Now
that you have begun purchasing your palm trees, this article discusses how to
place them in your garden; including common mistakes, shade
problems, space requirements and other considerations when laying out
your garden.
When I first thought about writing an article on “Placement of
Palm Trees”, I laughed. I thought, “All I need to do is tell about the mistakes I’ve made”! You see, here in Southern California land prices are high. Therefore, most of us are not blessed with expansive yards. We must do with the garden space we have. However, we are victims of “palm fever”. We are always trying to sneak in another unusual palm. Therefore, palm enthusiasts’ gardens can tend to be over-planted. With time this results in a very crowded garden. Therefore, I must say for people just starting- “do as I say, don’t do as I’ve done.”
If you are just starting,
an important part of your garden and palm tree care is to have a scheme or plan
of what you are doing. Remember, “Haphazard planting gives haphazard results”. Unlike other types of trees, palms are very predictable. You can predict trunk diameter, crown diameter, and eventual overall height. You also know whether or not it will have spines, whether it will sucker, and the cultural requirements. What one must do is give the palm enough space for what it is going to be, not what it is now or in the near future. Think ahead. I will discuss multiple topics about palm placement below.
Giving palms enough
space When growing palm trees, think about how much space a species will ultimately need. For instance, if you put in a large species such as Phoenix canaries, give it a lot of room. Such a plant could easily dominate a 20-foot circumference area. Likewise, Phoenix reclinata will, in time, form multiple stems and need a large area. Even a triple Archontophoenix cunninghamiana needs a fair amount of room. It is true that, when some species have “trunked out” and are well overhead, one can add smaller understory palms near their base. However, if you put a small Chamaedorea directly next to a Chamaerops humilus, the Chamaedorea will eventually be lost in the mix. If you can’t step back and take a photograph of a palm in your garden, you have probably planted things too closely.
Establishing a canopy of palm trees
This is a very important factor in creating a lush palm garden. Fast growing species such as
Archonotophoenix, Caryota, Syagrus, and some Ravenea will grow fast and eventually tower over everything else. This is important for several reasons. It satisfies the enthusiast because he sees results. It offers shade for species that like less than full sun. It helps maintain humidity and lowers water requirements. It also helps create “microclimates” within your garden, the latter providing increased humidity, less wind and warmer winter temperatures. One of our senior Members, Mardi
Darian, has said that “creating a canopy is the most important thing a palm grower can do.” He is absolutely right.
Think about sun and shade requirements
Some palms don’t like full sun. Others demand full sun. Proper
palm tree care demands that you do a little research and find out the sun requirements of any given species. The published Palms for Southern California is an excellent resource for learning a species’ sun preference. Also, all sun is not the same. In Southern California, inland sun is much more intense than coastal sun. Bismarkia
nobilis, Dypsis decaryi, Chamaerops humilus, Roystonea regia, Acoelorrhaphe
wrightii, and many other species demand full sun. You might keep these species alive in partial sun, but they will perform better in full sun. Chamaedorea
tepejilote, Chamaedorea ernesti-augustii, and Rhapis excelsa all do better in filtered light. Most growers will establish their canopy before planting out their shade-loving species.
Think about the loss of sun in the future
You may have wide open sun today, but with planting of the fast growing species, your sun is going to
diminish and your palm tree care will suffer.. Plan on this. In other words, think about where you shade is going to be when your palms are large. For instance, if you are trying to keep sun shining on a swimming pool, don’t plant canopy-forming species on the southern side of the pool. Also don’t plant a sun-loving species in an area that you know will eventually be shaded out. I have lost Dypsis
decaryii, Phoenix roebellini, and Aceoelorrhaphe wrightii in my garden because they got shaded out.
Don’t plant too closely to a structure or walkway
In general, palms do not lift sidewalks nor damage foundations. However, there is a limit to this statement. A very large species planted inches away from a house’s foundation can cause problems. It is like trouble waiting to happen. Also consider if the plant’s crown will clear the house’s eaves. Also, give some distance between your palm and a walkway or sidewalk. A suckering palm just might crawl right onto your thoroughfare. Also, never put a spiny palm, especially Phoenix species, next to an area where people walk or play. Palm spines can cause serious body injury.
Consider clumping some species
A double, triple or even quadruple planting of Archonotophoenix is really quite dramatic. Each trunk nicely curves away from its partners. Such a grouping is also aesthetic with
Roystonea, Howeas, and single trunk Chamaedoreas. Clumping of individual plants typically does not look good on very large species, e.g., Phoenix
canariensis, Arenga piñata,or Caryota urens. Also, many fan palms are not well suited for clustering.
Don’t just plant pinnate (feather leaf shaped) palm trees
I’ve heard many times from new enthusiasts, “I don’t like fan palms.” Be willing to vary your collection; fan palms look great with feather palms. Also remember that fan palms are typically slower growing than pinnate palms. Plant your fans early in the course of your garden’s development so the fan palms can keep up with your pinnate palms. Be imaginative: use boulders, mounds, or small walls in your garden to give elevation differences. Strap some orchids onto your trunked palms. Add some ferns and flowers. All these things add to the charm of your garden.
Preserve and accent your views
Be selective in planting your palms so you can maintain views around your home. Preserve panoramic views by planting less obstructive palms, i.e., smaller and thinner palms. To preserve views for observing your garden, allow space between plants and avoid clumping palms near your vantage point. Rather, utilize clumping palms to hide unsightly fences or walls. Some people prefer to stair-step plantings; smaller closer up front, larger in the rear. However, this is up to your own aesthetics. You can accent an entrance or courtyard with colorful or lush species of palms. Remember views are important as they affect the way you and others look at your yard. Think about the ideal planting for your yard.
Consider specific needs Proper palm tree care demands that you know that different palms require a wide variety of conditions; so, it is important to know what your conditions are and what any given species prefers. Soil type, high and low temperatures, wind, etc., are some of the important factors to consider when you plant your garden.
Sun requirements should be known before planting palm trees into the
ground. “What plants should you grow?” These are all things that you can learn from references or by talking to people in the Palm Society. Oceanfront gardens, hot inland gardens, arid gardens, and windy gardens all have their own specific conditions and preferable palm species. Within your garden itself, there also may exist different microclimates. You may have wet areas. You may have dry soil areas. Take advantage of this and plant species specific to each microclimate. Research will lead you to the right palms.
Don’t overdo any given species Be experimental in what you plant. Mix species, textures, types, and
looks when growing palm trees. Importantly, try to avoid planting too many of one species “just because you got a good deal”. The latter will lead to a boring garden. I once knew a man who planted one hundred Queen Palms in his front yard. He said he got a good price and thought he’d make some money by digging them up later. He planted them all in rows. Needless to say, it was the worst “landscape” job I have ever seen. Eventually he lost money because he had to pay tree-removers to correct his mistake. Remember the saying that “more may not be better”. It’s also more fun to expand your collection. One exception to repetitive plantings might be along a parkway or along a driveway. In these locations repeating Royals or King Palms look very nice.
Remember to acclimate your palms Make sure your palms are acclimated to your area and your
sun before planting palm trees. If a plant is coming from a greenhouse or filtered light, gradual acclimate it to full sun over a few months. Alternatively, one can use temporary overhead shade structures for
protection while growing your palm trees before planting. Remember to water thoroughly after planting a new palm. If you are craning in large specimens, you can get some instant shade for under-story palms. Take advantage of it.
Summary:
Every garden and every palm enthusiast’s viewpoints are different. However, above are some agreed upon concepts. If you follow them, you will perhaps avoid some of the mistakes I made. So, you might ask what did I do wrong when I planted my garden. The answer; lots of things! I lost sun-loving plants that got shaded out. I planted pigmy date palms next to a pathway. I burned species with too much sun. I have an over-abundance of King Palms. And finally, over-planting has definitely visited my garden.
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