Big Chamaerops

[Axel Amsterdam]

Hi everybody,

I'm a big fan of huge clumps of chamaerops as can only be seen in mediterranean area's. It's one of the few palms that can be safely grown in cold area's like Holland. I did a search on the subject but found that this species isn't a popular topic on this otherwise terrific forum. I hope some members will post a couple of striking specimens. There must be some 20 footers out there...

thanks,

Axel

[Al in Kona]

Here is a pic of one rather medium to large size Chamaerops that I saw growing in Southern California at the Crystal Cathederal in the Anaheim area. Here it is . . .

[freakypalmguy]

Len (LJG) has some totally killer meds at the front of his home and by his pool. One has a trunk that leans out over the pool. Very nice. Len, you out there? Let's see some pics.

Matt

[LJG]

Thanks Matt.

Here is one in the front. Freshly shorn.

My one in the back.

[Scott]

Chamaerops are great palms. Theres some growing in my neighborhood I'll have to try to get a few snaps of.

[Eric in Orlando]

Here is a tall clump at a nearby office building

a clump at EPCOT;

[gyuseppe]

Chamaerops in italy, you will find in all the gardens!

[Kris]

Dear Len

They are terrefic,and Matt thanks for reminding len about those beauties ! By the way one large sized Med Fan just rotted in last year winter rains..in our garden here in south india.

They happen to be my favouriate palms too !

Thanks for the visuals gentlemen..

Love,

Kris

[PalmGuyWC]

Those are beautifully grown and manacured Chamaerops Len. A nicely grown Chamaerops with a few trunks is hard to beat.

Dick

[manuvericel]

Hi everybody,

I'm a big fan of huge clumps of chamaerops as can only be seen in mediterranean area's. It's one of the few palms that can be safely grown in cold area's like Holland. I did a search on the subject but found that this species isn't a popular topic on this otherwise terrific forum. I hope some members will post a couple of striking specimens. There must be some 20 footers out there...

thanks,

Axel

Hi Axel,

A big one in Hyères, France

MANU

[Axel Amsterdam]

Thanks everybody for all the beautiful pictures so far.

Wow i love those bended trunks hanging over the pool and finding their way up again.

Is it true that the main trunks grow faster if you remove the suckers?

[Kelern]

Hello Axel,

That old one grows in western Brittany with a friend of mine which is over six feet.

[LJG]

Thanks Dick and I agree. Even though common, I still love mine and admire them. A point on taking care of them that I have noted is to avoid any direct watering to the trunk. After while the water rots the old leaf bases and fibrous mat. It falls off to expose an ordinary, skinny trunk (as seen in some pictures here). That and cutting the dead leaves off right where the fibrous mat stops also makes it look well manicured.

Those are beautifully grown and manacured Chamaerops Len. A nicely grown Chamaerops with a few trunks is hard to beat.

Dick

[LJG]

I am not sure on speed. I cut my suckers off to keep them clean. The one time I decided to let one grow was about 4 years ago. You can see the short on in the middle by the pool? That got that size in only four years. That is very fast.

Thanks everybody for all the beautiful pictures so far.

Wow i love those bended trunks hanging over the pool and finding their way up again.

Is it true that the main trunks grow faster if you remove the suckers?

[PalmGuyWC]

Len,

Your in the nursery business, aren't you? I was wondering what a speciman plant like the one you have in the front would cost? That is, if you could find a nice speciman like that. Chamaerops may be common, but I'm not a palm snob with Chamaerops since there are so many different forms. I think I have about 8 different forms, some with stiff fronds, and some with weepy fronds.

Dick

[iamjv]

Len those cham's rock!!! Jv

[iamjv]

Found the pic I wanted to show on this thread... this is the craziest Chamaerops I've ever seen pictured... took this off the web and unfortunately can't remember from what site to give them props. Jv

[buffy]

That's a winner JV. That's the coolest one I've ever seen in a photo. I remember that picture popping up sometime last fall. I'm pretty sure its in Cali.

[Kris]

Dear Jv

Thats a fentastic still,and i love it ! And very neatly trimmed & maintained too...

Thanks & Love,

Kris

[DoomsDave]

That's a winner JV. That's the coolest one I've ever seen in a photo. I remember that picture popping up sometime last fall. I'm pretty sure its in Cali.

Looks like Bevery Hills.

[LJG]

This is Jeff Steins photo of the biggest one known in California. This is found in Beverly Hills. When you look close you can see they got it tied up to the tree for support it is so tall.

Found the pic I wanted to show on this thread... this is the craziest Chamaerops I've ever seen pictured... took this off the web and unfortunately can't remember from what site to give them props. Jv

[Scott]

Len - what a great setting! The chamaerops that are curvy are cool.

Manu - Great photo! thanks for sharing.

[Axel Amsterdam]

Len,

Your in the nursery business, aren't you? I was wondering what a speciman plant like the one you have in the front would cost? That is, if you could find a nice speciman like that. Chamaerops may be common, but I'm not a palm snob with Chamaerops since there are so many different forms. I think I have about 8 different forms, some with stiff fronds, and some with weepy fronds.

Dick

I would be most interested to know the prices of these size chamaerops'. Around here they are a rare find and a clump of trunks no larger than 3 feet would easily cost a few hundred dollars.

Axel

[epicure3]

Here's a picture of mine. Takes neglect to the extreme.

[Michel64]

This one is the bigger I know in my area (unfortunately partial view of the clump)

[Kathryn]

Here are some at Jackson Square in New Orleans. I took these pictures in August 2005 - I guess I need to get some updates.

[carolinapalms]

Great house and palms Len. I would love to see some other pics of your yard. I have one Chamaerop in my yard. It seems to have taken the hardest hit this year from the cold winter. We had several nights below 20 F (3 or 4 nights at 12 F). Mine was totally burned, but pushing out new green spear. The suckers are also green. You can see mine in snow as my avatar. Later this summer I'll clean up the brown fronds and post a pic.

[Harry]

Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife

[JasonD]

Here are some at Jackson Square in New Orleans. I took these pictures in August 2005 - I guess I need to get some updates.

Jackson Square is one of the most elegant and urbane places in the US. I remembered the banana clumps, but not the Chamaerops.

[JasonD]

Found the pic I wanted to show on this thread... this is the craziest Chamaerops I've ever seen pictured... took this off the web and unfortunately can't remember from what site to give them props. Jv

There are some monsters like this in Pasadena, too. LA has the biggest ones I've seen.

Considering how scrubby they are in habitat, it's surprising that they can become so tall in cultivation, sometimes almost resembling an Acoelorrhaphe or mini Hyphaene. It's also the most versatile palm, growing in Seattle and Miami and San Diego. I was surprised at how good the Chamaerops humilis var. argentea (AKA 'Cerifera') looked in wet, tropical Costa Rica.

[Axel Amsterdam]

Found the pic I wanted to show on this thread... this is the craziest Chamaerops I've ever seen pictured... took this off the web and unfortunately can't remember from what site to give them props. Jv

There are some monsters like this in Pasadena, too. LA has the biggest ones I've seen.

Considering how scrubby they are in habitat, it's surprising that they can become so tall in cultivation, sometimes almost resembling an Acoelorrhaphe or mini Hyphaene. It's also the most versatile palm, growing in Seattle and Miami and San Diego. I was surprised at how good the Chamaerops humilis var. argentea (AKA 'Cerifera') looked in wet, tropical Costa Rica.

Hi Jason,

Unfortunately i have never seen large trunking Cham.Cerifera's. Must be quite a sight with all those silver fronds.

[iamjv]

This is a shot off some European website stating this is cerifera..... good size! Jv

[Kris]

Dear Jv

thanks for the still,i cannot believe my eyes... Is it 75 to 100 yrs old palm ?

Lots of love,

Kris

[Axel Amsterdam]

This is a shot off some European website stating this is cerifera..... good size! Jv

Nice shot JV. It looks very much the same surrounding as the humilis in Tenerife that Harry posted. Nice cerifera and the biggest i have seen so far. Are there any large cerifera's in Cali or is this species not very common?

[Exotic Life]

Great shots everyone.

I do have some pictures to from the southeast of France, when I was working for 8 weeks between Monaco and Nice for an Practical training/Internship. I'm also have been back over there for visiting gardens. Like all the South European countries also I have seen Chamaerops over there, I will have a look to find this pictures again. When I have found them, I will show them over here.

Robbin

[Axel Amsterdam]

I just bought this chamaerops with a trunk well over 5 foot. Just a few more and i have my clump.

Axel

[FRITO]

heres a local one downtown, it used to have more suckers leaning out over the hill but they were unfortunately cut back

[FRITO]

heres a big un trimmed one locally with friend for scale

[Darold Petty]

I don't have a photo, sorry, but the largest Chamaerops I have ever seen was in Santa Monica, California. It was in front of a public library. The plant was much larger than any shown thus far on this thread. Perhaps someone in the area could investigate this palm. It had multiple stems, all at least 3 or 4 meters tall.

[Axel Amsterdam]

I don't have a photo, sorry, but the largest Chamaerops I have ever seen was in Santa Monica, California. It was in front of a public library. The plant was much larger than any shown thus far on this thread. Perhaps someone in the area could investigate this palm. It had multiple stems, all at least 3 or 4 meters tall.

Maybe it can be found on streetview, do you know the streetname? I woul love to see it.

Axel