What do 'dwarf', 'small', 'medium' and 'large' mean?

[O'o Bar Master]

Sabal Steve’s post (about what palm to post between two large palms) reminded me of something that I’ve found confusing from the time that we started purchasing palms. What do the terms ‘dwarf’ and ‘small’ mean. For example, I have heard the word dwarf refer to palms that reach a maximum height of 3’ as well as Licuala dasyantha which reach a height of 15’. I pretty quickly learned that I had to ask what height a palm would grow or I might end up with a landscape nightmare.

I understand that there is no exactness to the height of palms and that palm heights vary with sun, soil, water and locale, but I am very interested in what the terms, dwarf, small, medium and large mean to you. It would also be nice to hear what area live.

Lee

[O'o Bar Master]

One of the challenges of having identical computers is that on occasion my wife (LilikoiLee) and I each pick up the others laptop. Thus the previous post regarding palm height accidentally went in as an O’o Bar Master post when the source was actually LilikoiLee.

So, I am officially going on record as saying I have little concern about palm height. My issue is hole size and how much work I’m going to have to do to get a palm into the ground. In order to maintain marital bliss I would like the Palm Talk community to know that the “Palm Height” post should be attributed to my wife Lee and not me.

[doranakandawatta]

Mike ,

So this is your wife, dear Lee, who is "posting " palms...(......what palm to post between two large palms......)

You post posts on PT and accidentally plant some palms in your garden.

Anyway, which species did you PUT between two large palms, a Lodoicea?

[Walter John]

I'll have a go at this, let it be known, this is my palmeducated estimations only. These are based on maximum heights in ideal situations. I also would like to add that these should NOT be held as a true or ideal indicator of landscape design of palm trees, why ? Because some palms clump out and take up ground area at the base and others expand in width like large fan palms through growth stages so design or selection should also be based on all facets of palm tree growth.

Dwarf = A smaller variation of an existing palm, eg: Areca catechu can grow quite tall whilst the dwarf version of the same palm is way shorter in height.

Small = palm trees generally growing to a max height of about 8 metres and shorter.

Medium = from above 8 metres to approx 15 metres

Tall = above 15 metres

I hope this helps, as I stated, this is my own evaluation for these size/height descripts.

[Sabal Steve]

One of the challenges of having identical computers is that on occasion my wife (LilikoiLee) and I each pick up the others laptop. Thus the previous post regarding palm height accidentally went in as an O’o Bar Master post when the source was actually LilikoiLee. So, I am officially going on record as saying I have little concern about palm height. My issue is hole size and how much work I’m going to have to do to get a palm into the ground. In order to maintain marital bliss I would like the Palm Talk community to know that the “Palm Height” post should be attributed to my wife Lee and not me.

I think a good rule of thumb is to make the whole twice the size of the root ball, but any bigger that you would be able to make it would only help the palm I would assume because it would allow for more room for amendment.

[LilikoiLee]

Mike ,

So this is your wife, dear Lee, who is "posting " palms...(......what palm to post between two large palms......)

You post posts on PT and accidentally plant some palms in your garden.

Anyway, which species did you PUT between two large palms, a Lodoicea?

Mike ,

So this is your wife, dear Lee, who is "posting " palms...(......what palm to post between two large palms......)

You post posts on PT and accidentally plant some palms in your garden.

Anyway, which species did you PUT between two large palms, a Lodoicea?

/quote]

Aloha Philippe,

Good to hear from you!

I guess we're going to have to put our names on each of our own computers. We've mixed them up before.

We're postponing the decision on what to plant between the two large palms. We've made so many mistakes by rushing to get something in the ground whenever we find a hole. Holes are difficult to find on our property and we have quite a few palms that have overgrown their pots so it is very tempting to just getting something in a hole.

However is you have a lead on a Lodoicea we'll dig until we drop to find a place for it!

[waykoolplantz]

As in life...these terms are relative. Depends on your point of view

[Moose]

As in life...these terms are relative. Depends on your point of view

And if your ever fortunate enough to visit Mr. Harris' garden - it would be safe to say that his Corypha umbraculiferas are large. At least relative to my point of view. Notice I used the plural about Mike's palms. Its amazing walking under them.

[Zeeth]

I like Wal's description

[LilikoiLee]

I'll have a go at this, let it be known, this is my palmeducated estimations only. These are based on maximum heights in ideal situations. I also would like to add that these should NOT be held as a true or ideal indicator of landscape design of palm trees, why ? Because some palms clump out and take up ground area at the base and others expand in width like large fan palms through growth stages so design or selection should also be based on all facets of palm tree growth.

Dwarf = A smaller variation of an existing palm, eg: Areca catechu can grow quite tall whilst the dwarf version of the same palm is way shorter in height.

Small = palm trees generally growing to a max height of about 8 metres and shorter.

Medium = from above 8 metres to approx 15 metres

Tall = above 15 metres

I hope this helps, as I stated, this is my own evaluation for these size/height descripts.

I'll have a go at this, let it be known, this is my palmeducated estimations only. These are based on maximum heights in ideal situations. I also would like to add that these should NOT be held as a true or ideal indicator of landscape design of palm trees, why ? Because some palms clump out and take up ground area at the base and others expand in width like large fan palms through growth stages so design or selection should also be based on all facets of palm tree growth.

Dwarf = A smaller variation of an existing palm, eg: Areca catechu can grow quite tall whilst the dwarf version of the same palm is way shorter in height.

Small = palm trees generally growing to a max height of about 8 metres and shorter.

Medium = from above 8 metres to approx 15 metres

Tall = above 15 metres

I hope this helps, as I stated, this is my own evaluation for these size/height descripts.

Hi Wal, It did help. Even though it is your personal 'ruler' it is reasuring that someone has refined it to something consistent.

To be honest my problem is self inflicted - I've acquired 300 palms and we only have an acre of land. That means that I have to be pretty sure of the size (height & width) of every palm so I can plant each one in a way that will give them what they need environmentaly and also look attractive. I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the number of times I've been sold something as a 'dwarf' that I later learn grows to 15'.

Lee