Phoebe

Canary Island date palm

Phoenix Canariensis; Canary date palm

• 
  Most light conditions
• 
  Easy care

• Phoebe likes...
  • 
    Medium light

    She loves the sun, but she’s happiest if she gets a little bit of shade for part of the day, for a break from the heat.

  • 
    Light watering

    She likes her soil on the dry side. You can let her dry out completely between drinks.

  • 
    Feeding

    Help her grow big and strong by giving her a feed with liquid fertiliser once per month in spring and summer.

• Quick facts

  Botanical name

  Phoenix canariensis

  Nickname

  Canary Island date palm

  Plant type

  Outdoor palm

  Plant height (including pot)

  100-110cm; 160-170cm

  Pet/Baby safe?

  Leaves toxic if consumed

  Nursery pot size

  21cm; 26cm

• About Canary Island date palms

  You’ll have already guessed where this plant comes from. This magnificent specimen is the national emblem of the Canary Islands, where you’ll find it growing to heights of around 40m. Don’t worry about it growing that tall on your balcony. Even in the wild it would take 60 years or more to reach full height.

  You’re unlikely to get fruit on a plant grown in the UK, but it’s no great loss as they’re apparently not particularly tasty. This is more a plant to enjoy for its large sculptural leaves. In the Canary Islands, those leaves are used to make all sorts of things, from baskets, to brooms, to hats. Unless you are a skilled artisan though, we advise caution with her leaves as they are quite sharp!

  This is an easy way to give a tropical feel to your outdoor space. Give it a spot that gets a mix of sun and shade throughout the day and try to water it whenever the top two inches of soil feel dry.

  Your plant will arrive in a nursery pot (the plastic pot it’s been growing in). There’s no need to remove it from this. Just place the whole thing inside a decorative pot and enjoy. There’s a reason the Canary Islands are so proud of this plant. It’s an absolute beauty.

  Did you know?

  The sap of a mature Canary Island date palm is very sweet and is used to make syrup.