A pineapple palm tree is one of the varieties of palms that needs little care, but can still grow up to be quite imposing. Find out more about this regal palm, in this article.
When asked to close your eyes and imagine that you’re lying on a beach, the image that pops into your head is most probably something like this – clear, blue water, glistening in the sun’s rays, golden sand, and a light breeze that filters through the stately but gentle palm trees bordering the beach giving shade to a person now and then. Isn’t that right? Well, that’s because palms are always associated with sandy areas that have sufficient supply of water and sunlight. And that’s where they grow best. The pineapple palm tree too, is one of the palm tree varieties that has these typical palm tree characteristics, in addition to which, it has a breathtaking appearance that will enhance the beauty of any landscape. Let’s delve further into information about this palm tree in the sections given in this Gardenerdy article.
Quick Notes
Botanical Name: Phoenix canariensis
Alternate Names: Canary Island Date Palm, Pineapple Palm, Canary Palm
Method of Propagation: Seed, Seedling, or Sprout
Average Height: Approximately 50 to 60 feet (fully grown)
Family: Palmae/Arecaceae
Facts to Remember
This section will tell you all that you wanted to know about the pineapple palm. Just skim through these simple points about the fundamentals of this type of palm tree.
- The pineapple palm tree, as its alternate name suggests, is native to the Canary Islands. These islands are situated near the coast of Africa’s mainland.
- It is an extremely hardy palm variety that can withstand even harsh cold climates. This is the reason it is used in areas that experience cold winters.
- The structure and appearance of this palm are what give it its unusual name. If you look at it, you will notice that its trunk has diamond shaped structures on it. These structures converge into the upper portion of the trunk where begin the majestic looking fans of the palm.
- The spines of the palm are sharp and pointed. The leaves on these spines are pinnate, alternate, and can form an arch that can reach a whopping length of 18 feet!
- The leaves have a deep green color and as they go towards the stem, they turn a light shade of green and finally yellow at the stem.
- The upper side of the leaves may appear all brittle and feathery, but the bottom side of the leaves have very distinctly sharpened spines.
- This palm variety does bear fruit, though they are inconsequential compared to the visual aspect of the palm. The fruits resemble dates, have a dull orange color, and an oval shape. These fruits look as unappealing as they taste.
- They grow right at the center of clusters of flowers that are generally found on the branches that are the highest on the palm.
- The clusters of flowers can reach a length of about 1 foot and those of the dates can reach a length of 1.6 feet.
- They are pale yellow or cream in color and blossom sporadically in the months of March to May.
- Areas where you’ll find the pineapple palm in abundance are the coastlines of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, etc.
- The only things that you need to take care of when planting this sturdy variety of palms is that it gets good sandy, loam or clayey soil. It can even survive in alkaline soil.
- Another point to keep in mind is that it requires a lot of space, air and adequate water supply to grow to its full height.
- When you plant this palm, it may take quite some time to grow at first. Don’t sweat over it. Once it matures, it will grow faster and sometimes even up to 6 feet in a year!
The pineapple palm is a perfect variety for adorning huge garden spaces and landscapes. So, get it only if you have ample space in your yard. Else, plant it in the campus of your school, college or office and enjoy its grandeur along with the others!
