Oddly enough, not all people can answer the question correctly about what grows on a palm tree. Some believe that not only dates and coconuts can grow on them, but also bananas and pineapples, which is absolutely incredible.

Types of Palm Plants

Palm is a southern woody plant that grows exclusively in tropical and subtropical climates. The Palm family belongs to flowering plants and has about 185 genera and 3,400 species. There are especially many of these plants in the areas of Southeast Asia and the tropical countries of South America.

In colder regions, palm representatives can be seen in the Mediterranean and North Africa, Crete, Japan and China, northern Australia, etc.

Palm trees can be found in completely different places, from the sea coast to the slopes of the highlands, near swamps and forests, as well as in hot oases in the desert. However, most of all they prefer humid and shady areas with a tropical climate, forming continuous thickets. Palm trees are also widespread in African savannas, where they easily tolerate drought and hot winds.

Shapes and structural features of palm trees

Palm trees have a wide variety of growth forms:

• tree-like: Cuban, royal, corypha umbelliferous; Washingtonia filamentosa; barrigona, hyphene thebes (dum palm);
• shrub-like: lanceolate chamedorea, acelorapha;
• stemless: palmetto shrub, Wallich herring, saw palmetto;
• climbing vines: calamus.

The original structural features of palm trees are that the plant does not have the usual botanical elements, such as a trunk and branches:

• its “trunk” is formed from the remains of obsolete leaves, which harden and form a column; it can only grow upward, but not in width, and this process is quite long (1 m grows in 10 years);
• the roots at the base form a bulb, from which small roots extend;
• nutritious juices circulate only in the center of the “trunk”, due to which palm trees are considered fire-resistant;
• Due to the ability of re-sprouting leaves from its own trunk, this plant is called a “phoenix tree”.

Among palm trees there are monoecious and dioecious plants; in the second option, there are male plants that pollinate the female ones, respectively, only the latter bear fruit. In nature, pollination occurs with the help of the wind, but in cultivated plantings people do it manually. Fruit ripening lasts about 200 days.

Fruits of palm trees

The palm tree is one of the most useful plants for humans, because many of its varieties produce very tasty and even medicinal fruits: dates, coconuts, etc. Flour, oil, alcoholic drinks are made from them, fibers are also produced on an industrial scale, from which bags and other fabric products.

The most beneficial fruits for humans that grow on palm trees are dates and coconuts.

The date is a cylindrical berry with a thin peel; its average weight is 7 g, of which 2 g is per seed. The sugar content in it reaches 70%, calorie content - 30 kcal/piece. 10 dates a day provide the daily need of the human body for magnesium, sulfur, copper, iron and a quarter of calcium.

Many tasty and healthy ingredients are extracted from coconut:

• juice or water - a clear liquid, the endosperm of a coconut, contained inside the fruit; as it ripens, it mixes with oil and hardens;
• coconut milk - obtained after squeezing grated copra, it is white and quite fatty, after adding sugar it is very tasty;
• oil - extracted from coconut copra, is a valuable product due to its high content of fatty acids, used in cosmetics and treatment.

Coconut tree

It is not for nothing that this plant is called the “tree of life” in the tropics, because local residents use almost all of its parts for food and making various products; the leaves and wood are used in construction.

However, for unlucky people, this palm tree can become a “tree of death”, because according to statistics, 150 people die every year from blows to the head from such nuts. The weight of an average coconut is about 1-3 kg, so dropping it even on the roof of a car leaves a dent, and it is deadly for the head.

Coconut palm fruits grow in groups of 15-20 pieces. and ripen in 8-10 months. Fruiting in trees lasts up to 50 years, during this period each palm tree produces 60-120 nuts annually.

The outside of the coconut is covered with a hard shell, inside there is pulp and liquid, which becomes sweet as the fruit ripens. You can clean it with a knife or machete.

Date palm

Date palms were grown in Mesopotamia (in modern-day Iraq) starting in the 4th century BC. e. The tree bears fruit for 60-80 years, and can live up to 150.

There are legends about the benefits and calorie content of date palm fruits. Thus, the Arabs believe that every warrior can live in the desert for 3 days, eating 1 date, first eating the pulp, then the skin, and on the 3rd day, the ground pit. Regular consumption of these fruits reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases and slows down the aging process.

One of the resorts of Elche in Spain is famous for its park of date palms (since 2000 the park has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List), about 300 thousand of which are planted here; dates are harvested here regularly.

Roystonea Palm

Royal Palm ( Roystonea) - has a chic appearance corresponding to its name, standing out from its surroundings and landscape. The height of the tree can reach 40 m, the trunk is smooth gray, at its top there is a crown of huge feathery leaves up to 8 m long and 2 m wide. The plant is monoecious: male and female flowers are located on the same tree below the crown.

Roystoneea has 17 species, distributed in the southern states of the United States, Central and South America, and the West Indies. The most popular species are the Cuban palm ( Roystonea regia) and the royal vegetable palm, from which the edible succulent apical buds, called "palm cabbage", are collected.

Roystones are planted as a decorative ornament along boulevards and avenues in cities of the tropical region, along the edges of beaches, and are often used in landscape design.

Everything that grows on the Roystone palm tree is successfully used by humans: the trunks are used in construction, the leaves and fibers are used to make roofing and wickerwork, the fruits are happily eaten by livestock, and palm oil is produced from the seeds.

Bismarckia noble

Family of Bismarck ( Bismarckia nobilis) includes the only species that is also called the Bismarck palm, named after the 1st Chancellor of Germany. This drought-resistant tree has an original appearance and color and is widespread on the island of Madagascar.

The petioles grow from a single grey-yellow-brown trunk with ring-shaped depressions (45 to 80 cm in diameter at the base). In nature, palm trees grow up to 12-25 m tall. Beautiful silver-blue round leaves reach 3 m, dividing into segments at the ends. The petioles are 2-3 m long, protected by spines and covered with white wax.

The plant is dioecious, the flowers grow on dark purple stems, the fruits are brown, ovoid, up to 48 cm long, and there is a drupe inside with one seed. Bismarckia leaves are used to make roofing and wickerwork, and the bitter-tasting sago is prepared from the core.

This palm tree can be successfully grown at home; it looks impressive in the interior and is easy to care for.

Decorative and indoor palm trees

Palm trees are perfect for lovers of exotic plants, since growing them at home does not present any difficulties in caring for them. In the countries of the European region and Russia, ornamental palm trees take root best in winter gardens and greenhouses, where a suitable microclimate can be created for them, because the plant is, after all, southern and heat-loving.

The plant propagates by seeds, which can be found in specialized flower shops. The most common types that can be grown in apartments and houses:

• Date palm, often grown from seed, can grow up to 2 m at home, forming a lush crown over a shaggy trunk.
• Dracaena has been used for landscaping houses and apartments for several 10 years, it is propagated by seeds and cuttings, the leaves are light or dark green, less often striped, and can form several trunks.
• Areca - has a flexible trunk, decorated with feathery leaves a meter long.
• Trachycarpus is a decorative type of palm tree with an original bottle-shaped trunk and fan-shaped leaves, blooms with white and yellow flowers with a pleasant smell, the fruits are blue-black.
• Howea Fostera is a popular species, easy to care for, little susceptible to attack by pests and diseases, dark green leaves, etc.

Caring for a palm tree in an apartment

The most important rule when growing ornamental palm trees at home is to create high humidity and proper lighting. If the air in the apartment is dry due to winter heating, the plants must be frequently sprayed and watered with distilled or filtered water: in the summer months - 2-3 times a week, in the winter - daily.

Every year, a young palm tree needs to be replanted, choosing a more spacious pot; older trees - less often. Plants and their roots are afraid of drafts, so it is not recommended to place the tubs on the windowsill or floor. Many types of palm trees do not tolerate direct sunlight, preferring bright and diffused lighting.

However, at home, all plants only bloom, and the rare fruits that set never ripen. This way you won’t be able to find out what’s growing on the palm tree, but an exotic green beauty in a tub in the middle of the house will create a cozy tropical corner and a positive emotional atmosphere.

Fascinating facts about palm trees

The exhibition “Fascinating about palm trees” has opened at the Tallinn Botanical Garden.

There are about 2,650 palm trees in the world, says exhibition curator Urmas Laansoo. Palm trees are found naturally in Europe only in Portugal, Spain and Crete. In Crete they are generally unique - this is the only place in the world where this type of palm tree grows. Oddly enough, there are not many palm trees in Africa - only 100 species. And the greatest diversity is observed in Malaysia, where around one mountain alone you can count about a hundred species of palm trees. And if you want to get to a real palm paradise, then you should go to the island of Borneo.

The tallest palm trees can be seen in the Andes, in Peru or Ecuador - here they grow up to 60 meters. The tiniest are in Madagascar, where 20-30-year-old specimens reach 30 centimeters in height. And the longest leaves in the world are those of the raffia palm tree; they stretch up to 25 meters. By the way, this palm tree feels great in indoor conditions.

Decorative inflorescences

Of course, there are no 25-meter-long feathery raffia leaves in the Botanical Garden, but the 5-7-meter leaves of the largest and oldest palm tree in our garden were specially cut off and carefully leaned against the wall of the exhibition hall so that they can be examined. This palm tree is 77 years old, and it has already reached the ceiling of the Palm House, so from below its leaves do not seem so gigantic. But if you lift your head up, then in addition to the leaves you can also see many shoots strewn with small yellow flowers - this is how a date palm blooms. Already faded and dried inflorescences, on which dates can be seen, are also specially cut and look very decorative - human-sized in height, they are placed in large floor vases. By the way, when the dates ripen, they fall to the ground. And they also contain up to 70 percent sugar.

Date palm is very good to grow at home, recommends Urmas Laansoo. – She loves a bright place, fresh air. It is recommended to replant young palm trees once a year, adults - once every 4-6 years. Palm trees are cared for based on their natural growing conditions. Thus, the date palm naturally lives in the Sahara, and therefore is not particularly moisture-loving. If the palm tree is from tropical rain forests, then in hot summer weather it can be sprayed with warm water every day.

Rattan chair

Palm trees in the tropics are generally the most important plant for the local population. They build houses from them, make clothes, drink juice, and eat them.

This is a rattan palm tree,” Urmas Laansoo shows. – This palm is a liana, not a tree, its stem length reaches 180 meters. It is with this, painted in different colors, that florists decorate bouquets. Rattan furniture is also sold in Estonia.

At the stand you can see the exotic tallipot palm, which is known for its largest inflorescence, numbering 250 thousand flowers. It blooms only once and, after blooming, dies immediately. Or the Nipa palm - it grows not in soil, but in water.

Skirt, bottle, bamboo

This is the most beautiful palm tree in our garden – latan,” Urmas Laansoo shows. “We brought its seeds from Mauricius four years ago. In total, there are 51 types of palm trees in our garden.

The collection contains, for example, a very slowly growing Tritrinax palm - a small 30-year-old tree with gray, metallic-like needles on its trunk. The fishtail palm (with fin-shaped leaves) is famous for making sugar from the juice of its inflorescences.

The trachycarpus palm, grown as a houseplant for more than 100 years, is the most cold-resistant palm, it can withstand temperatures down to minus 13 degrees. There are many trachycarpus in the Crimea - in Yalta, in Simferopol, in nature it grows in Burma.

In the open ground of the Palm House you can also see the skirt palm - when dry, its leaves hang around the trunk like a skirt. And also the bottle palm, the trunk of which actually resembles a bottle; this palm grows very slowly. But the bamboo palm, on the contrary, grows quickly and is good for the home - especially since its golden stems are very decorative.

Not palm trees

In addition to palm trees, the Botanical Garden displays plants mistakenly called palm trees. For example, the pinnate dion, which grows in central Mexico, is actually a coniferous plant. Its fruit, a cone weighing 25 kilograms, is considered the largest fruit. Next on the same list is Cordyline - it is also called the cabbage tree, since its edible young leaves can be used to make a salad. And also yucca palm. And the dragon tree. And banana, which is known to be a herb.

And each guest of the exhibition (and it is open from Friday to Sunday) will be able to choose a souvenir. This could be a shoot of aloe, pike tail, or seedlings of an exotic palm-liana, the edible leaves of which taste like spinach; you can use them to make a salad or cook soup.

Photo 1 of 3

Palm trees feed, water, and clothe people. The most useful of them is coconut tree. It is one of the ten most important trees in the world. The coconut palm grows in the tropics, on the shores of oceans, seas and islands. Their tall, 25-30 m trunks are usually inclined towards the sea. Almost all the islands in the Pacific Ocean are occupied by groves of coconut palms.

These plants are not afraid of salt water. On the contrary, for a palm tree to grow normally, it needs almost 1.5 kg of salt per year. The palm tree blooms at the age of 7-12 years. Its inflorescence is 1-2 m high and looks like a panicle. Coconuts take a long time to ripen, a whole year. Under the smooth, hard rind there is a fibrous layer 4-8 cm thick. The inside of the coconut is lined with fibers.

If the nut is unripe, then in its cavity there is about half a liter of clear, sweet and sour liquid, rich in sugar and vitamins. This is a great drink in hot weather. As the fruit ripens, this liquid becomes “coconut milk.” Gradually it turns into white pulp. This is how the coconut endosperm changes.

The seed that contains the seed is very hard with three holes, but only one is used for germination of the embryo. The other two are overgrown. A mature nut weighs 1-2 kg. When coconuts ripen, they fall into the water and are carried away by currents. They can germinate after floating in the sea for more than 100 days. They also germinate in water.

The coconut tree has spread throughout the world without human help. In the tropics it is called the “tree of life.” Oil is squeezed out of the dried endosperm - copra - and the cake is used to feed livestock. Ropes, mats, and brushes are made from durable and elastic fiber. The hard seeds make excellent dishes, buttons, and decorations. Wine, alcohol, and sugar are made from the sweet juice of the inflorescences. Dwellings are built from wood, the roofs of which are covered with palm leaves. Furniture and fuel for these houses are also provided by coconut palms.

Palm trees are considered the most ancient plants that originally reproduced by seeds and pollen. Under natural conditions, they can reach up to 9 meters in height if growth is not artificially restrained. The size of a palm tree at home depends on care. The tallest palm tree in the world is the Wax Palm; its height can reach up to 50 meters. This tree is the main plant symbol of Colombia.

The name comes from the Latin word “palma”, which means “palm”. And this is not surprising, because the leaves of the plant really resemble splayed fingers on the palm of a person.

NOTE! In Greece, an athlete who won a competition was awarded a palm branch. It was at this moment that the catchphrase “palm of championship” was born.

The flowering of an indoor palm tree is similar to the flowering of a calla lily. For example, yucca has large white flowers that look like bells. Basically, the palm tree blooms with small yellow or white flowers on a small cluster.

I would like to remind you that it was not nature that created indoor plants for us, but we are trying to grow them in the hope that they will take root at home. Palma is no exception. There are several types that will feel great at home:

1. Howey Forster.
2. Hamedorea.
3. Rapisa.

Appearance of the plant

On average, a palm tree lives about 150-200 years. For example, a coconut tree takes about 100 years to grow and produces about 450 nuts each year.

NOTE! A coconut can travel thousands of kilometers through water, wash ashore, and germinate there.

There are 2 types of palm trees:

• With fan leaves. They diverge radially from the base. A prominent representative is the date palm.
• Cirrus. The leaves spread parallel to the sides from the vein in the center. A prominent representative is the bamboo palm.

Palms are perennial trees, less often shrubs, most of which have a non-branching trunk, at the top of which a crown grows. They can also grow as vines with thin stems. There are up to 1,500 species in tropical and subtropical areas.

Peculiarities

1. The trunk of a palm tree usually does not branch (an exception is the genus of doom palms). Its thickness is about a meter, and during life it does not thicken. Among the palm trees there are climbing vines, the stems of which are about 2-3 centimeters thick and up to 300 meters long.
2. The inflorescence of a palm tree is a spadix that is of impressive size and branches. Flowers are located on the branches, sometimes they are immersed in its tissue. All inflorescences are surrounded by a veil.
3. What fruits grow on a palm tree? They can be in the form of a nut or a bone, a berry. Ornamental palms produce fruits in the form of small round berries.

Exotic varieties

Let's talk about the types of exotic palm trees and how they bloom.

Decorative palm trees at home look very exotic.

The most common include:

• Brachea. Loves light, but grows best in partial shade. Can't do without spraying. Watering is moderate.
• Boothia. A palm tree whose leaves resemble feathers. Blooms in late spring.
• Washingtonia. Fan palm, pleasing the eye with white blossoms. Can reach a height of up to 18 meters.
• Giophorba. The young representative resembles a vase in appearance. It blooms with small flowers and smells pleasant.
• Hamedorea. It is considered the most unpretentious species and tolerates shade well. Blooms almost all year round.
• Kariota. The leaves of the plant look like a fish tail. It blooms once a year for 5-6 years.
• Liviston. The leaves look like an open fan, reaching a height of up to 2 meters. Ideal for rooms.
• Rapis. It grows as a shrub. Very whimsical.
• Chamerops. Massive palm tree with a dense crown. Blooms from April to June.
• Yucca. A tree-like plant whose leaves are collected in bunches. The white flowers look like bells.
• Govea. An elegant plant reaching a height of up to 2.5 meters. Requires careful care.
• Date palm. The most common species, grows as a lush shrub.
• Sabal. A plant with fan-shaped leaves. The types of palm trees growing in the rooms are absolutely different from each other.
• Trachycarpus. It reaches a height of up to 2.5 meters and grows very slowly. Suitable for apartments.

Where is your homeland?

The plant has become widespread in many regions of the globe. They are more often found on the shores of tropical seas, high in the mountains and in humid forests. A huge number of species grow in Colombia and Madagascar. The fan palm is more common in Spain. The feathery representative can be seen more often in Greece.

Also, some species grow in the territory of the former Soviet Union, for example, on the southern coast of Crimea.

Photo

You can see how the flower looks like an indoor palm tree in the photo here.
Howea Forster

Hamedorea


Rapis


Brachea


Washingtonia


Giophorba


Kariota


Liviston


Hamerops


Yucca

Date palm


Sabal


Trachycarpus

Family

Most palm trees belong to the Palmaceae or Arecaceae family.

What kind of care does it require?

Growing an exotic plant at home is not so easy. It needs proper care:

1. It is recommended to place the pot with the plant on the south side of the house.
2. In summer, the temperature should range from 16 to 20 degrees Celsius.
3. In summer, be sure to moisturize the crown.
4. From early spring until late autumn, a palm tree blooming at home needs abundant watering. Drying out the soil is unacceptable.
5. Green beauties love light very much, but they cannot be exposed to direct sunlight.
6. The plant is afraid of drafts.
7. The soil for growing should be light and flat.
8. Palm trees need regular feeding and fertilizer.

Reproduction

Propagating palm trees at home is quite difficult.

Certain species can only be propagated by seed.

There are also plants whose reproduction is allowed by dividing the rhizome or by daughter shoots.

Seed propagation requires careful attention. Seedlings should grow with lower heating, the temperature being about 35 degrees. How long do they grow? The first shoots can be observed after a couple of months. The lifespan of a plant grown in this way is quite long.

Scientific name

The scientific name of the palm is AREGAGEAE.

Diseases and pests

A palm tree at home can encounter the following diseases:

• Root rot.
• Stem rot.
• Penicillosis.
• Spotting.

All problems that may occur with the foliage (brown tips, brown lower leaves, spotting) are associated with improper care.

Pests:

1. Shield.
2. Spider mite.
3. Mealybugs.

Most often, insecticides are used to control pests and diseases, or they try to use traditional methods.

INTERESTING TO KNOW! The palm tree is considered a legendary tree. The people of many countries still worship this plant.

Everyone loves such a magnificent tree as a palm tree. But growing it at home is quite difficult. So isn’t it better to go to warm beaches and admire the plant while relaxing?

Abstract on the topic:

Plan:

Introduction

• 1 Spreading
• 2 Biological description
• 3 Use
• 4 Childbirth
Notes
Literature

Introduction

Palm, or Palm trees, or Arecaceae(lat. Arecáceae, Palmae, Palmáceae ) - a family of monocotyledonous plants.

It is represented mostly by woody plants with unbranched trunks, in which primary thickening occurs (that is, thickening due to the activity of the protoderm and the main meristem). There are also a number of species that are characterized by thin creeping or climbing shoots (for example, representatives of the genus Calamus) .

The family includes up to 240 genera and 3,400 species.

In many cultures, palm trees have been symbols of victory, peace and abundance.

1. Distribution

The natural distribution area of ​​most palm trees is the tropics and subtropics. Especially many types of palm trees grow in Madagascar and Colombia. In Europe, in Spain and in the south of France, the fan palm Hamerops squat grows ( Chamaerops humilis), which can withstand frosts down to −12 degrees Celsius, and also in the south of mainland Greece and Crete there are groves of the feathery Cretan date palm ( Phoenix theophrastii).

Introduced palm trees grow on the territory of the former USSR in areas with a subtropical climate - on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and the southern coast of Crimea, as well as in Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and southern Kazakhstan Chamaerops, Phoenix, Sabal, Trachycarpus, Washingtonia and some others.

2. Biological description

The trunk usually does not branch (except for the genus of doom palms), quite often palm trees have the appearance of shrubs, some representatives do not have any stems at all, only leaves rise above the surface of the ground. The thickness reaches 1 meter (jubeya), the height is up to 50-60 m (ceroxylon), while among the palm trees there are climbing vines with stems 2-3 cm thick and up to 300 m long (rattan). The leaves are either pinnate (coconut palm, date palm, foxtail palm, Howea, Hamedorea, etc., in Caryota they are bipinnate) or fan-shaped (Chamerops, Trachycarpus, Liviston palm, etc.).

Flower formula: .

3.Usage

Palm trees are widely cultivated as agricultural crops (date palms, coconut palms). The fruits of many types of palm trees and wood are used; Wicker furniture is made from rattan and some other palm trees.

In addition, various types of palm trees are widely used as ornamental plants (including in indoor gardening).

4. Childbirth

Notes

1. “Commelinoid” monocots // Botany. Textbook for universities: in 4 volumes = Lehrbuch der Botanik für Hochschulen. Begründet von E. Strasburger, F. Noll, H. Schenck, A. F. W. Schimper. / 35. Auflage neubearbeitet von Peter Sitte, Elmar W. Weiler, Joachim W. Kadereit, Andreas Bresinsky, Christian Körner / P. Sitte, E.V. Weiler, J.V. Kadereit, A. Brezinsky, K. Körner; based on the textbook by E. Strasburger [and others]; lane with him. E. B. Pospelova, K. L. Tarasova, N. V. Khmelevskaya. - M.: Publishing center "Academy", 2007. - T. 3. Evolution and systematics / ed. A.K. Timonina, I.I. Sidorova. - pp. 438-446. - 576 p. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-7695-2741-8 (Russian) ISBN 978-5-7695-2746-3 (Vol. 3) (Russian), ISBN 3-8274-1010-X (Elsevier GmbH) - UDC 58(075.8)
2. Mirkin B.M., Naumova L.G., Muldashev A.A. Higher plants: a short course in taxonomy with the basics of plant science: Textbook. - 2nd, rev. - Moscow: Logos, 2002. - 256 p. - 3000 copies. - ISBN 5-94010-041-4

Literature

• Imkhanitskaya N. N. Arecaceae family, or palms (Arecaceae, or Palmae) // Plant Life. In 6 volumes / Ch. ed. A. L. Takhtadzhyan. - M.: Education, 1981. - T. 6. Flowering plants. / Ed. A. L. Takhtadzhyan. - P. 410-447. - 543 p. - 300,000 copies.