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Palms
Family: ArecaceaePalms will instantly "tropicise" your garden, and there are so many to choose from of different sizes, forms and leaf shapes. Some are solitary (single trunk) and others clumping (multiple trunks).
You can have a native tropical garden by choosing native palm species. The fruits can be useful for birds, too.
Palms are also useful for formal gardens in hot climates. An avenue of evenly-spaced, upright palms can be very impressive. They can also be used to frame an entrance or as feature specimens in garden beds.
The predictable upright growth of solitary palms and the non-woody root systems of make palms are more suitable for tight spaces than most types of woody, broadleaf trees. Nevertheless, the bases can expand quite substantially over time, so do allow sufficient clearance if locating near fences or garden edges. A clump of golden cane palms will take up more space still, even if thinned, yet is likely to be a better choice for suburban yards than very large woody trees.
Golden cane palms are dense enough to plant as a screen. Solitary palms will not provide total screening. What's more, the main leafy part of the trees move up as the tree grows. Nevertheless, this could be better than nothing if space is limited, especially in a situation where a tall building has gone up next door. A row of solitary palms could provide some screening plus a visual distraction - providing something more interesting to look at in the foreground.
Palms tend not to cast a lot of shade and it will move throughout the day. However, there will be some light shade cast. Apart form the practical utility, the patterns of light and shade on the ground will provide interest and soften the whole landscape. For more shade in one spot, try planting a number of palms in a grove.
For more in-depth coverage of palms suitable for South East Queensland gardens, subscribe to Get Results Gardening. It's a weekly mini-magazine in an email newsletter format. Besides plants suitable for the regions it discusses basic gardening technique, trends and design concepts that will be of interest to new and experienced gardeners across Australia. Request a free, no obligation trial today with a simple email. More information at calyx.com.au/getresultsgardening.html.
News
 Some of the microscope images. Credit: Larry R. Noblick CC BY 4.0 | Leaves a key to palm IDMicroscopic differences in the edges of leaves could be a useful way to distinguish palms. Comparing sections of the leaf margins of the palm genus Syagrus revealed characteristics distinctive enough to be used in a species identification key. This leaf slicing technique, which is readily done by hand, could be useful for identification when other plant parts (such as flowers) are not available or inconclusive. It may even be applicable to other plant groups. Source: First few millimeters of the leaf margin identify palm species in a new key to Syagrus (June 2017) |
Some common landscaping palms
Following is a growing gallery of palms growing in SE Qld landscapes. These may help you ID palms you have growing or give you ideas about what palms to plant and suitable places to plant them.
Golden Cane Palm
Blue Cane Palm
Macarthur Palm
Alexandra Palm
Bangalow Palm
Foxtail Palm
Triangle Palm
Bismark Palm
Teddy Bear Palm
Redneck Palm
Spindle Palm
Bottle Palm
Cuban Royal Palm
Pygmy Date Palm
Canary Island Date Palm
Coconuts
Dates and other edible palm species
Chamaedorea
Solitaire Palm
Cyrtostachys
Kentia Palm
Licuala
Livistona
Rhapis
Washingtonia
Caryota
Older News
New Palms for War Memorial
The 12 Canary Island Date Palms at the Rockhampton War Memorial killed and damaged by Cyclone Marcia are to be replaced. Semi-advanced plants will be used to recreate the formal arrangement encircling the Cenotaph. The memorial is heritage-listed. Source: Work begins on Cenotaph Date Palms (May 2016)
Time running out for Madagascan palms
An assessment of 192 species of palm unique to Madagascar by the International Union for Conservation of Nature reveals a situation that is "truly terrifying". Agriculture, logging, mining and palm heart harvesting are all threats. Even seed collectors are causing devastation because they cut the trees down in the process. These palms are not only important for biodiversity, but are also important to local people for construction and food. Some conservation projects working with communities are underway, but the situation is critical. Some species are down to 30 or fewer individual plants. More information: Madagascar's palms near extinction (October 2012)
Palm Valley not a Gondwana relicNew analysis of central Australia's Palm Valley palms suggests that they aren't the remains of a prehistoric rainforest, but that seeds were brought from the north Aboriginal people as recently as 15,000 years ago. More at the University of Tasmania website: Humans may explain the enigma of outback palms (March 2012)
Maritime technology inspired by palm seed
Seed of the palm Dypsis rivularis have inspired the development of a coating that could replace the toxic anti-fouling paints currentlyused on ship hulls. It was suspected that the seeds, which are dispersed by ocean currents, might prevent marine organisms from colonising them by having a hairy micro-structure that is constantly moving. Initial attempts at an artificial surface mimicking the of the seeds' surface are promising. Source: Specialized seeds can really float your boat (July 2011)
Cabbage palms are not Gondwana survivors
DNA studies from University of Queensland have disproved that Australia's cabbage palms (Livistona spp.) were part of the ancient Gondwanan flora. Instead, it appears that these palms entered Australia after the break-up of Gondwana, probably from South-East Asia. The researchers also found that central Australia's Palm Valley palms are very similar to palms in the north of the Northern Territory, possibly dispersing along water courses that existed at times during the last one or two million years. Source: UQ research finds palm trees may not be native to Australia (July 2010)
New discoveries still being made after 250 years
New species discovered or described by botanists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in its 250th year include 24 species of palms. Twenty of these come from the island of Madagascar, even though less than 10% of the island's original vegetation remains. Read more at the Kew website: Kew botanists discover over 250 new plant species in Kew's 250th year (December 2009)
Bismarkia is a Florida favourite
Celebrating a decade of the "Florida Plants of the Year" program in 2009, the Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association (USA) have selected ten Plants of the Decade from previous winners. The range includes Zamioculcas zamiifolia (ZZ plant) and the the silver form of Bismarckia nobilis (Bismarck Palm). More information at the FNGLA website
Palms trump power lines in Port Douglas
Cairns Regional Council have approved funds to replace the remaining overhead powerlines on Port Douglas Road with underground cables, saving the avenue of 27 African Oil Palms that were threatening power supply. Source: Iconic Palms preserved (May 2009)
A date with history
A Judean date palm has been grown from a seed found in the ruins of Masada, the Jewish fortress that fell to the Romans abround 2000 years ago. Believed to be the oldest seed ever to germinate, the resulting plant has been nicknamed Methuselah. Furthermore, it represents a previously extinct form of date palm, the fruit of which could have properties not present in modern dates. More from the American Association for the Advancement of Science: Researchers Resurrect Extinct Judean Date Palm Tree from 2,000-Year-Old Seed (June, 2008)
New palm discovery on Madagascar
The discovery of a new palm species on Madagascar is making botanical news. The rare and spectacular flowering event which betrayed its exisistence ultimately kills the tree. Read more from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (UK): New Genus of Self-destructive Palm found in Madagascar and the Human Flower Project: Diversity: Madagascar v. NYC. January 2008
New palm genus discovered
An expedition to the Wondiwoi Mountains of Indonesian New Guinea has revealed to science a new palm genus, Dransfieldia. More information from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew here: New Palm Genus Discovered in Remote Forests of New Guinea (March 2006)
Palms provide evolutionary model
The widely cultivated Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) and another palm from Lord Howe island, the closely related H. belmoreana, have provided an interesting model for biologists investigating how two species could diverge from a common ancestor without geographic separation. Different flowering times appears to be involved in the process. More information from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew here: New Case Study Contributes to Thinking on Origin of Species (February 2006)