Palms in Hawaiian Gardens pg.2
Palms are usually associated with form rather than color, yet the palm can be strikingly colorful. There are many palms with bright fruits, such as the immense clusters of yellow-orange fruit of the date palm (phoenix dactylifera), the red-purple fruit of the royal palm (Roystonea regia), and even the bright orange fruit of the monkeynut, or queen palm (Arecastrum romanzoffianum). There is hardly a day in the year that some palm is not full of colorful fruit. It it isn’t the Alexandra palm with its red fruit, it’s the spiny aiphanes (pronounced eye-FAN-es). Fruit of certain palms is edible. these include the peach palm, date palm, and of course, the seed of the coconut.
Uses
Palms may be used in your yard to create a tropical look. Large-growing types such as the royal, coconut, and date palms can be best used in large gardens, but they can also fit nicely on smaller lots because they grow up and develop and canopy. The smaller types, such as Chinese fan, key thatch, solitaire, and silver thatch palms, which normally grow only to 25 feet high, can be used as clumps or specimen plants and still be in scale with the average yard. Very small palms, such as the lady palm (Rhapis), a little shade-loving palm from Japan, are excellent on the patio or near the house. The Manila palm (Veitchia merrillii) is a favorite and can be used as a single specimen or massed in clumps. Delicate, shade-loving Chamaedorea species from Central America are popular in small, shady corners or planters, and there are many more ideally suited for use indoors or on the lanai.
Heights vary with age and growing conditions. Many palms considered medium in height can ultimately become tall when very old.
Propagation
Most palms are propagated by seeds, although clustering types may sometimes be propagated by removing offshoots, or keikis. Avoid collecting seeds from the ground, as these are usually infested with seed-eating insects. Inspect cleaned seeds for insect damage before planting. These seeds may be treated with an approved insecticide for added protection.
