Tag Archives: Europe

Palmetum de Santa Cruz de Tenerife – Video Clip January 2009

Canarius | Tuesday January 5th, 2010 |

The Palmetum de Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the best botanical garden to see palms in Europe, with 470 species of palms. This fine video shows beautiful sceneries with piano music.

List of species shown in the video

  • 0:14 Sección/Section: Madagascar (Con el lago delante/with the pond in the foreground)
  • 0:20 Dypsis leptocheilos (Grupos/Clumps), Bismarckia nobilis (detrás/behind)
  • 0:23 Sección/Section: America Central. Sabal palmetto.
  • 0:27 Dypsis leptocheilos, Bismarckia nobilis
  • 0:37 Océano atlántico/Atlantic ocean, Araucaria columnaris
  • 0:43 Araucaria columnaris
  • 0:46 Dypsis leptocheilos. D. madagascariens detrás/behind
  • 0:49 Dypsis leptocheilos, Capitel/Crownshaft
  • 0:52 Ravenea rivularis derecha/left. Acoelorraphe wrightii detrás/behind
  • 0:57 Hyophorbe verschaffeltii. Bismarckia nobilis detrás/behind
  • 1:01 Cocos nucifera. Vistas al oceano en el Talud Sur/Ocean view on the Southern slopes.
  • 1:05 Latania loddigesii, con frutos/in fruit.
  • 1:11 Dypsis lutescens (izq./left), Arenga westerhoutii (dcha/right).
  • 1:16 Section: Australia. Center: Livistona decora. Sides: Howea forsteriana. Back: Wodyetia bifurcata
  • 1:26 Section: Caribbean islands. Roystonea regia. Copernicia baileyana (dcha/right).
  • 1:31 Riachuelo en la sección caribeña/Stream in the Caribbean section. Acoelorraphe (izq./left). Other palms (dcha/right).
  • 1:35 Roystonea lenis (izq./left), R.regia (izq./left) (dcha/right).
  • 1:38 Panoramica con palmeras/Landscape with palms. Roystonea regia (tall, center)
  • 1:41 Dypsis decaryi
  • 1:52 Corypha utan
  • 1:56 Copernicia baileyana (Hojas palmeadas/fan leaves), Roystonea regia arriba/above.
  • 2:00 Livistona australis
  • 2:04 Bentickia nicobarica (Hoja/Leaf) and Veitchia joannis (Fruits)
  • 2:08 Sección del Caribe/Caribbean section.
  • 2:13 Copernicia baileyana
  • 2:16 Acrocomia crispa
  • 2:28 Sabal palmetto (Centro/Center), tronco/trunk
  • 2:35 Arenga pinnata (tronco/trunk)
  • 2:38 Arenga pinnata (Centro/Center), Veitchia.
  • 2:44 Hemithrinax ekmaniana (esquina abajo izq./corner below left)
  • 2:47 Section: Indochina. Arenga pinnata, Arenga engleri, Arenga tremula.
  • 2:50 Hemithrinax ekmaniana
  • 2:53 Roystonea regia (trunk) and other Caribbean palm species.
  • 2:56 Sección del Caribe/Caribbean Section. Roystonea regia (altas/tall). Coccothrinax spp..
  • PIC1: En el Octógono (Invernadero de Sombra) / Inside the octagon (Shadehouse)
  • PIC2:Dypsis lutescens, Bismarckia nobilis, Howea forsteriana
  • PIC3: Cocos nucifera
  • PIC4: Southern Slope: Cocos nucifera, Latania loddigesii, Hyophorbe verschaffeltii, Araucaria columnaris
  • PIC5: Bismarckia nobilis, gris azul / grey blue
  • PIC6: Ladera Sur / Southern Slope: Cocos nucifera, Latania loddigesii, Hyophorbe verschaffeltii.
  • PIC7: Ladera Sur / Southern Slope: tapizantes suculentos / succulent groundcovers.  Araucaria columnaris.

Our Nurseries

Canarius | Tuesday January 5th, 2010 |

Our plants are produced in certified nurseries located on the island of Tenerife, in the Canary Islands. We enjoy an even subtropical climate, where nurseries are not heated and the use of chemicals is kept to a minimum. Cacti and succulents are chiefly grown in full sun, while other plants are produced under shade cloths. The winter in the Canary Islands is much cooler than in the tropics, so we can grow robust plants, better adapted to  live  in Northern latitudes.

Agave shoji-rajin

Agave shoji-rajin grown in clean volcanic cinder

  • We sprout our seeds and we root our cuttings. We don’t import and re-sell plants. Our plants have no stress from a past importation from a remote county with a different climate.
  • We are not in a tropical climate.  Plants like cacti and cycads will stop in winter and grow in the right way thanks to this rest.
  • We use no greenhouses, except for seed sprouting and rooting.
  • Our plants are grown from cultivated stock, never collected in habitat.
  • Propagating material are obtained from reliable sources, chiefly from a number of mother plants existing on the island.
  • Our Fruit trees belong to selected cultivars and most of them are hand-grafted trees, one by one over the stronger rootstocks.
  • Our plants are all LEGAL. Protected species are started from seeds with official CITES papers.
Grafting mango trees of different varieties

Grafting mango trees of different varieties

Mediterranean Climate

Canarius | Tuesday January 5th, 2010 |

Mediterranean climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. This climate is found in the Mediterranean Basin, as well as in SW California, SW Australia, SW South Africa and Central Chile. All share the same rainfall pattern with a peak in the cooler season.

The Mediterranean Basin, between Southern Europe and Northern Africa is surely the best example of a typical mediterranean climate. There is a big termical difference between the North and the South. Northern latitudes are much cooler. Southern France is the Northernmost extension of the Mediterranean. It is not as hot as other areas but there is a very good climate, because of the protection of the Alps, that block the cold fronts from the North and keeps the cimate very Mediterranean. In the lower latitudes, on the Northern African coast, winters are much shorter and sunnier while frost is absent or very uncommon.

Exotic Gardens and Crops in Mediterranean Climates

Many subtropical species grow outdoors with minimal effort in coastal gardens of Mediterranean countries, in Southern Europe and Northern Africa. More than 50 palm species can take regular light frosts, exotic flowers such as Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) and many Cycad species. Hundred of species of Cacti and Succulents can grow and bloom as long as they are kept dry in winter. Palm-like desert plants, such as Yucca and Dasylirion, thrive to perfection. Some tropical fruit trees can produce outdoors, such as avocado (Persea) and Feijoa sellowiana. Occasional frosts limit the spread of tropical horticulture in the Northern side of the Mediterranean Basin.

Aloe arborescens

Aloes from South Africa are used as garden plants in Mediterranean Climates

A warmer Mediterranean climate is found in the Southern Mediterranean, where winters are shorter and sunnier and frosts seldom occur. Some writers state these are Subtropical climates. Even some fully tropical species can grow in the better, warmer spots of Southern Spain and Portugal, the Balearic Islands, Sardinia and Sicily, the Greek Islands and the whole coast of Northern Africa have eccelent climates to grow exotics. Tropical fruits grow freely, as Mango, Annona and Avocado are produced commercially in various regions.

Persea Hass Cut

Avocado fruits regularly in many coastal areas

An impressive number of Palms and Cycads is kept by collectors. Many tropical flowers will winter outdoors. Bromeliads and Plumeria hybrids can be used freely as garden plants and Plumeria is the official flower of the city of Palermo, in Sicily. In lower latitudes, Cacti and Succulents are simply part of the landscape. Different species of Agave, mostly from Mexico, grow wild on the hillsides of Mediterranean Europe and Aloes flourish in pots and gardens. Large specimens will often enhance the garden of the villa, in the ground or in large pots. Southern Spain and Portugal are even sunnier, almost as Northern Africa so Cuban Royal Palms (Roystonea regia) and Royal Poincianas (Delonix regia) thrive in many coastal location, papayas will fruit with little effort.

Agave attenuata

Mexican Agaves thrive in Mediterranean Climates. These Agave attenuata are grown in Tenerife as ornamental plants.

Cold-Resistant Palms for Europe

Canarius | Tuesday January 5th, 2010 |

Some palms can take frost and snow. Some grow very well in central Europe. The palm family includes about 2.400 species, mostly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. Most species need warm temperatures but few exceptions occur in the cooler areas of the globe, at higher altitudes or higher latitudes. Hardy palms come from Chile, New Zealand, Morocco, Northern Mexico or China.

Copernicia alba from Argentina is moderately hardy, to about - 8 C

Copernicia alba from Argentina is moderately hardy, to about – 8 C

Most hardy palms bear palmate (fan-shaped) leaves. Fewer have pinnate leaves, and the hardiest are Jubaea and Butia. Most are solitary (single trunked) palms, some are clumping. Collectors will love the frost-hardy genus Butia with about 14 species, and Trachycarpus with nine species and a number of forms and varieties.If you are in a cold area, you might be restricted to use less than ten palm species. Just learn all you can about them and use them well in your landscape. After all, the average tropical garden has less than ten palm species! Plant palms in groups, in lines, in large pots, on the slope, by the pond. Just chose your palm species and enjoy the tropical effect in your garden.Hardiness is given for adult palms. Young plants are often less resistant to cold. If you are purchasing young palms, give them some protection in winter during a few years. Grow well your palms. In northern climates most palms will benefit of exposure to full sun and protection from northerly winds. Check our tips to grow Tropical plants in Cold Europe.

Canarius offers many species able to resist snow and frost.Come and visit the Palm Section of our Shop. We ship to anywhere in Europe.

Some cold-hardy species, according to hardiness:

-18 to -21 C (-0.5 to -6 F):

The hardiest of all palms are two North American species. Rhapidophyllum hystrix and Sabal minor. They are both small fan-leaved palms that can fit in any garden. Rhapidophyllum has long black needles, Sabal minor has a short underground stem. They can be tried virtually anywhere in Europe, as they have been grown successfully from Greece to Scandinavia. Rhapidophyllum can be too slow if summers are not warm enough.

A leaf of the fully hardy Sabal minor. This palm can take about - 21 C.

A leaf of the fully hardy Sabal minor. This palm can take about – 21 C.

-12 C to -18 C (-10.5 to -0.5 F):

Jubea chilensis is the most majestic of all hardy palms. It is all about size, because Jubea has the largest trunk of all palms. It is a pinnate (feather-leaved) palm native to high elevations in Chile. Palm collectors in the tropics dream of having one Jubaea, but it needs some cold to thrive. Fruits are edible nuts and taste much like coconut.Various Trachycarpus species, can take hard frosts, such as T. fortunei, T. nanus, T. takil, T. princeps, T. wagnerianus. Different plants in the N American genus Sabal are hardy, like S. uresana and Sabal x texensis, which the natural cross between Sabal minor and Sabal palmetto. Some more species resist to only – 14 C (6.8 F): Trachycarpus oreophilus and T. geminisectus and the beautiful Trithrinax campestris from Argentina, with silvery stiff, thick, leaves. Nannorrhops can take hard frosts if it is well drained.

Juvenile Trithrinax campestris with silvery leaves

Trithrinax campestris is hardy to about -15 C

Juvenile Trithrinax campestris with silvery leaves

Juvenile Trithrinax campestris with silvery leaves

-9 to -12 C (-15.5 to -10.5 F):

More and more species can be grown where temperatures do not fall too hard. Braheas are blue leaved desert fan palms from Mexico. The most popular are the stately Brahea armata and the low, trunkless B. decumbens. Another desert palm from the Middle East is Nannorrhops ritchiana. Canarius offers different forms originating in different countries. Some forms show incredible grey-white leaves.The exciting genus Butia, has elegant, arching pinnate leaves. About 14 species can take hard frosts, some of the most desirable are Butia eriospatha, B. capitata, B. odorata, B. paraguayensis, B. purpurascens, B. yatay. Some butias bear delicious sweet fruits, juicy and aromatic.Few rainforest palms tolerate hard frosts. Some Mexican Chamaedorea species are hardy, such as Chamaedorea microspadix and Chamaedorea radicalis. Their fine foliage adds a delicate touch to any garden, patio or conservatory. A strong, hardy palm is the Mediterranean fan palm, Chamaerops humilis. It is a clumping fan palm native to SW Europe and Morocco. The moroccan form is known as Chamaerops humilis cerifera. It has beautiful waxy-blue foliage and it is very hardy as it comes from the higher Atlas Mountains. More species of Trachycarpus can be planted outdoors if temperatures never go below 12 C : T. latisectus, T. martianus, T. oreophilus and T. princeps.The genus Phoenix includes the famous date palm, Phoenix dactylifera and the Canary Island palm, Phoenix canariensis. They do take frost, like some other members of the genus: P. loureiroi, P. humilis, P. sylvestris, P. theoprastii. More and more Sabal species can be grown if frosts are not too hard. The following species can take about – 10 C: Sabal domingensis, S. etonia, S. maritima, S. mexicana, S. palmetto, S. rosei. Hardy palms from North America are the dwarf Serenoa repens and the tall, stately whashingtonias, with two species: Washingtonia filifera and W. robusta. A different fan palm is Trithrinax brasiliensis, with large, round, flat fan leaves and beautiful, tropical-looking, yellow flowers.

Frost hardy Chamaerops humilis cerifera from the mountains of Morocco

Frost hardy Chamaerops humilis cerifera from the mountains of Morocco

-2 to -9 C (-28.5 to -15.5 F):

Lots of new genera and species can be tried in milder areas: Arenga engleri and A. micrantha resist to about – 7 C. Different species of Livistona, Parajubaea, Syagrus, Acrocomia aculeata, Copernicia alba. If it really never goes below -4 C, Rhopalostylis from New Zealand, some Caryota species from Asia the wax palms from the Andes, Ceroxylon, such as C. andinum and C. amazonicum, a number of Chamaedorea species, some of the high-elevation Dypsis from Madagascar, the showy, large, grey leaved Bismarckia nobilis, or the fabulous red-leaf palm, Chambeyronia macrocarpa.

Arenga engleri can take frost at - 9 C

Arenga engleri can take frost at – 9 C

Never below -2 C (never below -28.5 F):

The list is just too long. 200 or more palm species can be grown outdoors in lucky climates. If you are in located in the coastal Mediterranean, many of the palms offered by Canarius will grow for you.

You can buy all these palms and many more in the Palm Section of our Shop – We ship to anywhere in Europe.

This is our Parajubaea torallyi torallyi in a 12x14 cm pot

This is our Parajubaea torallyi torallyi in a 12×14 cm pot

Our Trachycarpus takil in a 12 cm pot, ready to be shipped

Our Trachycarpus takil in a 12 cm pot, ready to be shipped

Growing Tropical Plants in Cold Europe – Tips

Canarius | Tuesday January 5th, 2010 |

Tropical and Mediterranean garden styles are spreading through Europe. People are trying new species and new techniques to create exotic gardens in colder, northern climates. While many tropical species cannot survive cold winters, some can be replaced by subtropical species or tropical-looking hardy species. Tropical gardens are often rich in large leaved plants, such as palms and bananas. Mediterranean gardens are not so dense and lush, they rather show open vegetation, sculptured by wind and sun. Shrubs and trees are often enhanced by cacti, yuccas and palms from dry habitats.

Trachycarpus wagnerianus is a frost proof palm species

Trachycarpus wagnerianus is a frost proof palm species, hardy to about -18 C.

Canarius offers some tips to help growers in their tropical adventures:

  • Young plants are often less resistant to cold. If you are purchasing small sizes from Canarius, protect them in winter during a few years, especially if you are pushing the limits of your climate by introducing tender species.
  • Get protection from walls and canopy. Walls and buildings can stop the wind and release warmth at night. Even some large rocks on the ground can help. Canopy (a tree above) make a sheltered environment and helps to minimize the effect of frost or hail.
  • Sun in, wind out. Design the garden so that it can catch the sunlight from the South and trap the warmth. Keep it screened from the coldest winter winds.
  • Try the right speciesPalms and cacti are tropical plants but SOME palms and SOME cacti can grow in even in Northern Europe. Many tropical families or genera include a few species which are hardier than others, usually because their wild habitat is located at high elevations or high latitudes. Hardy Palms will take -18 or below! Canarius offers an excellent selection of hardy tropicals. Check our blog article Hardy Palms for Europe.

    Echinocereus  enneacanthus sarissophorus

    Cold hardy cactus. Echinocereus enneacanthus sarissophorus can take about – 20 C if kept dry.

  • All plants from dry areas increase their hardiness if kept dry. For example, many cacti can take freezes if kept dry. The same species might rot in warmer Mediterranean climates if left outdoors during the winter rains.
  • Desert plants in the garden do better on raised mounds. Palm-like plants from dry regions (Yucca and Dasylirion) and various cacti can take frosts to harder than -10 C (14 F). They will be even hardier if planted in a much drained site, such as a raised mound or in sandy soil.
  • Plants with underground stems increase resistance if mulched. Use abundant mulching during the coldest months. Heliconiabananas, Strelitziasugar-cane, gingers.
  • Use winter protections. All tropical plants will benefit from some protection, from cold, wind or hail. Plants from dry climates, such as cacti, succulents or desert palms might need a shelter for the rain. Learn about how to protect them. Cover them with anti-frost fabric. Build temporary shelters. Use plastic or bubblewrap, Check the temperature. Keen collectors use a number of materials and often provide some heating to the most valuable plants they grow outdoors.

    Yucca rostrata

    Yucca rostrata is a grey leaved beauty from American deserts. It grows into a palm-like frost hardy tree.

  • Think of pots. Move them in for winter. Some exotic plants, like cacti and cycads do very well in pots. Grow tropicals in large pots and take them to a protected place in winter. In many cases a sheltered patio, balcony or the southern wall of the house will be enough. Cacti and succulents will be protected from rain.
  • Cacti and Succulents will rest in winter. Many species can be grown in the North, as long as they are induced to rest during the long and dark months. It is possible to store resting cacti anywhere, as long as they are kept dry and above freezing. Some collectors store them in closets. Few succulents will grow actively indoors in house conditions, because of the lack of sunlight. Gasteria and Haworthia are some exceptions.
  • It is not all about temperature. Warmth is just one of the many needs of a tropical plant. The “Tropical people of the North” often focus too much on temperatures. Think of general horticulture, and think about irrigation, fertilizing, sunlight or shade, pest protection, etc. A well grown healthy plant will tolerate much colder temperatures than its weaker counterpart.

The new Cycads from China – Cold Hardy?

Canarius | Tuesday January 5th, 2010 |

Many new cycad species have been recently introduced in cultivation from China. Some species grow tall, while others are low, trunkless understorey plants. Most of them are from high elevation areas or inland regions, subjected to regular frosts. Some of them are bipinnate cycads with unique “double feather” leaves .

Developing bipinnate leaf of Cycas multifrondis

Developing bipinnate leaf of Cycas multifrondis

The new species of Cycas from China

The genus Cycas has a large number of species in China. Most of them have not been cultivated in the western world until a few years ago, and various new species have been only recently described by botanists. Many are from cold or cool regions. Most species come from Yunnan, which is an inland region of Southern China of very high biological diversity. Yunnan is highly populated and agriculture has taken over the landscape. Thankfully, most cycads occur on rocky and hilly areas which are somehow conserved. The mining industry is threatening some species. Collection of adult specimens for ornamental purposes is also a problem in habitat. In our shop you can purchase many of these species of Cycas, all reproduced from legally purchased seeds.

The Bipinnate Cycads

Some Chinese species of Cycas have bipinnate (double-feather) leaves. These are very graceful, unusual leaves, reminiscent of ferns and little else in the plant kingdom. Many bipinnate cycads are easy, fast growers like Cycas debaoensis. Some others are slow and difficult.

Only one species of bipinnate cycad was known in Europe since the early XXth century and this was Cycas micholitzii. In recent years the new species from China reached the market and achieved incredible prices in the world seed trade.

A bipinnnate cycad leaf

A bipinnnate cycad leaf

Cold hardiness of some Chinese species

Cycas debaoensis tolerated about -8 C (17 F) in California. It is an easy species, that grows back very fast. Collectors noticed that a heavy mulch improves hardiness.

Cycas longipetiolula grows well in cool and wet conditions and is hardy to short, light frosts of -2 C.  Adult leaves are incredibly ornamental and fern-like, to about 4 m (12 ft.) tall.

Juvenile bipinnate leaf  of Cycas longipetiolula

Juvenile bipinnate leaf of Cycas longipetiolula

Cycas multifrondis and Cycas multipinnata. Little or nothing is known about frost tolerance of these bipinnate cycas. Both are new and beautiful, fast, easy growing species. As we see, they prefer the cool, wet winters of the Canary Islands, rather than the hot and dry summer. Cycas multifrondis is especially graceful because of the wavy leaf margins.

Cycas panzihuahuensis is widely thought to be one of the most cold-hardy of all the cycads. It is grown outdoors in the United Kingdom. It takes about -9 C (16 F) and below. It will quickly come back if defoliated.

Cycas diannanensis is another frost hardy species. It grows at about 1200 m (4000 ft) asl, but the highest populations, known in the market as Cycas diannanensis Mountain Form, achieves 1800 m (5900 ft) asl. Once again, the species is so new to growers do not know how hardy it exactly is.

Cycas diannanensis underleaf

Frost-hardy Cycas diannanensis, from high mountains in China.

Cycas guizhouensis, from the province of Guizhou stands about -8 C (17 F). It is a small, robust cycad with flat, shiny grey-green leaves and narrow leaflets. It is native to Guizhou, Guanxi and Yunnan, in China, where it grows in scrubby open forests on steep limestone slopes. Cycas guizhouensis is an easy grower and does well in Mediterranean and warm temperate climates, as it can take moderate frosts.

Cycas guizhouensis easily grows outdoors in Mediterranean Climates. We ship these plants to Europe.

Cycas guizhouensis easily grows outdoors in Mediterranean Climates. We ship these plants to Europe.

All these species are new to many collectors and we will update the blog as soon as we learn more about their cold tolerance. We would like you to tell us your experiences with chinese cycads in your garden.

Try an increasing selection of chinese species in the Cycad section of our plant shop!