Should you plant a palm tree oasis in your back yard?  Maybe…or maybe not

For centuries palm trees have been symbols of comfort and safety whether

• Spied in an oasis from afar in a scorching hot desert or
• Standing tall as a “land-ho” sign after crossing a vast stretch of ocean or
• Simply marking the beginning of warm weather country when traveling south in the U.S.

As symbols or signs, palm trees are great. I love seeing them lined up along The Strip in Las Vegas, and Arroyo Parkway in Pasadena and Canon Drive in Beverly Hills. But as for planting a palm tree in a residential garden…I am less enthusiastic.

Plant a Mexican fan palm (Washingtonia robusta) or a fruitful date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and within a few years you have a tall, round brown column in your front yard. The graceful green fronds will have grown out of sight and cast very little shade.

The Mexican Fan palm has vicious thorns on its fronds and a prick from one thorn can cause an infection. And if your sky-high date palm produces fruit, the dates will drop and make a mess—albeit a tasty mess—in your yard.

But there are two and a half smaller palm trees that are more suitable for home gardens in hot, dry climates.

The Pindo palm (Butia capitate) has long fronds, like the date palm, but grows very slowly to 20 feet tall and about the same width.  It produces a yellow fruit that in some countries is turned into jelly or wine. It is the smaller palm in front in the photo. Behind it is a Mexican fan palm which is growing its way to 60 feet tall. Both planted at the same time.

The Mediterranean Fan palm, (Chamaerops humilis) as the name states, has fan-like fronds similar to the Mexican fan palm, but it is essentially a palm shrub, not a palm tree.  Many people trim the lower fronds off the multiple trunks to give this plant a more traditional “palm tree” shape. A slow grower may reach 15 to 20 feet someday. Its small, brown fruit is not edible.

Both these smaller palm trees can survive chilly weather, even a quick light dusting of snow!

And now for the “half palm tree”.  It is commonly called a sago palm, but it is not a palm at all. This low growing cycad is closely related to evergreen pine trees. It can be an attractive addition to a palm garden oasis and grows really s-l-o-o-o-w-l-y. Be sure to plant in a backyard; thieves steal them from front yards regularly because they are very expensive plants. Another note about the sago palm: its bright red fruit can be toxic to dogs and other small animals and is not good for humans of any size.

So even though palms like being planted in warm soil and can be planted in warm weather if watered sufficiently, consider how it will look in a few years. In my opinion, it is better to invest your money and time planting a fast growing Chitalpa tree (Chitalpa x tashkentensis).

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