European Fan Palm Chamaerops humilis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- kam-AY-rops HEW-mil-is
- Description
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Eurpean Fan Palm is a beautiful plant, and it grows into a nice shrubby form. If pruned (suckers removed), it will grow into a single trunk tree form (similar form to a palm tree). It makes a nice barrier or group accent at the corner of the landscape. Use in containers for patio, deck or foundation areas. It may even be grown indoors as a houseplant. It is one of the most cold-hardy palms.
It is a shrub-like, clumping palm with several stems growing from a single base. Other forms for this plant are irregular and bushy. It is easily grown in rich, moist, well-drained soils and prefers a bright sunny location (but tolerates partial shade). It loses its compact shape if it has too much shade. The best growth occurs in Mediterranean-type climates.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Chamaerops
- Species:
- humilis
- Family:
- Arecaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Western & Central Mediterranean
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- moderately salt tolerant
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Houseplant
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Multi-trunked
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Slow
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Orange
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is red, purple, or green and look berry-like but a little larger than berries.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Bright yellow flowers bloom in spring but are somewhat inconspicuous, typically hidden from view behind the leaf stems.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Other/more complex
- Leaf Shape:
- Palmasect
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Huge, distinctive, triangular, fine-textured, palmate-compound leaves. Each light blue-green to silver-green leaf (to 24” long and as wide) has 10-20 narrow, finger-like, deeply divided leaflets that are arranged in the shape of a fan at the end of a spiny petiole (leaf stalk to 3-4’ long). The petioles are armed with numerous sharp, needle-like spines.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- Trunk is hairy, light brown/ light gray, and has rough edges.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Container
- Houseplants
- Patio
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Barrier
- Foundation Planting
- Specimen
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Salt
