Phoenix canariensis

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Monocots
Cladus: Commelinids
Ordo: Arecales

Familia: Arecaceae
Subfamilia: Coryphoideae
Tribus: Phoeniceae
Genus: Phoenix
Species: Phoenix canariensis
Name

Phoenix canariensis H.Wildpret Prov. Agric. Hort. Ill. 19: 293 (1882), nom. cons.
Synonyms

Heterotypic
Phoenix canariensis Nabonnand, J. Hort. Prat. 2: 75. 1871, nom. nud.
Phoenix canariensis var. porphyrococca Vasc. & Franco, Portugaliae Acta Biol., Sér. B, Sist. 2: 313 (1948).
Phoenix cycadifolia Regel, Gartenflora 28: 131. 1879, nom. rej.
Phoenix erecta Sauv., Rev. Hort. (Paris) 66: 495. 1894, nom. inval.
Phoenix dactylifera var. jubae Webb & Berthel., Hist. Nat. Iles Canaries 3: 289 (1847).
Phoenix jubae (Webb & Berthel.) Webb ex Christ, Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 6: 469 (1885).
Phoenix macrocarpa Sauv., Rev. Hort. (Paris) 66: 495 (1894), nom. inval.
Phoenix tenuis B.S.Williams, Choice Stove Greenh. Pl. 273 (1870).
Phoenix vigieri Naudin, Rev. Hort. (Paris) 57: 541 (1885).

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Continental: Europe (introduced)
Regional: Southwestern Europe
Spain.
Regional: Southeastern Europe
Greece, Italy, Kriti, Sicilia, Yugoslavia (Croatia).
Continental: Africa
Regional: Northern Africa (introduced)
Algeria, Tunisia.
Regional: Macaronesia
Canary Islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, Hierro, La Palma), Madeira.
Continental: Australasia (introduced)
Regional: Australia
Norfolk Islands, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia.
Regional: New Zealand
New Zealand North.
Continental: Southern America (introduced)
Regional: Caribbean
Bermuda.
Regional: Western South America
Bolivia.

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Chabaud, J.B. 1882. Le Phoenix canariensis. La Provence Agric. 19: 293–297, f. 66–68.

Additional references

Rivera Núñez, D., Obón, C., Alcaraz Ariza, F., Egea, T., T., Carreño, E., Laguna Lumbreras, E., Santos, A. & Wildpret de la Torre, W. 2013. A review of the nomenclature and typification of the Canary Islands endemic palm, Phoenix canariensis (Arecaceae). Taxon 62(6): 1275–1282. DOI: 10.12705/626.17 JSTOR ResearchGate Reference page.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2014. Phoenix canariensis in World Checklist of Selected Plant Families. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published online. Accessed: 2014 Mar 09. Reference page.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Phoenix canariensis in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 08-Apr-12.

Vernacular names
català: Palmera canària
Deutsch: Kanarische Dattelpalme
Ελληνικά: Κανάριος Φοίνικας
English: Canary Island Date Palm
español: Palmera Canaria
suomi: Kanariantaateli
Nordfriisk: Kanaarisk datelpualem
galego: Palmeira canaria
hrvatski: Kanarska datulja
hornjoserbsce: Kanariski datlowc
magyar: Kanári datolyapálma
日本語: カナリーヤシ
lietuvių: Kanarinis finikas
norsk bokmål: Kanariepalme
Nederlands: Canarische dadelpalm
norsk: Kanariepalme
polski: Daktylowiec kanaryjski
português: Palmeira-das-canárias
русский: Финиковая пальма канарская
slovenčina: Ďatľovník kanársky
svenska: Kanariepalm
ไทย: ปาล์มขนนก
中文: 加那利海棗

Phoenix canariensis (the Canary Island date palm or pineapple palm) is a species of flowering plant in the palm family Arecaceae, native to the Canary Islands. It is a relative of Phoenix dactylifera, the true date palm. It is the natural symbol of the Canary Islands, together with the canary Serinus canaria.[2] Mature P. canariensis are often used in ornamental landscaping and are collected and transplanted to their new planting location. A Canary Island date palm with 10 m (30 ft) of trunk is approximately 60 years of age.

Description

Phoenix canariensis is a large solitary palm, 10–20 m (33–66 ft) tall, occasionally growing to 40 m (131 ft). The leaves are pinnate, 4–6 m (13–20 ft) long, with 80–100 leaflets on each side of the central rachis. The fruit is an oval, yellow to orange drupe 2 cm (0.79 in) long and 1 cm (0.39 in) in diameter and containing a single large seed; the fruit pulp is edible but not the best of dates.[3]
Names

Common names in English include Canary Island date palm and pineapple palm. The common name in Spanish-speaking countries and in the Canary Islands is palmera canaria.
Cultivation
The approximate range of cultivation for Canary Island date palms in the US with little to no winter protection.

The Canary Island date palm is typically cultivated in wet-winter or Mediterranean climates, but also in wet-summer or humid subtropical climates like eastern Australia and the southeastern United States. There are even several instances of cultivated Canary Island Date Palms in high-latitude oceanic climates, such as Ireland, the UK, and the Channel Islands.[4] It can be cultivated where temperatures rarely fall below −10 or −12 °C (14 or 10 °F) for extended periods, although it will require some protection if cold periods are longer than normal. It is a slowly growing tree, exclusively propagated by seed.

The palm is easily recognized through its crown of leaves and trunk characteristics. It is not uncommon to see Canary Island date palms pruned and trimmed to enhance the appearance.[5] When pruned, the bottom of the crown, also called the nut, appears to have a pineapple shape.

The Canary Island date palm is susceptible to Fusarium wilt, a fungal disease commonly transmitted through contaminated seed, soil, and pruning tools. Spread of the disease can be reduced when pruning tools are disinfected before use on this palm.[6] The South American palm weevil causes them to droop, turn brown and die.[1]

It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[7][8]
Other uses

In the Canary Islands, the sap of this date palm is used to make palm syrup. La Gomera is the only island where the syrup is produced in the Canary Islands.
Invasiveness

In some areas, Phoenix canariensis has proven to be an invasive plant. In Bermuda and the United States (Florida and California) it is considered naturalised (lives wild in a region where it is not indigenous). It has also spread in some areas of peninsular Spain, Portugal, Italy, Australia, and New Zealand.[9][10][11] It is listed as invasive (naturalized) in coastal southern California.[12] In Auckland, New Zealand, the palm has itself become a host for the naturalised Australian strangler fig, Ficus macrophylla.
Gallery

Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island date palm) collection at South Coast Wholesale Nursery San Diego, California

Mature Canary island Date in Melborne Florida.

P. canariensis fruit in Northern Florida.

Tall, Old Canary Island Palm in Phoenix Arizona.

Close-up of fruit

Canary Island Date palm growing in Hatteras North Carolina, about their northern limit unprotected on the east coast, many have died further south in cold snaps.

Close-up of flowers

Bark

See also

List of animal and plant symbols of the Canary Islands

References

Beech, E. (2017). "Phoenix canariensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017: e.T13416997A13417001. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T13416997A13417001.en.
"Símbolos de la naturaleza para las Islas Canarias" [Natural Symbols for the Canary Islands]. Ley No. 7/1991 of 30 April 1991 (in Spanish). Vol. 151. pp. 20946–20497 – via BOE.
Little, Elbert L. (1994) [1980]. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Western Region (Chanticleer Press ed.). Knopf. p. 324. ISBN 0394507614.
"Palms in the Channel Islands – by Michael A.F. Carter". The European palm Society. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
"Canary Island Date Palm - Phoenix canariensis - A-E - Palm Blog". realpalmtrees.com. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
Elliott, Monica. "Fusarium Wilt of Canary Island Date Palm". UF/IFAS Extension Service. Retrieved 2016-11-21.
"RHS Plant Selector - Phoenix canariensis". Apps.rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
"AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 77. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
"World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew". Apps.kew.org. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
"Bonap" (PNG). Bonap.net. 2004. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
"Phoenix canariensis - Species Page - APA: Alabama Plant Atlas". Floraofalabama.org. Retrieved 19 January 2018.

"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-05-26. Retrieved 2016-06-27.

External links

"Phoenix canariensis in the wild". Principes (Journal of the International Palm Society). 42 (2). April 1998. Retrieved 18 May 2008.