Phoenix roebelinii - Pygmy Date Palm

This Phoenix rupicola palm tree appreciates sun, heat, and well-drained but not too dry soils in summer. Planted in the ground in our mildest regions of the Mediterranean or Atlantic coast, its hardiness is very limited (-4 to -5°C (24.8 to 23°F) for short periods. Elsewhere, place it in a large pot to be able to shelter it in winter. It must be protected in case of announced cold, by tying the crown of leaves quite tightly to protect the heart of the plant. Place it in the sun, in ordinary but well-tilled, and well-drained soil. The ideal is planting in soil that retains little water but is slightly moist in summer: a balanced mixture of coarse sand, potting soil, and garden soil. It requires little maintenance except for pruning the oldest palm leaves close to the stem.

Pot cultivation: 

Choose a very large pot or a perforated bottom container with a capacity of 75 to 100 liters. Prepare a mixture composed of 50% loam, 25% potting soil, 25% sand, mix well. Place a drainage layer at the bottom (clay balls, gravel, broken terracotta pots) before partially fill your container. Place your palm tree on the mixture, so that the neck (the area where the roots originate) does not exceed the pot but is not buried too deep in the substrate either. Add the rest of the mixture around the root ball, firmly compact. Water in several stages to saturate the substrate with water and remove air. Place your palm tree in a very bright place, avoiding excessive sunlight. Outdoors, initially place it in partial shade, avoiding full sun that could burn its foliage. After two weeks in partial shade, you can gradually expose it to the sun. In winter, it can be placed in a frost-free greenhouse or an unheated conservatory. Spray the foliage from time to time and reduce watering. Apply organic fertilizer or compost in spring.

Diseases and pests:

In the PACA region, where they are often planted, as well as in the south of France and Spain, large palm trees are victims of parasites such as the larvae of the widespread Paysandra archon, a large butterfly that is active up to England. Specific treatments are now available as preventive measures. The red palm weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) has been present in our territory since 2006. The symptoms are as follows: cut, dried, or yellowing palm leaves. These pests attack numerous species of palm trees, with a fatal outcome: the leaves irreversibly and completely dry out as soon as the heart of the stem hosts larvae.