Canary Island date palm

You’ll have already guessed where this plant comes from. This magnificent specimen is the national emblem of the Canary Islands, where you’ll find it growing to heights of around 40m. Don’t worry about it growing that tall on your balcony. Even in the wild it would take 60 years or more to reach full height. 

You’re unlikely to get fruit on a plant grown in the UK, but it’s no great loss as they’re apparently not particularly tasty. This is more a plant to enjoy for its large sculptural leaves. In the Canary Islands, those leaves are used to make all sorts of things, from baskets, to brooms, to hats. Unless you are a skilled artisan though, we advise caution with her leaves as they are quite sharp!

This is an easy way to give a tropical feel to your outdoor space. Give it a spot that gets a mix of sun and shade throughout the day and try to water it whenever the top two inches of soil feel dry. 

Your plant will arrive in a nursery pot (the plastic pot it’s been growing in). There’s no need to remove it from this. Just place the whole thing inside a decorative pot and enjoy. There’s a reason the Canary Islands are so proud of this plant. It’s an absolute beauty.

Did you know?

The sap of a mature Canary Island date palm is very sweet and is used to make syrup.