Fan Palm Trees (Chamaerops humilis)Fan Palm Trees (Chamaerops humilis)Fan Palm Trees (Chamaerops humilis)

Fan Palm Trees

Chamaerops humilisFeefo logo

The details

Chamaerops humilis

  • Evergreen. Fan shaped leaves
  • Ideal for patio pots.
  • Hardy in South England.
  • Becomes large shrub / small tree outdoors
  • Max. Height: 2-3m
  • RHS Award of Garden Merit
  • Pot Grown Delivery Only: Year Round
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Description

Chamaerops humilis: Pot-Grown Dwarf Fan Palm

This slow-growing palm with fan-shaped leaves thrives in sheltered, slightly shaded spots where the wind and sun won't tatter its leaves. Small fan palms are a staple of patio pots and, when grown in the open, they can eventually develop into shrubby trees with a clump of stems, which could be pruned into a single stem.

Browse all of our ornamental shrubs, ferns, and palms.

Delivery season: Palms are delivered in pots year round, when in stock.

Features:

  • Suitable for pots & moving indoors for midwinter
  • Hardy in milder areas. Can be a large shrub or small, clumping tree.
  • Height: Pot-grown plants will be restricted.
  • Height: Outdoor plants are rare to see above 2 metres in the UK, but taller is possible in a large greenhouse.
  • Soil: Acidic, fertile, well drained
  • Evergreen
  • Native to Europe

Growing Fan Palms

Hardy outdoors in the South West of England and in sheltered areas further north, these are as tough as you might expect from a palm. However, the leaves look their best with some shelter and more than half, but less than a full day, of sun. They require rich, well-drained soil on the acidic side.

This dwarf fan palm is a classic for growing in patio containers, so it can be moved into shelter for the winter, either indoors or under cover beside the house. As your palm matures and fills the pot, you can take it out every couple of years, hack off the bottom third of the roots, and refresh the potting mix. This restricts its size and encourages the best foliage.

In Your Garden Design

When garden designer, broadcaster and writer Monty Don visited Morocco some 18 years ago, he came away "in awe of palms, prickly pears or agaves" and said it was "the oddest thing to see roses flowering like mad in a February sun" amongst them. He came home inspired by Moorish influences and vowed to use them in his garden at Longmeadow.

Since then, palms have become a more familiar sight in British gardens, especially in more temperate Southern and coastal areas. It's a strong architectural feature that can be softened with perennials and shrubs, or used to great effect as part of a display of potted foliage plants. For a tropical theme, use companion plants such as Canna 'Phasion' and perhaps a yellow groove bamboo. Yuccas and Agaves work too.

Did You Know?

Chamaerops humilis is found around the Mediterranean and southwestern Europe in places such as Spain, Sicily and Portugal; it was first recorded in the UK by the botanist Philip Miller in 1731. Should you be in need of a broom, its tough leaves are ideal.

Scientists believe in the existence of more than 2,500 species of palm, according to The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, making it one of the most prolific, diverse and probably undervalued plants around; by number, they are one of the most common large plant species in the Amazonian rainforest.