INTRODUCTION

This palm grows in clumps that can grow upwards of 15-feet.. The popularity of the European Fan has increased as has the demand for more cold-hardy palms. It can resist temperatures of 20-degrees F, and is drought resistant. The tree forms small yellow flowers close to the trunk behind it’s leaf stems, which hide small yellow, brown, or orange fruits in autumn.

European Fans are used mostly as border and accent plants. They grow best in moist rich soil, and very slowly in the shade. There are no pests or diseases which are a major concern.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Botanical Name: Chamaerops Humilis
Pronunciation: ku-MEE-rops HEW-mil-liss
Common Name(s): European Fan Palm
Family: Palmae
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8B through 11
Planting month for zone 8: year round
Planting month for zone 9: year round
Planting month for zone 10 and 11: year round
Origin: not native to North America
Uses:specimen; container or above-ground planter; near a deck or patio; foundation; border; mass planting; accent; suitable for growing indoors
Availability: generally available in many areas within its
hardiness range

USE AND MANAGEMENT

By removing suckers from the base of the main trunk, this slightly salt-tolerant palm may also be trained as a singletrunked palm. Since the leaf stalks are spiny, Fan Palm may also be used as a barrier, planted three to five feet apart. It makes a nice accent plant in a shrub border or in a low-growing groundcover. It can also be planted several feet apart in a mass on a large-scale landscape forming a fine-textured accent area. Growing best in moist rich soil, it is drought- and windresistant, and established plants will survive temperatures to 10-
degrees F. or below, in full sun or light shade. Plants grow very slowly in the shade.

Propagation is by seed or division.

 

PESTS

Scale may be a problem.

DISEASES

No diseases are of major concern.