Herb: Dwarf Fan Palm


Latin name: Chamaerops humilis


Family: Palmae



Edible parts of Dwarf Fan Palm:

Very young leaf buds are cooked as a vegetable. The young shoots or suckers from the bottom of the plant are also used. Fruit - dried. No further details.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Evergreen
Tree

Height:
150 cm
(5 feet)

Flowering:
April
to June

Habitat of the herb:

Nutritionally poor, dry sandy or rocky soils on mountain slopes to 1000 metres.

Other uses of Dwarf Fan Palm:

A strong fibre obtained from the leaves is used for cordage and brushes. The whole leaf can be used in weaving. Plants have been used to form hedges in Mediterranean areas.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe, the old seed can be slow and difficult to germinate. Scarification or pre-soaking stored seed for 1 - 2 days can be helpful. Sown in a warm greenhouse, the seed usually germinates in 3 - 4 months (but can take longer) at 25°C. The seed produces a long root some time before a shoot appears above ground and it can be potted up at this time. Grow the plants on in the greenhouse for at least a couple of years before planting them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Suckers, removed in spring.

Cultivation of Dwarf Fan Palm:

Nutritionally poor, dry sandy or rocky soils on mountain slopes to 1000 metres.

Medicinal use of the herb:

None known

Known hazards of Chamaerops humilis:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.