Chamaerops humilis

Chamaerops humilis is a slow-growing evergreen tree reaching 1.5 m (5 ft) in height and spread. Hardy to UK zone 9. In leaf year-round, flowering April to June. The species is monoecious with both male and female flowers on the same plant. It adapts to light sandy and medium loamy soils with good drainage and tolerates poor soil. It grows in mildly acidic to mildly alkaline conditions, in semi-shade or full sun, and tolerates both dry and moist soil including drought.

Description

A fan palm. Plants can have one or many trunks. It can form suckers and produce clumps. They can be short or tall and with variegated leaves or plain. It is often 1 m tall but can be 6 m tall. The trunks usually have leaf base fibres covering them. The crown is made up of stiff spreading leaves. The leaf stalks are slender and flattened and have strong spines. The leaf blades are bluish-grey. The leaves are fan shaped like fingers on a hand. They are deeply divided. Flowering stalks arise among the leaf bases. Flowers are cream or yellow. Male and female flowers occur on separate plants. Both are necessary for fruit. The fruit are brown.

Edible Uses

Very young leaf buds are edible when cooked as a vegetable. Young shoots or suckers from the base of the plant are also used in the same way. The fruit can be dried and eaten, though no further details are available.

Traditional Uses

The young shoots or suckers from the bottom of the plants are eaten after cooking. The young stems and roots are eaten. The ripe fruit are eaten raw.

Medicinal Uses

None known.

Distribution

It suits temperate and subtropical regions. It is very cold hardy. It is not affected by heavy frosts. It can tolerate a variety of soils but needs good drainage. In the Mediterranean they can be in hills up to 1000 m altitude. It prefers a sunny position. It grows in coastal and near coastal situations. It is often on rocky headlands and low hills. In the Indian Himalayas it grows between 1,200-1,400 m above sea level. It needs a temperature above -12°C. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 8-10. Melbourne Botanical Gardens. In Hobart Botanical gardens.

Where It Grows

Africa, Algeria, Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, Dominican Republic, Europe, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Libya, Mediterranean*, Middle East, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Portugal, SE Asia, Sicily, Slovenia, Spain, Tasmania, Thailand, Tunisia, West Indies,

Cultivation

Easily grown in a rich strong loam enriched with leafmold and sand. Plants grow in poor dry soils in the wild. Requires very good drainage with abundant moisture in the summer and a sunny position. Another report says that plants grow well in dry conditions and are drought tolerant. Tolerates low light levels and can be grown in the home. Requires a position sheltered from the wind and cold. This species tolerates occasional short-lived lows down to about -10°c. It will not tolerate recurring bouts of freezing over several days, nor does it survive freezing of the root system. Plants are hardy in the milder areas of Britain, succeeding from S. Hampshire south and westwards. Plants growing outdoors at Kew fruited in October 1989. Palms usually have deep penetrating root systems and generally establish best when planted out at a young stage. However, older plants are substantially more cold tolerant than juvenile plants. In areas at the limit of their cold tolerance, therefore, it is prudent to grow the plants in containers for some years, giving them winter protection, and only planting them into their permanent positions when sheer size dictates. Palms can also be transplanted even when very large. Although the thick fleshy roots are easily damaged and/or desiccated, new roots are generally freely produced. It is important to stake the plant very firmly to prevent rock, and also to give it plenty of water until re-established - removing many of the leaves can also help. Another report says that this species dislikes root disturbance. Some botanists recognise a sub-species C. humilis arborescens (Pers.)Steud. (a taller growing form) and a cultivar 'Nana' which is smaller than the type and suckers. It is likely that these are no more than phenotypes and that this variety of habit can be induced in cultivation, plants in stressful situations such as near the coast duplicating the 'Nana' form whilst plants in optimum conditions are more like sub-species arborescens. Plants in the wild are usually found in poor soils and seldom exceed 1.5 metres tall. When grown in better soils in gardens, however, they can grow up to 5 metres tall.

Propagation

Seed is best sown as soon as it is ripe; older stored seed can be slow and difficult to germinate. Scarification or pre-soaking stored seed for 1–2 days can improve results. Sown in a warm greenhouse at 25°C, seed generally germinates in 3–4 months, though it can take longer. The seed produces a long root before any shoot appears above ground, and the seedling can be potted up at this stage. Grow plants on in the greenhouse for at least a couple of years before planting out into permanent positions in summer. Plants can also be propagated by removing suckers in spring.

Other Uses

A strong fibre extracted from the leaves is used for making cordage and brushes. Whole leaves can be used in weaving. Plants have been used to form hedges in Mediterranean regions.

Production

It takes 5 years to establish.

Other Information

It is cultivated.

Notes

There is only one Chamaerops species.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Bon khejur, Cafaglioni, Chaghashi, Djoumar, Doum, Dwarf fan palm, Dwarf palm, Eddoum, European Fan Palm, Evropska palma, Ghashi, Giummarra, Hair palm, Khajoor, Khajur, Khejur, Lusu, Margallo, Mediterranean fan palm, Mediterranean palm, Palem kipas eropa, Peng doi, Sanna echalu, Scupazzu, Thakal, Tizdemt

References (51)

• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 118
• Aryal, K. P., et al, 2018, Diversity and use of wild and non-cultivated edible plants in the Western Himalaya. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine (2018) 14:10 (As Phoenix humilis)
• Balick, M.J. and Beck, H.T., (Ed.), 1990, Useful palms of the World. A Synoptic Bibliography. Colombia p 121, 487, 628,
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 502
• Blomberry, A. & Rodd, T., 1982, Palms. An informative practical guide. Angus & Robertson. p 82

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