We love our Mediterranean blue fan palms! While there are several blue foliaged palms for gardeners in tropical climates, Chamaerops (Kam her hops) humilis var. argentea is the only one we’ve found reliable in our Zone 7b/8a garden. Mediterranean blue fan palm hails from high elevations in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, where it eventually makes a 15′ tall specimen. In our cold winter climate, we doubt it will ever top 4′ in height. After 19 years, our plant in the photo below is just now beginning to develop a trunk. In warmer winter climates, the trunks will develop quicker and grow taller.
This is a very slow growing palm, so a good bit of patience is required when getting it established. Bright sun and a well-drained site is best. Plants grown in shade, simply do not produce enough sugars to survive cold winter months. If you purchase the 1 quart size plants that we offer, I’d recommend up-potting them until they get larger and keep container plants above freezing, until they are large enough to go in the ground, which should always be done in spring to mid summer. When we do experience single digits F winter temperatures, the foliage is burned back, but it re-sprouts from the base in spring. It should be winter hardy from Zone 7b and warmer.
Just how slow? Is it slower than Rhapidophyllum?
Since we have seen damage that set our plants of Chamaerops, but not Rhapidophyllum, it’s hard to completely compare the growth rates of the two, but I’d say that they seem rather similar.
Hopefully in time, may produce offsets. Trunk delayed surfacing as when seed germinates, a long dropper carries the primary meristem below the surface.
Our Sabels at Calstate Fullerton had no trunks when I started there in 1971. They cracked the surface about 10 years in. Now over 4 ft. Sloooow.
Nice to know…thanks.