Dwarf fan palm

Dwarf fan palm: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low palm with one or more short trunks, forming a broad clump over the years; here usually 1–2 m tall and wide.

Leaves

Stiff and fan-shaped, 50–80 cm across, deeply cut into narrow segments; green to blue-grey.

Leaf stalk

Long and armed with sharp, forward-pointing spines: always work with gloves on.

Flower

Short, dense clusters of small yellow flowers among the leaves, in May–June. Male and female flowers are usually on separate plants.

Fruit

On female plants, small date-like fruits, green at first and later yellowish brown.

Trunk

Covered in fibres and the remains of old leaf stalks.

Flowering: May–June · Plants: May–June · Pruning: May

Why grow it?

• One of the hardiest palms: with a sheltered spot and good drainage it can stay outdoors here.
• Green all year round, with a bold, exotic shape.
• Stays compact and grows slowly: suitable for a small garden, a patio or a large pot.
• Once established it is drought tolerant and needs little work.
• Lovely in a gravel garden or a Mediterranean border, among grasses and grey-leaved plants.

Dwarf fan palm: where does it grow best?

• Full sun, as warm as possible: in front of a south-facing wall or in a sheltered courtyard.
• Free-draining sandy or loamy soil; acid to chalky is fine as long as water drains away quickly.
• Normal to dry soil: wet feet, especially in winter, are fatal.
• Sheltered from cold east winds, which turn the leaves brown.
• Allow 1.5–2 m of space, and not right beside a path: the spines are sharp.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand or loam

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

2.5 m tall, 2 m wide

Hardiness

Half hardy (to -12 °C): protect it in harsh winters

Goes well with

• Lavender: Grey leaves and purple flowers for the same sunny, dry spot.
• Rosemary: An evergreen herb with a Mediterranean scent.
• Feather grass: Fine, swaying stems beside the stiff fan leaves.
• Spurge: Blue-green leaves and lime-green flowers in a gravel garden.
• Yucca: Another stiff, exotic shape that copes with drought and cold.

Dwarf fan palm: when and how to plant it?

Plant in May–June.

1. Plant in May or June, once the soil has warmed up, so it can root in well before winter.
2. Dig a generous hole and mix heavy soil with coarse sand and gravel. On wet ground, add a drainage layer at the bottom.
3. Set the palm at the same depth as in the pot: no deeper, as the trunk must not sit in wet soil.
4. In a pot: choose a heavy, roomy pot with drainage holes and a mix of potting compost with a third sand or fine gravel.
5. Water in straight away and regularly in dry spells during the first summer.
6. A gravel mulch keeps the base of the trunk dry and weeds down.

Care

Water

Regularly during the first summer. After that, in the ground, only in long droughts. In a pot, regularly in summer and very sparingly in winter.

Feeding

From April to August, some palm or foliage-plant fertiliser once a month, especially in a pot. Not in autumn.

Old leaves

Cut brown lower leaves off close to the trunk. Wear gloves.

Repotting

Every two to three years in spring, into a pot only slightly larger.

Suckers

If you want a single trunk, remove the young shoots at the base; otherwise it forms a broad clump on its own.

Tip: Good drainage matters more than protection from the cold: plant it slightly above ground level, in a gritty mix. In winter, above all keep the heart dry.

Dwarf fan palm: when to prune it?

Pruning months: May.

When: It does not really need pruning. In May, after winter, do cut off brown and damaged leaves.

How:

• Cut off dead and discoloured lower leaves a few centimetres from the trunk.
• Leave healthy green leaves: the palm needs them to grow.
• Never cut into the heart of the palm: that is where new leaves grow.
• Remove spent flower clusters if you do not want fruit.

Caution: The leaf stalks have sharp spines: wear sturdy gloves and long sleeves.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Suckers

In May–June, carefully separate a sucker with its own roots from the clump and pot it in sandy compost. Keep it warm and slightly moist until it grows.

Seed

Soak fresh seed for a day or two and sow at 20–25 °C. Germination is slow and erratic, sometimes taking several months.

Dwarf fan palm: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −12 °C: protect in harsh winters.

• Hardy to about −12 °C, but only in a sheltered, dry spot. Young plants are more sensitive.
• In hard frost: tie the leaves loosely together, wrap the plant in fleece and mulch the base. Keep the heart dry.
• In a pot: overwinter it cool and frost-free, preferably in the light, for example in an unheated greenhouse or a garage with a window. Water sparingly.
• Remove the protection as soon as hard frosts are over, so it does not sweat and rot.

Diseases and pests

• Heart rot: The youngest leaf pulls out easily and smells musty: too wet in winter. Prevent it with good drainage and a dry heart; badly affected plants are usually lost.
• Brown leaf tips: Caused by drought in a pot, cold wind or frost. Trim off the brown tips and find a more sheltered spot.
• Red spider mite: Fine webbing and speckled leaves on plants overwintered somewhere warm and dry indoors. Move them somewhere cooler and mist the leaves.
• Scale insects: Brown bumps and sticky leaves on overwintering pot plants. Wipe off with a soft brush and soapy water.

Through the year

• January: Wrap up in hard frost. Barely water potted plants.
• March: Remove protection in mild weather.
• April: Repot. Start feeding.
• May: Plant. Move pots outside. Cut off dead leaves.
• June: Plant. Flowers among the leaves.
• July: Water potted plants in dry spells.
• August: Last feed of the year.
• October: Bring potted plants in somewhere cool and frost-free.
• November: Mulch the base. Have fleece ready.
• December: Keep the heart dry. Wrap up in hard frost.

Did you know?

• The name Chamaerops comes from Greek and means something like ‘shrub on the ground’, after its low growth.
• In North Africa and Spain, baskets, mats, rope and brooms have long been woven from the leaf fibres.
• Male and female flowers are usually on separate plants: only a female plant with a male nearby produces fruit.