank transfer. Thanks to the IBAN and BIC number of the seller, this is free of costs. The seller can request these numbers at his own bank.

Period of shipment:

The shipping time is best minimized. Depending on the type of plant, a few days in a dark box may be too much. However, parcel post can take a lot of days, especially in cross-border transactions. Therefore, please inform in advance about the expected duration. The seller usually has enough experience to inform you correctly. The safest is shipment are national so shipment can be handled very quickly. Some sellers do not ship plants in certain periods, such as during winter with frost.

Customs:

Importing plants from certain parts of the world requires specific documents (export / import license, phytosanitary certificate). Typically, the seller provides these papers, whether or not at an additional cost.

Then it is not excluded that customs and / or the food chain security agency still inspect the package. In addition to the extra time this will require, these additional costs will be charged to the recipient!

PACKAGING

BAREROOTED

In this method, the plant is send without pot and / or potting soil. With “bare roots”, hence the name. This method will save you a lot of space and weight, no unimportant when shipping. Seedlings can even be shipped with regular mail in a padded envelope. Cheap and fast!

It goes without saying that this method is not suitable for all plants. For most palm seedlings however this is not a problem.

During shipment, the roots are packed in a piece of damp kitchen paper to prevent drying out. In the envelope itself, a piece of solid cardboard or plastic can prevent the envelope from being doubled.

It is important to pot the seedlings as soon as possible after reception.

PACKAGING AS A PARCEL

Sending as a parcel is also an option, especially for bigger plants.

The following manual describes step by step how the plant can be packed for a parcel shipment. Despite the many successful experiences, something always can go wrong. Keep this in mind at any time. Shipping costs often depend on the weight of the parcel as does the size for certain companies. Be aware of the fact that the parcel isn’t necessarily gently treated so protect the plant to avoid unwanted damage.

Step 1

Take a box, big enough for the plant.

Step 2

Cover the container that the soil can’t fall out.

Step 3

Cut a small wood in the exact size between the pot and the top of the box to pinch the plant in place. The plant should not be moving any more. Hold the wood in place with some extra tape. This way it won’t pierce the carton box neither nor won’t slip away. Thanks to this wood the plant won’t be damaged when the box is place upside down.

Step 4

Stuff the box (gently) with paper.

Step 5

Close the box firmly with tape and provide labels for the consignee and the sender.

Tip: we usually make the top of the box round. This way the post company can’t place the box upside down and the risk of the plant breaking under its own weight as much more reduced.

© La Palmeraie

Can you grow palms in Europe? It’s often the very first reaction I get. Everybody knows the “coconut tree” but what do we really know about palms? There are around 4000 palm species worldwide, all of which belong to the Palmae or Arecaceae family (both names are used). Most of the palm trees are native to a tropical or subtropical climate, but there are also hardy species. Here’s an introduction to the world of palms.

Is a palm tree a tree?

The name palm “tree” suggests that this plant is closely related to the the well known and commonly spread deciduous trees. But is the palm tree actually a tree? In order to be able to answer that question we need to go deeper into the botanical background.

In the world of plants, plants are divided into two large groups; flowering plants (angiospermae) and gymnosperms (gymnospermae).

The flowering plants

(Angiospermae)
In this group we find all the plants that produces seeds within an enclosure, in other words, fruiting plants. Within this group we distinguish dicots and monocots. More about this last group later on.

The gymnosperms

(Gymnospermae)
Like flowering plants, gymnosperms produce seeds but these are not enclosed. In this group we find conifers, spruces, Cycads,…

The monocots

A large group of plants. The monocots or monocotyledons include many plants whose seeds are of major economic importance, such as major grains (rice, wheat, maize, etc.), but also forage grasses, sugar cane, and the bamboos, palms, bananas, gingers and their relatives, turmeric and cardamom (Zingiberaceae), asparagus, and the onions and garlic family. In many monocotyledonous plants, the food reserve is stored in the endosperm. Inside the seed there is only one cotyledon (embryonic leaf) hence the name “mono”cotyledon. When germinating, first a kind of protective sheath, the coleoptile, emerges above the ground, protecting the emerging shoot.

Comparison between palm trees and hardwood trees

When we compare palm trees to deciduous trees, we see following main differences. (The comparison concerns only generalizations, these differences do not always occur in practice.)

Palms (monocots)
- long narrow leaf, striate (parallel) leaf venation
- adventitious roots (early development of roots derived from the shoot to compensate the roots limited ability to grow sufficiently due to the lack of cambium)
- vascular bundles scattered, lacking a lateral meristem (cambium)
- no secondary growth

Hardwood (Deciduous) trees (dicots)
- broad leaf, pinnate  leaf venation
- secondary growth in (and thus highly developped) root system
- vascular bundles in a ring, lateral meristem (cambium)
- secondary growth

So, our first question is answered, the palm tree isn’t really a tree. One of the most typical differences is the lack of secondary growth. Palm trees utilise an anomalous primary growth form described as establishment growth. The axis undergoes primary thickening, that progresses from internode to internode, resulting in a typical inverted conical shape of the basal primary axis.

Palm tree anatomy

Roots

As mentioned above, palms roots lack secondary growth. All roots develop directly from the stem basis on a root initiation zone which can be above and below ground. These roots will mainly go straight down looking for groundwater and are not agressive or destructive. No plant can exist without water. Palm trees in very dry areas therefore indicate the presence of groundwater or were planted by men and are regularly watered. In addition, older palm trees, which already have developed some height, will form aerial roots just above the ground at the stem basis which can make it increase slightly in thickness or give it a bulky impression. An important function of these roots is the anchoring in the ground to support the palms weight.

Phoenix roebelenii stem

Trunk (or stem)

Like all monocots, palms do not have the ability to increase the width of a stem (secondary growth) via the same kind of vascular cambium found in non-monocot woody plants. This explains the cylindrical shape of the trunk (almost constant diameter) that is often seen in palms, unlike in hardwood trees. However, many palms, like some other monocots, do have secondary growth, although because it does not arise from a single vascular cambium producing xylem inwards and phloem outwards, it is often called “anomalous secondary growth”. The trunk is in fact only composed by old dried petiole bases tightly stacked on each other and has no bark as hardwood trees do have. Before a young palm gains in height, a certain trunk diameter must first be achieved. Therefore, a young palm grows much slower than an older one. Some species have a stem covered with fibrous threads between the petiole bases. Some of these species may loose these fibres on the older parts of the trunk; like the Phoenix.

Foliage

Palms always develop one new leaf or “frond” at a time. When the frond isn’t unfold yet, we call it a “spear”. Only when the frond was completely formed it will unfold and immediately have its final size. As mentioned earlier, a palm tree does not have the species-specific leaves immediately after germination. The first leaves do have much more in common with grass leaves. At this stage, many palm species are similar to each other and harder to recognize with certainty.

Four kind of leaf shapes can be distinguished;

from left to right: palmate (or fan shaped), pinnate (or feather shaped), bipinnate (or twice pinnate), entire

Inflorescence Trachycarpus fortunei photo: www.knoch1.de

The leaves or often shiny or covered with a wax layer and ribbed. This to prevent from dehydration. The petiole often is covered with spines.

Inflorescence

Young palms do not bloom. This will only happen at a certain age. The exact duration differs from species to species and varies between several years up to 50 years. Most palms bloom annually. The pollination of palms occurs through the wind, so no colorful flowers are formed in order to attract insects. The inconspicuous, short living flowers are formed on a inflorescence just below, inside or from the crown spread widely out. The flowers can be monoicous or dioicous depending on the species and sometimes even of the season!

After successful fertilization palms form so-called stone fruit or drupe. The spread of these seeds differs from species to species; the well-known coconut floats well on water for spreading through the sea. Other species a spread by consumption; simply think of dates of the Date palm by exemple.

Use of palm trees

The palm tree has been cultivated by humans for almost 5000 years. This began in the Middle East with the Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) but soon expanded to other regions with other palm species. Furthermore, for consumption, we know fruits like the awarra, coconut, moriche, palm peach and salak. Palm oil is widely used for food preparation, soap and fuel.  And wickerwork is made from rattan of Calamus Rotang. Coconut mats are made of coconut fibers. In Hindu culture, strips of palm leaf were used as paper. However, this is very perishable in a tropical climate, so that most of the manuscripts written on it are lost. And there are many other purposes for which the palm is cultivated by humans. But in our climate we mainly find them for decorative use.

© La Palmeraie