How to care for your Chamaerops humilis
Chamaerops humilis is a striking Mediterranean plant that helps to give your garden a warm, holiday feel. Often referred to as the European fan palm or the Mediterranean dwarf palm, it’scold-hardy and great for warmer and colder climates. This evergreen palm has all the charm you would expect to see from a continental, exotic species.
It ranges from a dwarf, ground-hugging multi-stemmed suckering shrub to a tall single trunked plant with small stiff leaves or drooping tipped large leaves, themselves of varying colour. Whichever type you choose they are tough and undemanding plants taking, when established, any degree of drought or wind.
Chamaerops humilis
The word ‘humilis’ means low growing in botanical Latin. Leading to the fact they rarely get much taller than about 6ft. The key is to feed and water them enough to grow reasonably fast (left to their own devices, they generally grow slowly). When caring for your Chamaerops humilis it’s important to remove all leaves that are less than perfect. Anything brown, yellow or spotty can be disposed of using a pair of secateurs. Although watch out for spikey thorns on the leaf stalks! When cut back by severe cold they will come back from underground. They are perfect companion plants for the hardier succulents like Yucca and Agave.
Planting
Almost always, hardy palm trees can be planted at any time of the year, but ideally it should be done during spring and summer. Try to dig a hole a good deal bigger than the root-ball, which should be given a good soak before planting. Then, back-fill the hole with a free draining mix. Again, remember to water thoroughly to ensure your Chamaerops humilisgrows faster than it’s natural (very slow) pace.
Whichever type of Chamaerops humilis you choose, they are tough and undemanding plants, suitable in all weathers.
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