Palmeral de Elche the biggest palm grove in the world ?

[trioderob]

is Palmeral de Elche the biggest grove in the world or do one

of you guys have a larger one ?

[aussiearoids]

the oil palm plantations in Indonesia that are replacing the rainforest would be winners hands down

[John in Andalucia]

The point about El Palmeral de Elche is that it's a World Heritage Site, dating back to the pre-Roman era. It's not really comparable to oil palm plantations, which easily dwarf any palm grove that has been around for some time. You need to consider the league table before comparing size!

[Mark Heath]

It would be cool to walk through that site in the picture! Beautifull.

[kokonut]

What a sight! All those Dates. Never hard of it before and it's in Spain. Thank you for posting this.

[John in Andalucia]

You can read an excellent article on Elche in the 2002 vol. 46 edition of Palms. The article can be downloaded here in PDF format: The Date Palm Grove of Elche, Spain

[Kev Spence]

Robert did you get to visit we were lucky enough to check the place out and its a fabulous sight and hard work trimming leaves.

Though some seemed to be have trimmed more than needed..........fire risk I suppose!

[trioderob]

no I never was there.

I have been to Spain, but at the time did not know about the grove.

[Dundo]

Let's just hope that palm weevils won't discover this place, btw- great pictures of one truly amazing place.

[Kev Spence]

Its surprising how the modern world meets the ancient palm forest.

Just 10 mins from this forest is Huerto del Cura well worth a look.

This is the link to photos I posted on our UK forum...Huerto del Cura

[Eric in Orlando]

I found this African Oil Palm plantation photo somewhere on the internet awhile back;

oilpalmplant.bmp

[sarasota alex]

I found this African Oil Palm plantation photo somewhere on the internet awhile back;

oilpalmplant.bmp

wow

[JD in the OC]

The Cochella Valley in southern California is the largest date producer in the world.. they now export dates back to India and the Middle East where Phoenix dactylifera is native! We're talking 10,000's of acres of date palms, all planted back in the 1920's I think...

[aussiearoids]

The Cochella Valley in southern California is the largest date producer in the world.. they now export dates back to India and the Middle East where Phoenix dactylifera is native! We're talking 10,000's of acres of date palms, all planted back in the 1920's I think...

That sounds like the biggest man made grove , after considering the Indo palm oil ones .

But what about natural areas ? Local Licuala ramsayii populations down the road would be a few thousand acres , but with other trees as well ,

[chakoro]

The Cochella Valley in southern California is the largest date producer in the world.. they now export dates back to India and the Middle East where Phoenix dactylifera is native! We're talking 10,000's of acres of date palms, all planted back in the 1920's I think...

That sounds like the biggest man made grove , after considering the Indo palm oil ones .

But what about natural areas ? Local Licuala ramsayii populations down the road would be a few thousand acres , but with other trees as well ,

Micheal, would that grove of lic ramsayii be at the Tam O`Shanter state forest? Regards Chakoro.

[sarasota alex]

Don't forget the Sabal palmetto forests here in Florida. Studies have shown an adult stem density of 900/hectare or 364/acre in parts of the Everglades NP, and a density of 1010/hectare or 409/acre of above waist height plants on Little Corkscrew Island north of Naples.

[Ferry]

Unfortunately the red palm weevil was discovered in Elche in 2005. Despite our fight to forbid the importation of ornamental date palm from Egypt where this deadly weevil, because of trade as in Europe or now in California, has been scattered in nearly all the palm groves, the plant protection authority has preferred to protect the commercial profit of some traders instead of preserving this world heritage. For the moment, the weevil as been contained in the countryside. The historical palm grove of Elche with old date palms is les attractive than Phoenix canariensis (any age) or young palms in nurseries.

Elche palm grove is small comparing with North Africa or Middle East palm grove. The total number of date palms in Elche is about 200.000 (80000 in the historical palm grove) similar to the number of productive date palms in California.

Best regards.

Michel Ferry

INRA

Phoenix research station

[paulgila]

thanks for the update.

[John in Andalucia]

Welcome to PalmTalk Michel, and thanks for weighing in on the weevil debate!