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The Journal of The European Palm Society - No. 39 Summer 2000C h a m a e r o p s39Palm Trees of Lake GenevaNicolas EracleThe Cretan Date PalmThomas BoeufConservation through CultivationAndrew CartwrightPalms of TenerifeMichael A.F. CarterCompletely HardyRev. Geoffrey F. SquireMy Exotic CollectionTony WalkerA Garden in ProvenceDaniel Carle

ContentsSummer 2000, issue 39Palm Trees of Lake Geneva by Nicolas Eracle page 5‘A Life with Palms’ would be a good alternative title for this excellent article by Nicolas Eracle.From early beginnings to a fully-fledged palm garden. Great stuff!The Cretan Date Palm by Thomas Boeuf page 7Thomas Boeuf gets up close and personal with Phoenix theophrastii, a brilliant newcomer to thehardy palm garden. My advice: get oneConservation through Cultivation by Andrew Cartwright page 8Is there something that we can all do, even in a small way, to slow the decline of some species ofrare palm? Andrew Cartwright thinks so in this thought provoking paper.Palms of Tenerife by Michael A.F. Carter page 13There’s more to the Canary Islands than sun, sea and the Parrot Park. Take a trip with MichaelCarter, and bring your ‘Palm Identifier’.Completely Hardy by Rev. Geoffrey F. Squire page 16These new palms are totally indestructible, need no water or feed, will never grow too big, andwill thrive in every climate, from tropical to arctic. If all else fails, try one in your garden.My Exotic Collection by Tony Walker page 17Update by Tony Walker on his exotic collection.A Garden in Provence by Daniel Carle page 18Daniel Carle gives us a comprehensive look at the palms of his garden in S.W. France, and listssuccesses and failures, providing inspiration for us all.Letters page 20Your chance to air your views and share your news.Cover: Twin Jubaeas frame the town hall of Rivesaltes in the south of France.Chamaerops is the journal of The European Palm Societyc/o The Palm Centre Phone: +44 20 8255 6191Ham Central Nursery Fax: +44 20 8255 6192Ham Street, Ham E-mail: mail@palmsociety.orgRichmond, Surrey, TW10 7HA, UK Website: www.palmsociety.org

Editorial• Martin Gibbons, E-ditor, martin@palmsociety.orgThe year is rushing by, not so many weeksbefore it’s over and we’re in 2001. Who everwould have imagined it? However, we have winterto get through first and I for one am gamblingon the continuation of the lucky streak we (atleast in the UK) have been having for 10 or 11years now. We haven’t had a severe winter sincethen, and each autumn I pray for ‘just one moremild winter. Please?’ Evidence that it has been along time since we had a ‘decent’ winter can beseen all across London. Cordyline australis, whichwill be killed by a hard frost, can be seen inenormous sizes across and around the capital.After a bad winter these plants, which, at 8-10feet are starting to get ‘interesting’ are reducedto stumps, only to begin the cycle again, fromsuckers, which are put up in great numbers inthe spring. Should you be unlucky enough to havethis happen to you, don’t be tempted to leavethem all in place (there may be 15 or 20), or youwill end up with a shapeless mass of shoots.Instead, choose the biggest and strongest, andremove the rest. With all the energy from the hugeroot ball that would have been supporting theparent plant, the lucky seedling will grow so fastit will make you head spin. With adequatewatering, some good soil and the judiciousapplication of fertilizer, within a very few years itwill be back where it was.Much has been written (not least inChamaerops) over the years about protection ofpalms, and other exotics over the winter. But howto find it? Well, there is a way. If you have optedfor on-line membership, you can browse all ourback issues (well, many of them. More are beingadded all the time) using key words. Type in theword ‘snow’ for example and all mentions of thisword in all these back issues will be brought upon the screen for you to examine further. Or try‘shelter’, winter protection’ or even ‘fleece’ andyou will be able to find everything that has beenwritten on these subjects since the European PalmSociety began.Due to the enormous amount of work doneby Toby and Rudolph Spanner, we are soon goingto be back on track, and they are to becomplimented. As it happens we have a goodnumber of articles on hand at the moment, andI would like to thank all those who contribute toour magazine, regularly or intermittently. Wouldyou perhaps like to write but don’t know asubject? Here’s a few suggestions to inspire you.Interviews are really popular. Do you knowa palm nut? Sit down for half an hour and chatto him (or her) about the things you would mostlike to know. Chances are, they’re the kind ofthings that other members would like to knowalso. Tape the interview and simply type it later.The interviewee does not have to be well-known.Ordinary people often have the most interestingstories to tell.Could you organize a quiz? The one we hadbefore was very successful. How well do you knowyour palms and other exotics? Could you set 20questions? Maybe you’re a crossword fanatic.Could you design your own? Let us have it forChamaerops.Got a favourite palm book? Could you write600 words (about the length of this Editorial)about it. Or 300? Get down who wrote it, howmuch it cost and what you think about it. Ormaybe you’ve come across one that you hate, orthat is ‘replete with errors’. Write about that onetoo. There are so many palm books about thesedays, a bit of guidance would go a long way.Well, there’s a few ideas to get you started.You could also write about favourite palms (upclose and personal!), Botanic Gardens, where tosee spectacular species, lesser known hardy palms,palm pests – a short series maybe.The important thing is that you writesomething. Most people have a story in them andit’s highly likely that our members would beinterested in yours!Enjoy this issue; it was written by people likeyou!page 3

Palm Trees of Lake Genevaby Nicolas Eracle, Route de Brent 30, 1817 Brent/Montreux, SwitzerlandI've been a member of the EPS for one year,and my passion for palm trees only grows. Thisis why I would like to present to you the area ofLake Geneva, where I reside, and where beautifulspecimens of palm trees can be seen. Climatically,aside from the Ticino, south of the Alps, our areais the most privileged in Switzerland. The basinof Lake Geneva benefits from hot and sunnysummers; in fact, Geneva is the sunniest city inSwitzerland between May and September. Thewinters are often calm with little wind. On thedownside, when fog sets in, it can last for manyweeks, especially on the west half of the lake. Thisdull weather makes everything seem a little sad.Under this gray cover, however, the lake is ableto retain the heat energy accumulated in thesummer, and the temperature remains constant,just above zero. The springs and the autumnsare often wet, but this is not an absolute rule.The average annual minimum in the area isbetween -8°C and -10°C depending on thelocation, which places us in zone 8. One notableexception was in 1985, when the temperature fellto -17°C on the edges of the lake.As a child in Geneva, I liked to walk outsidethe city to admire the gardens. One day, I fellnose to nose with two superb Trachycarpusfortunei that were approximately 5 meters high.The passion was born! From that day on, mydream was to have my own house, a garden…andpalm trees! Unfortunately, although there arebeautiful Trachycarpus fortunei in Geneva, theyare very rare, which is unfortunate as the climateis favorable for them. Lack of knowledge aboutthe ability of many palms to resist cold makespeople hesitant to plant them outside; let's hopethat certain courageous people will show the way!To see the many palm trees around lakeGeneva, one must travel to Montreux, a city thatis located close to the east end of the lake. Fordecades Montreux has been making enormousefforts to increase its tourism and spread its imageof a green city, with many species and a benignclimate. The palm trees are part of that imagehere. The area is called the Swiss Riviera. ManyTrachycarpus fortunei are planted on the edgesof the lake and along the streets. They are alsofrequently seen in private gardens. There are alsosome nice Chamaerops and Butia. Recently twoBrahea armata, two Washingtonia filifera, and aTrithrinax campestris were planted on the walkbordering the lake. Lovers of other plants willnot be disappointed either, as Mimosas (Acaciadelbata), olive-trees, pomegranates and rose baysmay also be seen here, as well as the Musa basjoo.In 1998, I had the chance to build my houseon the edge of Montreux; my childhood dreamhad come true. My enthusiasm for palms beingso great, I already saw the garden filled with them--and only them. However, after long debates withmy wife, I agreed to plant more than palms alonein the garden. Like any beginner, I started bymaking errors. The first one was to plant aTrachycarpus of 60cm, a Butia of 70cm, and aJubaea of 120cm that I had bought a few yearsbefore in Ticino, in October. Additionally, withcompact soil that drained poorly and holes hardlylarger than the pots, I really didn't have muchchance. To cap it all, the winter of 1998-99 wasthe coldest in 13 years, with two days at -11°Cright after a period of strong rain and snow. TheButia and the Jubaea rotted slowly in the springof 1999. It made me regret my poorly thoughtout plantings bitterly. Fortunately, theTrachycarpus withstood this bad treatmentwithout any problem, and I replanted it in a largerhole in the spring. I'd learned my first rule: plant...continued on page 12< Brahea armata with Lake Geneva in the background.page 5

The Cretan Date Palmby Thomas Boeuf, Hauptstr. 6, 63796 Kahl am Main, GermanyCrete has a very special kind of beauty dueto its many different types of landscapes: highmountains, deep gorges, deserted caverns, fertilesoil, and rugged coasts. Crete's vegetation is veryrich, and the climate is mild. Situated at thecrossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, this islandis influenced by all these cultures. From Europeit got its cosmopolitan flair, from Asia itstradition, and from Africa the Sirocco…and thepalms!In relation to the size of the island, the usableland is comparatively small. Despite this, manytypes of fruits, vegetables, and spices grow. Deepin the gorges of Crete rare varieties of fauna andflora exist, many of which can only be found onCrete. The most important species, Phoenixtheophrastii, was named by the Swiss botanistWerner Greuter in 1938, for the Greek scholarTheophrast (371-287 bc.), who is said to be thefounder of botanical science.It is said that after the successful conquest ofthe island in 825, the Sarabene Abu Hafis Omarlanded on the beach of Vai, situated on the EastCoast of Crete. Following Arab tradition, theyate dates and spat out the stones on the beach.Since the time this took place, a grove of palmshas grown up and has given this spot a romanticaura. In reality these date palms belong to aspecies that exclusively grows on Crete and a fewspots on the southern coast of Turkey. Althoughclosely related to the true date palm, Phoenixdactylifera, its fruits are small and not reallyedible. They might be relicts from the tertiaryand much older than the legend of Abu HafisOmar. Nowadays the beach of Vai is a nationalpark and is open to the public only in high seasonand other special times.When I was flying to Crete with Friends in< Trachycarpus fortunei (see previous page)October, I had in my mind a trip to the palmbeach of Vai to write an article for Chamaerops.Some years before I had been to Vai, andaccording to the guide, there were some otherplaces with palms growing in the wild. So, Ithought about finding these and other unknownplaces, especially as the eastern cape of Crete isdescribed in many books as the only place wherePhoenix theophrastii grow in the wild.After innumerable inquiries, I was given atip by an old Greek fisherman. One of the fewrivers of Crete flows into the Libyan Sea. Thefisherman told me that this place is not easy toreach, and therefore only a few tourists are ableto visit it from seaside. This fact raised myinterest. The next day we rented a car and startedthe search. After several kilometers on unsurfacedroads, the giant mountains gave way toa sight of a frugal riverbed of incredible beauty.A few moments later we recognized the glitteringof the Libyan Sea. We parked our car and walkedto the seafront. From there the canyon couldnot yet be seen, but the groups of palms whichgrew close together along the river could. Fromthis place, a dangerous path went down the cliffin serpentines and we needed almost an hour toreach the canyon. A few people who seemed tohave reached the beach with fishing boats lay inthe sun and enjoyed the silence of the desertedbeach. I began my exploration.My first impression of this canyon was of anoasis in the hills of the Sinai peninsular. Withina range of 30m on both sides of the slowly flowingriver were all sizes and forms of Phoenixtheophrastii. Some were low and bushy, somehad tall or bent trunks. At some places, the palmsgrew in such a close and tight way that it was...continued on page 14page 7

Conservation throughCultivationby Andrew CartwrightI sometimes despair about the destruction ofour Earth's beauty. Every year many differentkinds of animals and plants become extinct. Theywill never be seen again. For many years I feltthat all I could do to remedy this awful situationwas to support the work of organizationsconcerned with conservation; but recently, I havebegun to think that I may be able to play a moredirect role in conservation.Out of a total of about 2,750 species of palm,nearly a third are threatened with extinction inthe wild (source: "1997 IUCN Red List ofThreatened Plants" compiled by the WorldConservation Monitoring Centre). Conservationof palms in the wild is largely dependent uponprotection of the habitats in which most of thesepalms live. Despite the magnificent efforts ofseveral organizations, such as Greenpeace, whoare working hard to protect these habitats, thescale of the problem appears to be so large that itseems unlikely that these projects alone will besufficient to prevent many species of palm fromdisappearing.A few of the threatened species are wellestablished in cultivation, and, althoughcultivation is not an ideal substitute for preservinga species in the wild, it is surely better than losingthe species entirely. Unfortunately, many of thosespecies threatened with extinction in the wild arerare, or even non-existent, in cultivation.Whilst this is a gloomy picture, there doesseem to be a precaution that we can take, ratherlike taking out an insurance policy. My reasonfor writing is to ask the membership what theythink of my proposal. It is possible to purchaseplants or seeds of some of those palms that areboth threatened with extinction in the wild andrare in cultivation. My hope is that by raisingand caring for some of these, we, as amateurgrowers, may be able to help preserve them forfuture generations. Our action may not help tosafeguard them from destruction in the wild, but,providing we buy from reputable sources, neitherwill we hasten their destruction.Although conservation by amateur growersmay not seem to be an ideal approach to theproblem of saving palms from extinction, it doesseem to be a way in which some species, whichwill probably become extinct in the wild, mightbe saved for future generations. Certainly, if aspecies is destroyed in the wild, every plant ofthat species which survives in the collections ofamateurs will become more precious.Unfortunately, the fact that a species is keptin botanical gardens is not sufficient to guaranteeits survival. Genetic variety is important for thesurvival of a species because plants that aregenetically identical are likely to be vulnerableto the same pests and diseases. It seems thatvariety is more likely to be maintained if thespecies is kept not only in botanical gardens butalso in numerous small populations belonging toamateur growers. Also, there is a possibility thata species may become extinct and then, at a laterdate, an attempt may be made to reintroduce itinto the wild. Successful reintroduction seemsmore likely if greater numbers of the species areavailable, and, once again, small populations keptby amateur growers may prove invaluable.page 8

I do not know of an example of a palm thathas been reintroduced to the wild; instead, Iwould like to refer readers to an article about abird. See Tony Juniper's "Plan to bring Spix'smacaw back from the brink" in BBC Wildlifemagazine, October 2000. In 1990 there were onlytwelve Spix's macaws left - one in the wild andeleven in captivity. Since then a concerted efforthas been made to conserve this species and anumber have been bred. The first tentative stepshave been taken to introduce captive birds intothe wild, where, amazingly, the single birdremaining in 1990 has survived. The project hasnot yet succeeded, and may never do so, but itdoes illustrate the possible importance that palmskept in cultivation might have if their speciesbecomes extinct, or nearly so, in the wild.Conservation is a considerable challenge foran amateur grower. Pessimists quote a long listof problems facing the amateur grower, but Ithink it is wrong to allow pessimists to discourageus. Whilst it is true that an amateur grower willexperience many problems, this is true of anyworthwhile project, whether it be concerned withconservation of palms or anything else. Of course,the possibility of solving problems is an attractionfor anyone with a positive outlook.If, as enthusiasts, we can make a success ofcreating numerous small populations ofthreatened palms, then we might be able toencourage the wider public to participate. Everyyear, millions of people buy plants for their homeor garden, including a few species of palms ofwhich thousands are bought every year. Manygardeners raise plants from seed, though rarelypalms. Most of this vast expenditure goes towardsplants that are not threatened with extinction. Ifjust a small amount of this expenditure could bediverted into caring for threatened palms, thenthis would further increase the chances of thosespecies surviving. Of course, the principle couldbe extended to other types of plants, and for somesuggestions as to which species might be suitableI refer the reader to "Trees in trouble: a newcampaign to save world's rarest species," a sixteenpage booklet issued free with the abovementioned magazine.If the members think my proposal is worthpursuing, then I would be willing to devote someof my time to compiling a database of amateurgrowers and the threatened species of palm whichthey hold, and which they would one day bewilling to donate to a conservation programshould the need arise.For myself, when I buy palms in the future, Iwill be buying those threatened species that Ibelieve I can successfully look after, and for whichI can provide the conditions required by thespecies for reproduction. Although I am no expertI have drawn up a list of a few palms which seemsuitable for cultivation in a cool temperate climatesuch as our own, or for cultivation indoors, andI would be very interested to have members'comments on the list. I have examples of two: aChamaedorea glaucifolia, nearly 5ft tall, growingslowly but surely in my living room at atemperature of 70-80°F (21-27°C) and humidityof 65-75%. Excepting for midwinter, this plantgrows all year round. I also have a newlygerminated seedling of Dypsis decipiens.Brahea aculeata (Aculeata palm, SinaloaHesper Palm): B. aculeata will grow in a shelteredgarden in a cool temperate climate. It needs fullsun and well-drained soil. It is also suitable foruse indoors in a brightly-lit position. Single plantsare capable of producing fertile seeds. Height: 5m(15ft) Width: 2.5m (8ft). Conservation status:vulnerable.Brahea decumbens (Sierra Madre Palm): Theleaves of B. decumbens are amongst the bluestfound on any palm. It has a decumbent(underground) trunk and is slow growing. Itsnatural habitat is on exposed hills (in Mexico) soit may be suited to a cool temperate climatealthough this has not been proven. Indoors, itrequires full sun, well-drained soil, and it maybenefit from the addition of lime to the soil.Single plants are capable of producing fertileseeds. Height: 3m (10ft) Width: 2.5m (8ft).Conservation status: vulnerable.page 9

Chamaedorea glaucifolia (Glaucous ParlourPalm): This species has a tall and narrow profile(trunk less than 3cm thick) and up to 40 leafletson each leaf. It may grow to 5m but plants incultivation are usually less tall. Requires shadeand warm subtropical conditions to grow quickly,but will grow slowly indoors in less favourableconditions. Male and female plants are requiredfor fertile seed production. Height: 5m (16ft)Width: 1.5m (4ft). Conservation status:endangered.Chamaedorea hooperiana: This is a vigorous,clumping species and a native of Mexico. Itrequires shady conditions and moderatehumidity, and is not suitable for outdoors. Maleand female plants are required for fertile seedproduction. Height: 2m (6ft) Width: 1.5m (4ft).Conservation status: vulnerable.Chamaedorea klotschiana: This is a small,compact, decorative plant from Mexico, with aslender trunk and a small, extended crown ofarching leaves. It requires shade, and is notsuitable for outdoors. Male and female plants arerequired for fertile seed production. Height: 2m(6ft) Width: 1.5m (4ft). Conservation status: rare.Chamaedorea microspadix (Bamboo Palm):This clumping palm from Mexico is suitable fora sheltered garden, in a cool temperate climate,where a well-established plant will take a fewdegrees of frost. Requires shade and rich, welldrainedsoil, and tropical conditions to growquickly. Male and female plants are required forfertile seed production. Height: 3m (10ft) Width:1.5m (4ft). Conservation status: vulnerable.Chamaedorea pumila (Pumila Palm): Thisdwarf species from Costa Rica has leaves that areleathery, dark grey-green, iridescent, and may beslightly mottled. It requires shade and is notsuitable for outdoors. Male and female plants arerequired for fertile seed production. Height: 2m(6ft) Width: 1.5m (4ft). Conservation status:endangered.Chamaedorea radicalis (Hardy Parlour Palm):< Brahea aculeata in Sinaloa, MexicoThis species from Mexico has tough, dark green,leathery leaves, and grows to a height of 3m. Itprefers a shady location in a sheltered garden, andmay flower when young. This is the hardiest ofthe genus and mature plants may withstandtemperatures as low as -8C. Male and femaleplants are required for fertile seed production.Height: 3m (9ft) Width: 2m (6ft). Conservationstatus: vulnerable.Dypsis decipiens (Manambe Palm):D.decipiens has stiff, upright, leathery leaflets,and is from Madagascar. The stems are yellow. Itneeds bright, indirect light when young. Whenmature it may be grown in a sheltered, sunnygarden where it will withstand some frost. Singleplants are capable of producing fertile seed.Height: 6m (20ft) Width: 2.5m (8ft).Conservation status: endangered.Dypsis utilis (Vonitra Palm): This is anunusual palm with new leaves that are red and aforking trunk. It requires bright, indirect light,and is from Madagascar. It is not suitable foroutdoors. Single plants are capable of producingfertile seed. Height: 6m (20ft) Width: 2.5m (8ft).Conservation status: vulnerable.Phoenix rupicola (Cliff Date Palm): This palmis native to India where it grows in rockysituations in the foothills of the Himalayas. Ithas glossy leaflets held in a flat plane. Whenyoung, it requires bright, indirect light; but whenolder, it will take full sun and may tolerate a fewdegrees of frost in a sheltered garden, althoughthis is uncertain. Male and female plants arerequired for fertile seed production. Height: 7.5m(25ft) Width: 2.5m (8ft). Conservation status:vulnerable.Phoenix theophrastii (Cretan Date Palm): TheCretan date palm is one of only two species ofpalm that grow naturally in Europe. It survivesin only a few areas of Crete, Greece, and Turkey,where it grows on rocky slopes in semi arid areas.It has silver-grey foliage and a spiky appearance.In a sheltered spot in a sunny garden, matureplants will tolerate both frost and drought.page 11

Indoors the plant requires bright, indirect light.Male and female plants are required for fertileseed production. Height: 6m (20ft) Width: 2m(6ft). Conservation status: vulnerable.Rhopalostylis baueri (Kermadec Island NikauPalm): When mature this palm has a swollencrown-shaft, upright leaves, and broad leaflets,thereby giving the appearance of a shuttlecock.When young it can be kept indoors. When olderit can be kept in a very sheltered garden where itwill require rich soil. It requires protection if thetemperature drops below the freezing point.Single plants are capable of producing fertile seed.Height: 7.5m (25ft) Width: 3m (9ft).Conservation status: rare.Rhopalostylis sapida (Nikau Palm, FeatherDuster Palm): R.sapida comes from New Zealandand the Chatham Islands, and is the mostsoutherly naturally occurring palm. It grows inwet forests, often in poorly lit situations. Plantsneed shady, moist conditions and protection fromsunlight until they are about five years old. Whenlarger, R.sapida is suitable for cultivation outdoorsin a cool temperate climate. It is best suited to acool and moist position in a sheltered gardenwhere it will require protection if the temperaturedrops below about 3°C. Single plants are capableof producing fertile seed. Height: 7.5m (25ft)Width: 3m (9ft). Conservation status:indeterminate.Palm Trees of Lake Geneva...continued from page 5at the beginning of the season, in large holesthat are deep and well drained.I went to Ticino in May in search of a newJubaea. Unfortunately, as the large specimens arerare and much in demand, I came back homewith empty hands. Finally, with the help of thePalm Centre (thank you Martin!) I received amuch wished-for Jubaea in July that Iimmediately planted it in the garden, in a large,deep hole with well draining soil. The nextautumn, my wife gave me a second Trachycarpusthat measured 180cm. Though I was anxious tohave it in the ground, I'd learned my lesson, anddecided to keep it in its pot for the first winter.For extra caution, I used rain protection andmulch on the Jubaea to help it through its firstwinter. The first Trachycarpus remained withoutprotection. Luckily, the winter of 1999-2000 wasless cold with -8°C and the Jubaea and theTrachycarpus are in good health.My last acquisitions are a Brahea armata of160cm and a Butia yatay. The Brahea was plantedin the garden at the end of March in a very sandysoil. Like others, I am surprised by its speed ofgrowth. At the end of May, it had alreadyproduced a whole leaf. I also have many youngplants: Brahea armata, Chamaerops humilis,Sabal minor, Washingtonia filifera, Jubaeachilensis, Syagrus romanzoffiana, Phoenixcanariensis, Trachycarpus fortunei, T. takil andT. latisectus. My goal is to try acclimating Phoenixtheophrasti and Parajubaea torallyi, which seemto me particularly interesting.page 12

Palms of Tenerifeby Michael A.F. Carter, 52 Golden Avenue, West Kingston, N. East Preston, Littlehampton, West SussexBN16 1QXTenerife, one of the largest of the CanaryIslands, has a number of features of great interestto plant lovers. Situated at the centre of thearchipelago off the coast of North Africa, itssoutherly location at around 28 north and oceanicposition, guarantees year round sunshine andfrost free conditions at sea level. However, thecold Canary current driving North Atlantic seasdown from more northern climes ensures thatthe island remains cooler in the summer thancould reasonably be expected at this latitude.Consequently although a typical meantemperature in January is around 16°C/61°F, thisrises in August to 24°C/75°F only, considerablyless than much of the Mediterranean countrieslying significantly further north.Another feature is the dryness of the interiorand South and West of the island, owing to itsproximity to the Sahara and mountainous terrainin countries to the North and East, which receivelimited rainfall from the prevailing Trade Winds.Within an hour's drive it is possible to go fromlush banana plantations and vineyards to neardesert conditions therefore.Lastly is the impact of altitude. The islands,which are volcanic, have risen from the oceanfloor many millions of years ago withcorresponding numerous high peaks. In Tenerifethis feature is even more extremely demonstratedthan on the other islands, with Mt. Teide ñ abrooding volcano rising to 12,2000 feet abovesea level.Tenerife shares with its neighbours, a numberof famous native trees. Probably the most widelyplanted world-wide, ornamental for temperateand sub-tropics is Phoenix canariensis, theCanary Island Date Palm which appearseverywhere at the lower levels. This magnificentpalm of course flourishes widely, but hugespecimens can be particularly appreciated in thetown square of the market town of La Orataura,along the fertile north coast valley of the samename. In the area too can be seen the famousCanary Dragon Tree, Dracaena Draco, with aspecimen at nearby Icod, claimed to be 3000 yearsold.Further up the slopes appear forests of thebeautiful Canary Island Pine, Pinus canariensis.Indeed a must for any visitor is a drive by escortedbus taking 2 to two and a half hours from thecoast to around 7,000 feet up Mt. Teide. Thejourney literally commences beside African FlameTrees and Frangipani and finishes above the treeline. A trip which would normally cover 30 to40 degrees of latitude! I noted that the last partof the journey saw (presumably introduced BlueAtlantic cedars, from the Atlas mountains, takeover from the pines to the to the winter ski slope.Seeing these Cedars capable of growing at thisheight resistant to fierce winds and intensesunlight in the rarified atmosphere is trulybreathtaking.I visited the Canary Islands several times inthe 1970's. I recall in addition to the CanaryIsland palms, the ubiquitos Washingtonia, asingle large coconut , Cocus nucifera in Las Palmson Gran Canaria and a few Howea palms inNorthern Tenerife. In summer 1999, however, Iwas fortunate to return to Puerto de la Cruz, amajor resort on the northern green coast ofTenerife, for a holiday. I was intrigued to seewhether the continuing rise of the vacationindustry has triggered a more adventurous rangeof ornamental palms capable of thriving in thisbenign climate. I knew for example that in thispage 13

esort a single Lido swimming pool area had nowbeen superseded by a series of artificial volcanicringed lagoons complete with waterfalls, largefountains for bathers to overcome the lack ofnatural beaches and in the resorts, yellow Saharasand had been shipped in to improve 'MotherNature'.I was not to be disappointed. Cocos nuciferawas now planted everywhere at sea level, as wereHowea forsteriana Caryota species, Syagrusromanzoffiana, Archontophoenixcunninghamiana and Roystonea palms. Thegeneral effect in some resort areas, like Puerto deLa Cruz is that of a mini Caribbean or Hawaii.Two specific sites are of particular interest toplant fanciers, viz. The Botanic Gardens at Puertoand the Loro Parque Theme Park. The BotanicGardens, and indeed the surrounding suburbs,called El Boltanico, are a must with Flame Trees,ornamental ponds and tropical trees of immensesize with trunk-like aerial roots. The collectionof palms and tree ferns in this 200 year old garden,is immense with everything from the WestAfrican Oil Palm, Elaieis guineensis, through tothe Trachycarpus species. The entire length ofone side of the garden is taken up with plantedout individual specimens of palms, each onerepresenting a different type to its neighbour, withvarious members of the same family planted inproximity, allowing contrasts to be readily made.One further surprise was the Loro ParqueZoological/Botanical Theme Park situated nearthe coast on the other side of Puerto de La Cruz.The park was founded by the German naturalistWolfgang Kiessling in late 1972 to house acollection of rare parrots. Today it has beenexpanded to an area ten times its original sizeand now houses more than 800 species and subspeciesof the parrot family, plus many mammals,including chimpanzees, tigers, gorillas, plusdolphins and reptiles etc. The viewing areas,laboratories, restaurants and transport facilitiesare all extremely modern and clean and woulddo credit to the most successful U.S. Theme Park.A large botanical collection is featured,including a line of rapidly grown Roystoneas atthe entrance by the Thai Pavilion, complete withthree elephant shaped topiary displays. Manypalms including fruiting coconuts, can also beseen. However, the most spectacular part of thegarden is undoubtedly the Kentia Palm Grovecontaining some 750 Howeia Forsteriana palms,most with green trucks, amongst which strollCrowned Cranes to add to the spectacle. All ofthis just four hours flight time away from thesouth of England!The Cretan Date Palm...continued from page 7impossible to see the individual trunks. Themost fascinating thing for me was the light greento slightly blue colouring, and the extremestiffness, of the leaves. I have got a very livelyimpression of the spiny nature of these leaves asI hurt myself on the head when I was collectingsome seeds. After 2km the palms grew smallerand finally disappeared, and the canyon endedat a waterfall.On the way back, I waded through the riverto get some further impressions. Back on thebeach, I met my friends and we stayed until thesun disappeared behind the mountains. Deeplyimpressed with pockets full of palm seeds, wemade our way back.page 14Above: Roystonea palms and Elephant Topiary bushes at the entrance to Lono Parque >Below: Coconuts by the Lido area of Puerto de la Cruz >

Completely Hardyby Rev. Geoffrey F. SquireOne winter afternoon about three years ago,I was driving through a suburb of Torquay whenthe light on a set of temporary traffic lightschanged to red. As I waited there I glancedaround at the houses and was amazed to see whatappeared to be a tall Rhopalostylis sapida growingin the corner of the walls of a large house andjust visible above the tall boundary walls.I had heard that one or two of these used togrow in the area but were killed by anexceptionally cold night in February 1987, so Iwas quite excited about this find, and resolved toreturn again on a brighter day with a camera tophotograph some for possible publication inChamaerops.Early the following spring I was in the areaon a bright afternoon, and set off walking around,camera in hand, to try to relocate the palm. Afterwalking around the area for about an hourwithout finding it, I gave up. Over the monthsfollowing I made two more attempts, but withno luck. Then, a few weeks ago, I was driving aminibus through the area and suddenly spottedit. I realized that I needed the raised seat of theminibus to see it over the high garden walls.The whole thing was made of plastic with asectional screw-together trunk, and was once usedby the woman's husband for a series of tradeexhibitions in relation to New Zealand.At a recent local fair I saw 3/4m high plastic"Fan Palms" (very good copies of smallTrachycarpus) for sale in plastic pots. At that samefair I also saw a stall selling similarly sized butreal live "Garden Palms," which were not theincorrectly named "Westcountry Palms,"Cordyline australis, but Phoenix canariensis.With the ability to reproduce, in plastic andwith an amazing degree of accuracy, things likeleaves, flowers, and palms, I suppose that it isonly a matter of time before plastic coconut palmsare seen along the seafront of some East-coastresort or amusement park. I am sure that thereaders of Chamaerops, however, will considerthe possibility of some of those Phoenixcanariensis growing to maturity somewhere inNorth Devon to be much more exciting.I parked around the corner and returned,with my camera, to the house. I rang the frontdoor bell to explain my interest in the palm to avery pleasant woman who seemed to find myinterest amusing. She took me around the corner,and there it was. It stood about 5m, but was of asomewhat different species than I anticipated, onethat should be completely hardy in all regionssouth of the Arctic Circle.It was Rhopalostylis sapida, variety "Plastica,"and was "growing" in a solid block of concrete!page 16

My Exotic Collectionby Tony Walker, 16 Dunstall Road, London SW20 0HR, EnglandOutside, bedded out, my less-than-ten-yearsoldTrachycarpus fortunei grows excessively fast.Its trunk is now about 1m tall. It is at the base ofour front (SSE-facing) rockery, so may get somewater drain off, and I put a few gelatin granulesamongst the roots when planting it. The slightlyolder Trachycarpus wagerianus is much slower,but it is in the middle of a sloping lawn thatreadily dries out, and was not given gelatinegranules. Slower still is my Butia capitata, but itis at the top of the front rockery, which can bevery dry, though it does have gelatine granules.My Chamaerops grows steadily, but not quickly.It is in a slightly damper patch of grass than theTrachycarpus wagnerianus, on the back lawn.None of the above receive weather protection.Over the years the only trouble I've noted is frostdamage to new growth on the Butia in springafter a late frost.While living, new leaves are produced, thoughmaybe still from seed reserves. They needsomething else later on, and I don't know what.Is it chemical or physical? Am I getting thecompost wrong, the watering, or are they toocold? I find them more difficult than palms, mostcacti and succulents, my terrestrial orchids, oranything else I grow. Yet in some non-specialistgarden centers one can find Cycads almost 'twoa penny' - in old money! It would be interestingto know people's respective abilities to keepCycads in the house in a sunny window or in thegreen house. Even some hotels seem to have noproblem, often having several in the foyer for along time. And they probably use tap water too!All for now, more news as it breaks.Potted and indoors in winter, my Caryota'Himalaya' grows steadily but had a set back lastwinter when I left it outside. It lost all its leavesin Nov/Dec 1999, when there were some frosts,but the roots in the not-insulated pot were fine.Now, a year later, the first of the new lot of leavesis about to unfold. A Phoenix (from a date stone),just about hangs on, and it is very slow. Maybe itneeds more feeding, or more heat. The two'parlour palms', Chamaedorea elegans andChamaedorea metallica, seem fine and growsteadily. I'm afraid I always cut the flower budsoff the former, mainly to prevent a later mess,but also maybe to promote leaf growth.I do not seem to manage to grow Cycads,despite germinating Encephalartos fridericiguilielmifrom seed and keeping it a year. Imanaged to keep plants for up to four or fiveyears, but then they slowly fade away and die.page 17

A Garden in Provenceby Daniel Carle, Route de Modene 604, 84330 Caromb, FranceResponding to the letter of B. Schnell(Chamaerops # 37), I am sending a few photosof my "exotic" garden situated in SoutheastFrance in Provence: between Avignon (30 km)and Mont-Ventroux (10 km). The altitude isabout 190m, latitude 44°05'N and it is 90kmfrom the Mediterranean Sea.Showing palm enthusiasts gardensthroughout European countries is, I think, anexcellent idea. When I started to plant my firstexotic plants, they consisted of an ordinary Yuccagloriosa in 1982 and four Trachycarpus fortuneiin 1984. At this time they were 50cm in height;they are now about 5m tall and one plant fruitsevery year. Similarly, three Cordyline australis,50cm when planted in 1987, are now 5m talland blossom every year.In 1988, near the Trachycarpus, I planted asmall Washingtonia filifera (50cm). I have seenamazingly fast growth, and it now reaches about7m tall and has a 4m trunk (circumference =2,5m). It is planted in a sheltered position (lotsof sun, sheltered from the Mistral and coldwinds). It has withstood about -10°C in winter.Between the Trachycarpus and Washingtonia is aBrahea armata, 40cm tall when planted in 1989,1,70m now with 50cm trunk. I made the mistakeof planting it under a fig tree, creating a too shadyposition in summer, but this hasn't prevented itfrom growing well, though more slowly than theWashingtonia, of course.My other plantings are a Phoenix canariensisin 1987 (50cm), which is 2m tall now; three Butiacapitata planted in the early 90's; and another T.fortunei (but in a windy position). After a difficultstart due to the cold Mistral when young, it'snow very hardy. All these palms have withstood -10°C since 1987 (three or four times).More recently I've tried to plant somedifferent palms, and some have also withstood -10°C, including: Jubaea chilensis (50cm tall);Brahea edulis (40cm); Trithrinax acanthocoma(40cm); Nannorrhops ritchiana (25cm); twoTrachycarpus wagnerianus (30cm); Chamaeropshumilis (50cm); and Sabal mexicana, Sabal minorand Sabal palmetto. All these plants are relativelyyoung and not protected in winter. These otherplantings have withstood -7°C (lightly protected):Brahea brandeegei (50cm); Trithrinax campestris(20cm); Rhapis excelsa (80cm); Phoenixroebelenii (60cm); Livistona decipiens (50cm);and Butia yatay. One Syagrus romanzoffiana(1,50m) failed at -7°C, but I planted another onethe following spring.This spring I tried some more exotic palms(all about 50cm high), in very sheltered positions:Phoenix sylvestris; Brahea dulcis; two Phoenixreclinata; Livistona australis, L. chinensis, L.decipiens; Cycas revoluta; and the more delicateParajubaea cocoides. This one will probably needa heating cable in winter. Around these palms Iplanted other exotics: Some Eucalyptus (E.gunnii, E viminalis, E. dalrympleana); oneAbutilon megapotamium; lots of agaves, yuccas,opuntias; a Musa basjoo; one Kumquat (Citrusfortunella or Fortunella margarita); one Citrussp. (Japanese lemon tree); and two Citrus satsuma(Japanese mandarin trees).All these plants are rather cold hardy andthrive well in this Mediterranean climate, but I'mwaiting for a severe winter to give their coldhardiness a real test. In Provence, the mainproblem for exotic plantings are the frosts inwinter, usually between -6°C and - 10°C,depending on the winter; and eventually a veryhard frost , occurring about every 30 years, likein 1956 or 1985, dipping to temperatures around- 17°C. Apart from the Mistral, which can blowall year, another problem is the dryness insummer, which necessitates frequent watering foryoung palms. I hope that palm enthusiasts willbe inspired with this news from Provence.page 18Clockwise from top left: Agave sp., Musa basjo, Cordyline, Cycas revoluta, Butia capitata.The photos were taken in early September 2000. >

LettersYour chance to air your views and share your news."The New Exotic Garden" - Book ReviewThe editorial in Chamaerops 34 discussed theuse of other exotic plants to complement ouroutdoor palm collections. Of particular note wasthe comment "the effect can be jaw-dropping".I wish to draw to the attention of EPSmembers the recent release of an excellent bookentitled "The New Exotic Garden" by Will Giles,published by Mitchell Beazley (Hardback, ISBN1-84000-241-7)With many stunning colour photographs itillustrates how to use hardy or near hardy exoticsto introduce colour, texture and form to the cooltemperate garden. The author discusses the useof hardy palms, bamboos, phormiums and otherarchitectural evergreens to provide a permanenthardy structure and backbone. Three chaptersthen describe how to create each of the three maintypes of exotic garden :- the colourful tropicallookgarden using contrasting textures and hotreds, oranges and yellows provided by plants likecannas, bananas, gingers, aroids, dahlias andcoleus; the lush jungle-style garden incorporatinghardy ferns, hostas and grasses into the evergreenbackground; and the dry mediterranean stylegarden using succulents, Yuccas and otherdrought resistant plants. Most gardens possess themicroclimates to create at least two of these styles.The author then goes on to discuss the techniqueshe uses to grow and over-winter the main groupsof exotics, namely cordylines, succulents, cannas,gingers, tree ferns, aroids, bananas, coleus andbamboo. The final chapter is a directory of exoticplants by genus with descriptions of the bestspecies to use, heights, site and soil requirementsand both U.K. and U.S. hardiness ratings.Refreshingly for us palm enthusiasts, the sectionon palms includes not only Trachycarpus andChamaerops but also Brahea, Butia, Jubaea,Nannorrhops and Phoenix.In conclusion, for dedicated palm lovers thisbook offers us the inspiration to turn our spikygreen palm collections into the core of an exoticparadise - well worth the £17.99 asking price.Alan Hindle, Dudley, UKPigmy WaggieBack in 1992 I bought 130 Trachycarpusfortunei seeds and managed to get most of themto germinate. After about18 months I noticedthat 3 had much smaller and stiffer leaves. I keptthese to one side, as I didn't want to sell them orgive them to friends and relatives. They are nowquite definitely Waggies. All 3 grow at the samerate and have approximately the same number ofleaves, but 1 is markedly smaller than the othertwo.They all germinated in spring 1992, so theyare about 8 years old. The two larger ones are 38cm tall with 16 cm diameter leaves. The smallerone, however, is only 21 cm tall with a maximumleaf diameter of just 9 cm. As I already explainedthe growth rate is the same for all three, only theproportions are different. It will be interesting tosee how thick (or thin) the trunk is, when it growsone. Do you know of any other Pigmy Waggies?DaveThanks Dave, nice picture. Waggies seem tocome in all shapes and sizes. We get them heresometimes with small leaves like yours, but I don'tknow if they retain this stature, or if it grows out asthey get bigger. I suppose the ultimate is no leaf atall, just a collection of petiole stumps! I expect you'replanning to plant them out; it will be interesting topage 20Above: Uxbridge Trachycarpus (see page 23). Below: Pigmy Waggie. >

see how they develop over the years. (mg)World's Most Northerly Palm?I am sending you a photo of the TrachycarpusWageranius that I took to Iceland last summer,which is not only surviving -20C temps and 80knots winds in almost total darkness, but has newleaves coming on. It is truly an amazing palm,grown on the 66°N parallel just below the ArcticCircle. Is this the most northerly palm in theworld? My friend has it planted next to his 'hottub' which may help its survival........just fromwhat it sees in the hot tub, if not the warmth...!!Hal GambleA Scenic HavenI thought your readers would be interestedin the following. To sell: Largest outdoor Palmcollection in central Europe, with property andhouse. About 120 rare species, plus thousandsof other plants. House has a wonderful lake-view,11 rooms, outside and inside swimming pool andwhirlpool. Property is surrounded by protectedforests, situated 60 m above Lago Maggiore. Ascenic haven for plant lovers! Please contact P.O.Box 715, CH-6614, Brissago, Switzerland.ErrorI wish to correct an error in my article"Winter Growth", page 16, Chamaerops 37. MyPhoenix canariensis in the ground is protectedwhen the temperature drops below minus threeCelsius and not plus three Celcius as stated. Onone icy, snowy night however, the palm was leftunprotected causing the above-ground foliage tobe killed. I pulled out a couple of rotting spearsin late winter and poured in regular doses offungicide until early summer. The palm soongrew back to it's original size over the summer.Alan Hindle, Dudley, U.K.Tales of a Rooftop GardenerI have a flat roof extension which I convertedto a walk-on balcony. It is south facing and isenjoyed by my small collection of palms, yuccas,and cordylines. The floor of the balcony is coveredwith heavy grade, green mineral felt. All the plantsare obviously in pots; some have trays, but somedon‘t to allow for better drainage. One plantfrom this latter category is a 90 cm PhoenixCanariensis in a 10“ pot. Recently it gave meand my pansy-and-petunia-loving wife (howboring) quite a shock. The Date palm had sentits roots through the pot drainage holes and boredits way into the roofing felt about 10-12“ in everydirection. I was dumbfounded. I then had thetask of carefully cutting away the felt to reveal amass of beautiful, creamy white, healthy roots;and, of course, repotting the palm.The outcome of this little episode? Well, myappreciation for the tenacity of palms hasheightened while my wife is now even moredetermined to stick to her pansies and petunias.Needless to say, all my pots are now in trays.Paul Hardy, Sheffield, U.K.A Long WinterAlthough I‘ve been an EPS member for 3years, I‘ve never written. At the moment I‘m alittle out of practice speaking English, but I hopepage 22

you understand nevertheless. I always like theprefaces in ‘Chamaerops‘ best. I‘m a great fan ofTrithrinax acanthocoma. I bought one such palmover 4 years ago and now it is almost 1 meterhigh. Last spring, after a long winter, it was clearthat it had suffered. The new sprout was brown,and during the summer the palm grew really shortfronds. Was this caused by dryness in winter or,perhaps, not having the right pH value aftertransplanting it to a new pot?I‘d like to write an article about all my plants,palms and banana trees, for Chamaerops soon.For today, thank you very much and many kindregards.Helga Baumgartner, Burghausen, Germany.Trithrinax acanthocoma is very tolerant tovarying pH levels in the soil, so I‘m sure this wasnot the problem. It is more likely that dryness inthe soil or prolonged exposure to cold and dampconditions was the cause. (ts)Uxbridge TrachycarpusI am writing to report on the marvelous standof Trachycarpus fortunei growing in the groundsof Brunel University at Uxbridge.I should explain that my wife and I met atBrunel in the mid-1970s where we both studiedChemistry, and although we have lived in the areasince graduating, we have rarely returned to thecampus. However, in April this year we attendeda Chemistry Department reunion, along withBrunel graduates from the past 40 years, whichgave us the opportunity to have a good lookround.The weather was awful, cold and wet, andmade more depressing by the news of theimminent closure of the Chemistry Department,after 50 years at Uxbridge. Therefore, imagineour pleasure on finding that those "strange spikyplants" we remembered in the grass in front ofthe Biology-Chemistry building had grown intoa fine stand of 22 Trachycarpus fortunei!These are planted in two informal groups atthe western end of the building, with a doublerow of 14 plants towards the east. All enjoy asoutherly aspect and are protected by the buildingfrom the occasional cold north wind. As can beseen from the enclosed photographs, the plantsare in fine condition and the abundant fruitindicates that they had all flowered the previousyear.I should add that in the 1970s I hadabsolutely no interest in palms and had, alongwith almost everyone else at Brunel, dismissedthese "strange" plants and imagined that theywould soon succumb to the cold. There musthave been at least one palm enthusiast since. Iunderstand that the young plants were given tothe university by one of the professors. The lessonfor all of us palm enthusiasts, (and others), is ofcourse, that Trachycarpus fortunei and manyother "hardy" palms can grow into magnificentfeatures given sufficient time and favourableconditions. They certainly do an excellent job ofhiding the otherwise unattractive concrete andglass buildings at Brunel.Hopefully other institutions and localauthorities can be encouraged to plant morepalms now in order to provide a similarlyimpressive spectacle in 25 years time. We willcertainly be returning to the campus later on inthe summer to photograph these palms in flower.N A J Hobbs, Uxbridge, Middlesex, U.K.Send your letters to:The European Palm Societyc/o The Palm CentreHam Central NurseryHam Street, HamRichmond, Surrey, TW10 7HA, UKOr by e-mail: mail@palmsociety.orgpage 23

w w w . p a l m s o c i e t y . o r g