Phoenix

Pygmy Date Palm

Pygmy date palm, Miniature date palm, Robelin palm

• 
  Easy care
• 
  Bright light

• Phoenix likes...
  • 
    Feeding

    Give Phoenix a nutrient boost with some plant food at least once a month throughout spring and summer.

  • 
    Bright light

    Phoenix will enjoy a spot in a bright room where he gets some shade from the beating summer sun. Too much direct sunlight may scorch its leaves.

  • 
    Regular watering

    You’ll know when to water by testing the top two inches of the soil with your finger. If it comes out dry, water the plant well. Reduce watering in winter.

• Quick facts

  Quick facts

   

  Botanical name

  Phoenix roebelenii

  Nickname

  Pygmy date palm, Miniature date palm, Robelin palm

  Plant type

  Outdoor palm

  Plant height (including pot)

  130-140cm

  Pet/baby safe

  Not toxic but very spiky

  Nursery pot size

  24cm

• About Phoenix roebelenii

  This statement plant is native to southeast Asia, ranging from the Yunnan province in China to Vietnam, where it can grow up to seven metres tall. Don’t worry that it’s going to break through your neighbour’s fence – by keeping it in a pot and constricting the size of the root ball, you can limit how tall it grows. Its tropical native growing conditions give us a clue as to what it needs to live happily here in the UK: warmth and humidity. If you have a conservatory or sheltered spot outdoors like a patio or courtyard then it will grow happily outdoors. Because it’s a bit sensitive to frost, remember to wrap it up with some horticultural fleece before the first frost, so that it doesn’t get nipped.

  Phoenix roebelenii has long, elegant, arching fronds (palm leaves) that emerge from a sturdy, slender trunk. Be careful when moving it because of the spiny thorns that line the base of the leaves, and wear gauntlet gloves if you have them. Its arching habit makes it a bit of a space hog so you’ll need plenty of room to show it off, but once it’s in position, it’s the perfect outdoor palm to add a tropical, jungly vibe to your garden paradise. If you look after it well it may produce clusters of small yellow flowers that will turn into edible, date-like fruit – bonus! 

  Did you know?

  Despite the impressive size that it can grow in the wild, Phoenix roebelenii is nicknamed the ‘pygmy’ date palm because it doesn’t grow as big as most other palms. ‘Pygmy’ is an old-fashioned word for short