Types of palm trees

Palm trees are a type of plant that is very easy to grow and maintain. They bring an exotic touch to the garden and, although they originate from a tropical climate, they can also be adapted to cold climates.

It is estimated that there are more than 3,000 species of palm trees distributed throughout the world. They are generally arranged in tropical and subtropical climates. However, there are also some types of palm trees that withstand the cold very well, even until frost.

Three good examples of this are Trachycarpus Fortunei (which can hold up to -15ºC), Nannorhops Ritchiana (which can hold up to -20ºC), or Raphydophyllum hystrix (holding up to -23ºC).

So that you can learn more about palm trees, in the following lines we will see the main types of palm trees in the world .

Discover the different varieties of palm trees

Pinnate leaves

They are palm trees that are characterized by presenting a type of elongated leaf, made up of smaller leaves that are called leaflets. These leaves emerge from the center of the palm and are also elongated.

The most common species within this classification are the Phoenix Dactylfera palm (date palm), or the Canary Island palm Phoenix Canariensis. These types of palm trees can be found in practically any part and garden of the different regions of the world.

As a curiosity, there is a palm that falls within this classification and is also very well known (especially for the fruit it bears), although it cannot be found in Spain. Yes, we are talking about the coconut tree “Cocos Nucifera”.

Of clapped leaves

These other varieties of palm trees differ from the previous ones basically by the leaves. In this case, they have a fan shape; the leaflets are also elongated and emerge from the same point of the stem of the leaves.

They are widely used in gardening, especially because they are very easy to maintain and because the problems that can occur during their growth are minimal.

We highlight these three types of palm trees within this classification:

  • Washingtonia Palm: It is a type of robust palm, very resistant to even the most extreme atmospheric changes. As a curiosity, in gardening, it is known as a dressed palm. This has its reason for being; and it is that, at the moment when their lower palms dry, unlike what happens with other palms, these do not come off, but rather they will hang, creating a very interesting visual spectacle.
  • Excelsa palm ( Trachcarpus Fortunei ): For its part, the Excelsa palm is characterized by its broad resistance to extreme cold. It is usually planted in places where the weather is so cold that frosts can occur regularly.
  • Palm ( Chamaerops humilis ): Another very common type of palm. It is very curious since it is considered the only indigenous palm tree in geographic Europe. If you analyze in detail the rest of the palm trees, you will discover that these were introduced.

Other types of palm

In general, the types of palm trees should be classified in the two types of classifications that we have seen previously … but there are certain exceptions.

For example, we have dwarf palms, those that we can even have at home since they can be grown in pots. An example of this is the Australian Palm with the scientific name Livistona Rotundifolia. This palm tree is capable of holding up indoors or outdoors, making it very versatile.

We also want to talk about the cycle , known to many as the false palm. And it is that, as we discovered thanks to its name, it is not a palm tree. The confusion is that apparently it is.

List of palm trees that we can find in Spain

The types of palm trees that we can find in Spain are the Palmito, the Canary Palm ( Phoenix Canariensis), the Date palm ( Phoenix Dacylifera ), the Palmito elevated ( Trachucarpus Fortunei ), the Washingtonia Filifera and the Washingtonia robusta. Although while it is true that we can also find other types, these are the most common.

Thanks to this complete guide on the different varieties of palm trees, from now on it will be much easier to identify them, in addition to knowing the main characteristics associated with each of them.

Types of palm trees

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