The Canary Island Date Palm
Mature Phoenix canariensis over 20m (65ft) tall
This palm really needs no introduction. Anyone who has been anywhere with a reasonably warm summer will have seen these trees. They are planted by the thousand in coastel Mediterranean areas, and is probably the world's best known palm tree.
Until winter 2008/9 Phonex carnariensis survived over much of southern UK, and many grew too big for their location. Since that time most away from milder southern and southwestern coasts have been killed, and now need to be treated as bedding, or well protected. If planting in a milder coastal area, or protection is being planned, please remember a 2 foot £4 palm can grow into A BIG, BIG TREE! It needs 10m (33ft) of space for its crown of leaves, and the trunk, depending on how close you cut the old leaves will be between 1 - 2m (3 to 6ft)in diameter. The roots are not damaging to pipes or foundations but the trunk will break the wall of a house, therefore It should not be planted closer than 10 feet from a property.
This palm can survive -8C when large and has the potential to become a large tree in milder areas. They need a well drained soil but like plenty of water, and feed, in the growing season. Dig in plenty of grit and gravel into the planting hole and mound up slightly to improve drainage. The leaves can be gathered up as protection in winter, but beware of excluding air from the crown by covering. This can result in the central spears rotting and pulling out. Remove lower leaves as they become tatty, or if they interfere with paths etc, as the lower leaflets are spiney and can cause injury. These are removed by using a fine bladed hacksaw. Cut as close to the main trunk as possible for a smooth trunk.
Phoenix canariensis at Southsea Common, Portsmouth
Visit Southsea CIDP page here
Transplating. Experience has shown that this palm will be set back, sometimes by many years, and a good few do not survive. The important thing is to research where this palm will be best suited before planting. Palms are fiberous rooted (lots of individual roots) which means the roots do not expand like normal trees, they grow thousands of 'little finger' width roots that search out water. When these are severed, the palm responds by sending out new roots from the base of the plant. This means they can recover although will sulk, as mentioned above.