Both short and tall palms offer interesting variety

By Tony Tomeo

When I left for college in 1985, I hated palm trees. I resented that so many people from other parts of the country identified them with typical Californian landscaping and assumed that most of us here have at least one in our garden along with an orange tree, pink plastic flamingos and a swimming pool. At that time, the two species of palm tree with which I had the most experience were the two most common species. They require the most maintenance and present the most problems.

Then I was assigned to a dorm room with Brent Green, another horticulturist, who was from Beverly Hills. During that difficult year I educated Brent on North American maple trees, which everyone knows to be far superior to palm trees. I also learned about many of the various palm trees. I was amazed at their variety and versatility.

Those who do not know any better may maintain the claim that there are only two kinds of palm trees; "You know, the short fat ones and the tall skinny ones." I have even heard this from "landscape professionals".

In actuality, the two classifications into which palms are categorized are fan palms and feather palms. Fronds (leaves) of fan palms are composed of a long petiole (stem) which terminates in the center of many palmately divided leaflets. Feather palms produce many parallel leaflets along opposite sides of a long rachis (stem which supports the various parts of a compound leaf). In many species of both groups, leaves may not be compound.

Of course, there are far too many species of palms for me to write about, but generally, palms prefer good irrigation, full sun exposure and respond well to fertilization. Some palms are clumping, producing side-shoots known as pups from the base of established plants. Only one very rare species of central Africa branches higher on the trunk.

Otherwise, except for extremely rare situations, palms are each limited to one trunk and one terminal bud. (Yucca and dracena are not palms.) Damage to the single terminal bud may be fatal to a palm. Some palms, particularly the queen palm, may produce messy fruit. Female Canary Island date palms may also be messy; but male trees are not.

Most palms require removal of old dead fronds (leaves). Old fronds may be left on some species of fan palms for an entire lifetime or for a few years between pruning, leaving an accumulation of dead fronds known as a beard. However, garden enthusiasts should be aware that beards are flammable and may be attractive to squirrels and rodents. While pruning many fan palms, the petiole bases, appropriately known as stubble, may be left on the trunk for the interesting texture, or peeled off for a clean shaven look.

Most of us are familiar with the large stately Canary Island date palm, Phoenix canariensis, a.k.a. "short fat palm." It is a very bold feature in large-scale landscapes and is an excellent choice for formal plantings, such as those at the San Jose train depot. However, it is too large and requires too much maintenance for home gardens.

Another very familiar palm, the Mexican fan palm, Washingtonia robusta, a.k.a. "tall skinny palm," is also useful in large scale landscapes and looks great in front of the San Jose Sharks Arena. However, it is also too large for most gardens and grows so fast that within thirty years it may be too tall to be appreciated.

I think if the Beverly Hillbillies knew this as they drove past alternating short fat palms and tall skinny palms on Bedford Drive in Beverly Hills at the beginning of each show, they would have kept on driving.

Smaller more useful palms include but are not limited to Mediterranean fan palm, windmill palm, pindo palm (a.k.a. blue palm), pygmy date palm and the various palmettos. Date palm, Senegal date palm, Mexican blue palm and queen palm are useful medium-sized palms.

Because every species of palm is very distinctive, it is very important to study potential choices and preferably see examples prior to installation in the garden.

Tree of the Week: California Fan Palm

California fan palm, Washingtonia filifera is one of my favorites and is ideal for those who like the look of the Mexican fan palm. Examples may be seen lining the driveway of the Winchester House and in the median of Almaden Avenue leading up to the De Anza Hotel.

Their trunks are heavier and straighter than those of the Mexican fan palm. What makes them so useful is that they grow considerably slower and will stay proportionate to most landscapes for a very long time.

Old fronds should be peeled, not cut from the trunk, but only when they pull off easily. Many trees are self-shedding, dropping old fronds after a few years so that the beard never gets too full. Even if trees hold their beards, they may be left to accumulate for many years between pruning or for the entire lifetime of the tree.

Unfortunately, California fan palms are difficult to find. Many nurserymen do not distinguish between the two species and will sell Mexican fan palms as whatever you want to call them. The two species are actually subspecies of each other and can cross-pollinate; so the few trees which are commercially grown from seed collected near production areas are of questionable lineage.

Well bred trees should be obtained from nurseries which specialize in California native plant species or palm trees. Incidentally, the California fan palm is the only palm species native to California and the one for which Palm Springs is named.

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Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be reached at 408.358.2574.

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