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| Category: Palm |
| Family: Arecaceae (Palmae) (Palms) |
| Origin: Laos (Asia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Insignificant |
| Bloomtime: Not Significant |
| Synonyms: [P. roebelinii, Hort.] |
| Height: 6-10 feet |
| Width: 3-4 feet |
| Exposure: Cool Sun/Light Shade |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Phoenix roebelenii (Pygmy Date Palm) – An elegant smaller palm with a solitary slender trunk to 6-10 feet tall with a dense crown of 3 foot long pinnate (feather) leaves composed of up to 100 narrow shiny leaflets. The soft-appearing leaflets droop and get smaller closer at the base of the petiole but are replaces by 2 to 3 inch long spines near the leaf base. This palm is often grown as an indoor plant and outdoors it does well in coastal full sun or in part shade with regular to occasional irrigation - old plants found growing in abandoned properties in Santa Barbara speak to it being surprisingly drought tolerant along the coast. Hardy without much damage in short duration temperatures dropping to around 20 degrees F - went through our historic December 1990 freeze at temperatures briefly below 20 degrees F and survives, though with damage in Moraga, CA with 3 nights at 17 degrees F during this same cold spell. A great small palm for a tropical feel. Use care when trimming leaves as it has rigid sharp spines near the leaf bases. This palm is native to southeastern Asia from the Yunnan Province of China into Laos and northern Vietnam. The name of the genus is a Greek word given to the date-palm. The specific epithet given this plant by James O'Brien in 1889 honors German orchid collector Carl Roebelen (1855-1927 ), who reportedly discovered this plant in Laos. Other common names include Dwarf Date Palm, Miniature Date Palm, or Roebelin Palm.
The information about Phoenix roebelenii displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
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