How to Grow Canary Island Date Palm Trees
Phoenix canariensis, also known as Canary Island date palm, is a fruit-bearing palm tree that is native to the Canary Islands. Canary Island date palms can grow up to 60 feet with a spread of up to 25 feet and can make an impressive addition to spacious home landscapes in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. If you want your Canary Island date palms to produce their characteristic dates, plant both a male and female tree within 60 feet of each other. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Canary Island date palm
- Shovel
- Spade
- Aged manure
- Peat moss
- Perlite
- Drip, soaker or bubbler hose
- Palm fertilizer
- Pruning tools
Instructions
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Select a planting location for your Canary Island date palm that will provide your tree with what it needs to thrive. Choose a planting location that receives six to eight hours of direct sunlight per day and offers fertile, well-draining soil.
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Make sure that your Canary Island date palm receives the desired amount of nutrients and moisture by clearing all grass and weeds from your chosen planting location. Dig deep when removing weeds and other unwanted vegetation to remove their entire root systems and prevent them from growing back.
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Dig a planting hole for your Canary Island date palm that is twice as wide and twice as deep as your tree's root system. Till aged manure, peat moss and perlite into the displaced soil until the amendments are evenly distributed. Add enough displaced, amended soil to the bottom of the planting hole to allow the crown of your Canary Island date palm to sit 1 to 2 inches above the surface of the soil when your tree is planted.
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Position the Canary Island date palm in the center of the planting hole. Untangle the tree's roots gently and spread them in the bottom of the planting hole. Use the displaced, amended soil to fill the planting hole, making sure that the crown of your Canary Island date palm stays 1 to 2 inches above the soil's surface. Tamp down the surface of the soil surrounding your Canary Island date palm after planting.
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Use a slow-watering method like a drip, soaker or bubbler hose to water in your Canary Island date palm immediately after planting. Continue to water your tree once or twice a week to keep its soil moist, but well-drained.
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Fertilize your Canary Island date palm with a specially formulated palm tree fertilizer in the spring and summer. Apply the fertilizer application according to package directions to avoid damage due to over-fertilization. For best results, apply the fertilizer after watering, while the soil is still moist.
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Prune your Canary Island date palm in the spring or summer to remove discolored, diseased or dead palm fronds. Make clean cuts using sharpened and sterilized pruning tools when pruning your Canary Island date palm to make it easier for your tree to heal.
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Tips & Warnings
Spread 3 inches of mulch in a 3-foot circle around your Canary Island date palm tree to retard the growth of weeds and help your tree conserve moisture.
Stressed or injured Canary Island date palms are susceptible to leaf spot and fungal infections. Treat your Canary Island date palm with an insecticide, if necessary.
References
- "The Gardener's Guide to Planting and Growing Trees"; Mike Buffi; 2007
- University of Florida: Phoenix Canariensis
- Floridata: Phoenix Canariensis
