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Summary

Physical Characteristics

Phoenix canariensis is an evergreen Tree growing to 12 m (39ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 9.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Phoenix canariensis var. porphyrococca Vasc. & Franco. Phoenix cycadifolia Regel. Phoenix dactylifera var. jubae Webb & Berthel. Phoenix erecta Sauv. [Invalid]. Phoenix jubae (Webb & Berthel.) Webb ex Christ. Phoenix macrocarpa Sauv. [Invalid]. Phoenix tenuis Verschaff. [Invalid]. Phoenix vigieri Naudin.

Habitats

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Fruit
Edible Uses: Sweetener

Edible Portion: Fruit, Sap. Fruit weigh 1.7 g. The fruit are reported to have an edible outer pericarp. The fruit are orange, 2 cm long and 1 cm diameter, with a large seed; the fruit pulp when ripe (solid black) is edible, but usually too thin to be worth eating. They are a famine food. Inflorescence buds are tapped for the sweet sap which is eaten as syrup or palm honey. Carbon Farming Solutions - Staple Crop: sugar (The term staple crop typically refers to a food that is eaten routinely and accounts for a dominant part of people's diets in a particular region of the world) [1-1].

References More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None Known

References More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Basketry Fencing Fibre Thatching Weaving

A very ornamental tree - it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The leaflets are used in much the same way as those of P. dactylifera for a range of woven products including crosses for Palm Sunday celebrations.

Special Uses

Carbon Farming Food Forest

References More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Management: Standard Regional Crop Staple Crop: Sugar

Climate: Mediterranean. Humidity: semi-arid. Found at elevations from sea level to 1,200m in a range of habitats, from humid areas just below cloud forest to semi-arid areas where its presence usually indicates groundwater. Cultivated in wet-winter or Mediterranean climates, but also in wet-summer or humid subtropical climates like eastern Australia and the southeastern United States. Examples in high-latitude oceanic climates, such as Ireland, the UK, and the Channel Islands. It can be cultivated where temperatures rarely fall below -10°C (14 or 10 °F). Light: Full Sun. USDA Hardiness Zone 8a: to -12.2°C (10 °F) to 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F). Drought-tolerant; suitable for xeriscaping. It is very frost hardy and thrives on poor soils. It needs good drainage. Soil pH requirements: 6.1 (mildly acidic) to 7.8 (mildly alkaline). Carbon Farming Solutions - Cultivation: regional crop. Management: standard (Describes the non-destructive management systems that are used in cultivation) [1-1]. Normal height range 10–20m (33–66 ft) tall; some specimens have reached 40m (130 ft).

Carbon Farming

Management: Standard Plants grow to their standard height. Harvest fruit, seeds, or other products. Non-Destructive management systems.
Regional Crop These crops have been domesticated and cultivated regionally but have not been adopted elsewhere and are typically not traded globally, Examples in this broad category include perennial cottons and many nuts and staple fruits.
Staple Crop: Sugar Perennial sugar crops include sugarcane and compare favorably to annuals.

References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

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Plants For A Future have a number of books available in paperback and digital form. Book titles include Edible Plants, Edible Perennials, Edible Trees, and Woodland Gardening. Our new book to be released soon is Edible Shrubs.

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Propagation

Plants are grown from seed. Seed germinates readily. It takes 1-2 months to germinate. In tropical locations suckers can be used.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Canary Island palm, Canary Island date palm, date palm, phoenix palm, Pineapple Palm, Canary Date Palm, Slender Date Palm, Palem korma kannari

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bermuda, Canada, Canary Islands*, East Africa, Europe, Greece, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Mediterranean, North America, Pakistan, SE Asia, South America, Spain, Tasmania

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so itâ€™s worth checking.

Phoenix canariensis is an invasive plant. It is listed as invasive in California. In Auckland, New Zealand, the palm has itself become a host for the naturalised Australian strangler fig, Ficus macrophylla.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : Status: Least Concern

Related Plants

Latin Name	Common Name	Habit	Height	Hardiness	Growth	Soil	Shade	Moisture	Edible	Medicinal	Other
Phoenix dactylifera	Date Palm	Tree	25.0	8-12	S	LMH	N	DM	5	2	3
Phoenix reclinata	Senegal Date Palm	Tree	6.0	9-11	M	LM	N	DM	1	0	0
Phoenix sylvestris	Wild Date Plum, India Date Palm	Tree	15.0	9-11	S	LMH	SN	M	1	0

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

Phoenix canariensis - Chabaud