Canary Island Date Palm

Phoenix canariensis hort. ex Chabaud

The Canary Island Date Palm has tall, slender trunks and big, feathery leaves. It’s like a tropical paradise!

Habitat: Coastal areas and gardens

Appearance

The Canary Island Date Palm has a thick, rough trunk adorned with unique diamond patterns from old leaf bases. It supports a magnificent crown of numerous arching, feather-like fronds. Its small, round fruits turn yellow-orange when ripe.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderArecalesFamilyArecaceaeGenusPhoenix

Canary Island Date Palm

Interesting facts

Its crown can have over 100 giant, feathery leaves, making it look super grand!

The rough diamond patterns on its trunk are scars left by old, fallen leaves!

They are often trimmed into a unique "pineapple top" shape in gardens and parks!

Though called "date palm," its small, orange dates are not as sweet as true dessert dates.

Special abilities

Canary Island Date Palm can thrive with little water thanks to adaptations that store moisture and reduce evaporation.

Canary Island Date Palm has a thick, fibrous trunk that helps protect its vital core from mild fires.

Canary Island Date Palm has a dense canopy of fronds that provides extensive shade, cooling its surroundings.

Measurements & details

Height: 10-20 m
Canopy Spread: 5-10 m
Edible: Yes
Trunk Diameter: 80-100 cm
Lifespan: 80-150 years
Fruit Type: Drupe
Growth Rate: Medium
Leaf Type: Evergreen

Ecological connections

eats

Spotless Starling

Sturnus unicolor

Feeds on the ripe fruits of the palm.

eats

Black Rat

Rattus rattus

Consumes the dates, often climbing the palm.

pollinates

European Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Visits the flowers to collect nectar and pollen.

shelters

Madeira Pipistrelle

Pipistrellus maderensis

Roosts among the dense fronds for protection.

Traits

Ornamental

Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.

Evergreen

Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.

Fruit Bearing

Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds.

Drought Tolerant

Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability.

Oil Crop

This human use trait identifies species cultivated as oil crops, harvested for their seeds or fruits from which vegetable oils are extracted for food, fuel, or industrial uses.