How to identify my palm tree
Palm trees form an exotic addition to any landscape. With the correct maintenance and upkeep they can provide a lifetime of beauty, but in order to keep the plant healthy, it is essential to know what type of palm tree you have. Different species need different levels of water, sun, temperature and fertilizer, and an incorrect approach can even lead to death of the tree. With this in mind, it is essential to know what kind of palm garden you have.
The first step to identification is to look at the leaves of the palm tree. Broad leaflets that come off a common midrib generally characterize the fan palm. The fan looks a lot like an opened hand, hence the name. The leaflets are generally deeply incised and can be quite large and heavy. Conversely, pinnate leaves that grow from a common stem characterize typical palm leaves.
Another way to identify a palm tree is by its trunk. Palms tend to grow straight and slender without much girth. Some trees, such as the coconut palm, have a tighter knurled texture that gives it a diamond pattern. Most trees have no branching, but the date palm is an exception with several stems coming out of the same spot. The trunks of palm trees are usually covered in fibrous leaf material called skirts, although some species such as the coconut palm are devoid of them.
Also, palms can be identified by examining the shape of their crown. Single-stemmed palms like the Pindo palms, for example, tend to be multi-tiered, with each leaf being larger than the previous one. Species such as the common coconut palm, on the other hand, produce leaves with a uniform size.
The final approach to identifying the type of palm tree in your landscape is to obtain a sample of the fruit produced by the plant. While the fruit is not a consistent feature in all species, many, such as the date palm, produce bunches of edible fruits that can be used to identify the palm in question.
Distinguishing a Windmill palm tree
For those living in cold temperate climates, the Windmill palm tree is a popular choice due to its hardiness. With its feathery, segmented leaves and lack of growth after maturity, it’s easy to mistake one of these palms for another. However, there are a few characteristics that can help you identify it.
First of all, the canopy of the Windmill can be identified by its distinctive shape and size. The leaflets sit at an angle and form a fan-like crown at the top of the trunk. Although the leaves are larger and longer than other cold-tolerant palms, such as the Chinese Fan Palm, they are arranged symmetrically and each leaflet hangs from a flat petiole.
Additionally, the Windmill palm tree is a single-trunked species, and the trunks tend to form a somewhat straight and slender cylinder. The trunks tend to be either brown or gray in colour, with fine leaf-scars and gray-brown forked fibres running up and down the entire length of the trunk.
The Windmill palm tree is also highly identifiable by the presence of its characteristic seed heads. Unlike other palm varieties, the Windmill produces small clusters of seeds that grow in size and shape with time. They appear a deep reddish-brown color, and have a curved shape with tendrils at the tip that look almost like an ear of corn. If you can see these seed heads at the top of the palm, you’ve likely identified a Windmill.
Distinguishing between a Mediterranean and Canarian palm tree
The Mediterranean and Canarian palms are two distinct species that can be found in warmer, subtropical climates such as the Mediterranean basin. Both types are popular for their tall trunks and crowns of thin leaves. It is important to be able to identify the difference between the two as they can thrive at different soil and sun conditions.
The easiest way to distinguish the two is through their trunks. The Mediterranean palm is a single-trunked species with smooth bark ranging from grey to white in color. Its trunk is normally narrower than the Canarian palm and can grow up to 100 feet tall.
Conversely, the Canarian palms have a yellow-brown trunk with a rough and spongy texture. Its trunks are usually thicker than the Mediterranean cells, and the trees can grow up to 65 feet tall.
The crown of the Mediterranean palm tree is thin compared to the Canarian palm’s. The leaflets of the Mediterranean species grow off of a single stem and are arranged in a single plane. On the other hand, the Canarian palm’s leaflets typically grow in a double plane and the leaflets are broader than the Mediterranean palm species.
Additionally, the Mediterranean palm tree is often identified by its yellow-brown and red fruit, while the Canarian palm produces a black fruit.
Distinguishing a Royal and Queen palm tree
The Royal and Queen palms are two of the most popular palm trees found in warm and tropical climates. Both species can be identified by their tall, smooth trunks, with the Royal palm growing up to 40 feet and the Queen up to 90 feet in height.
The leaflets of the Royal tree are generally broad and arranged in a double plane, with each leaf wider than the next. The leaflets themselves are deeply cut, with the petioles, or leaf stalks, up to a foot in length. The crown of this species has a width of 10 or more leaves and is shaped like an umbrella.
Conversely, the Queen palm species has thinner leaflets and narrower petioles than the Royal palm. They are arranged in a single plane, with leaflets of equal lap. The crown of this species has a width of up to 6 leaves, and is more rounded and compact than the Royal palm tree.
The Royal palm species is identified by its clustered, yellow-colored fruits, while the Queen palm bears a single black-colored fruit.
Distinguishing a Bottle and Areca palm
The Bottle and Areca palms are two of the most popular palm trees found in warm and tropical climates. Both species can be identified by their tall, slender trunks, with the Bottle growing up to 25 feet and the Areca up to 40 feet in height.
The leaf base of the Bottle palms are usually open, with a fan of long foliole radiating downwards. The leaflets tend to be drooped and arranged in a single plane. The edges of the leaflets are pin-tipped, giving them a feathery look.
Conversely, the Areca palms leaf bases are closed and the leaflets are arranged in a double plane with a width of up to 3 feet. Further, Areca leaflets have more pointed tips than their Bottle counterparts and the trunk is more slender and slenderly ringed than the Bottle palm tree.
The Bottle palm is identified by its clustered, yellow-colored fruits, while the Areca palm bears a single black-colored fruit.
Identifying a Pygmy and Sago palm
The Pygmy and Sago palms are two species that are cold hardy enough for temperate climates. Both species have short but very thick trunks, with the Sago growing up to 5 feet and the Pygmy up to 7 feet in height.
A major difference between the two species is the shape and arrangement of the leaflets. The leaflets of the Pygmy palm range from having a deep groove down the center to being elongated and arched. They tend to be arranged in a single plane and have a fan-like appearance when viewed from the top.
Conversely, the leaves of the Sago species are broader and flat and feature a curved edge that resembles a fish-tail. They are also arranged in a double plane, with each leaf wider than the next.
The Pygmy palm produces a small, orange fruit in the fall, while the Sago palm bears a small, yellow-colored fruit.
Distinguishing a Lady palm and Rhapis palm
The Lady and Rhapis palms are two species that are regarded for their beauty and hardiness in temperate and tropical climates. Both species have short but very thick trunks, with the Lady palm growing up to 10 feet and the Rhapis up to 15 feet in height.
The leaflets of the Lady palm have distinctly jagged edges, giving the tree a very bushy appearance. The leaflets tend to be arranged in a single plane and have a fan-like appearance when viewed from the top.
The leaflets of the Rhapis palm, on the other hand, have uniform and smooth edges and are arranged in a double plane. The leaflets of this species are usually numerous and closely packed.
The Lady palm tree is identified by its small clusters of yellow-brown fruits in early summer, while the Rhapis palm tree produces a single elongated, red-brown fruit in the fall.
