European fan palm, Dwarf Date Palm
Chamaerops humilis
Family: Arecaceae
What it is like
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.
There is only one Chamaerops species.
Where it is found
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.
Countries/locations it is found in
Africa, Algeria, Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, Dominican Republic, Europe, France, Gibraltar, Greece, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Libya, Mediterranean (country/location of origin), Middle East, Monaco, Morocco, Nepal, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Portugal, SE Asia, Sicily, Slovenia, Spain, Tasmania, Thailand, Tunisia, West Indies
How it is used for food
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.
It is cultivated.
Edible parts
Fruit, cabbage, stems, roots, growing tip, palm heart
How it is grown
Seeds should have the flesh removed and dried out for a few days before planting. Seeds will grow in a few weeks. Plants can be grown from fresh seed. Plants can also be divided.
It takes 5 years to establish.
Its other names
Local names
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
Synonyms
Chamaerops major Gaertn.; ? Phoenix humilis (L.) Cav.; Phoenix humilis Royle; and several others