Show us your chamaerops humilis

[KPoff]

10 hours ago, palmofmyhand said:

yea I was about to ask the same question, how tall are those?, but yea my pair didn’t take any damage at all even after the couple of slight snowfalls we had and 11 degree low this year.

@palmofmyhand I think when they get to the size yours are 10 F is no problem for them. Did it get above freezing during the day or did you have multiple days below freezing? We had 3-4 days this winter in a row that never broke freezing.

[Marco67]

1 hour ago, Fusca said:

In my experience the regular green humilis grows much faster as far as number of fronds compared to Sabals.  It's not going vertical very fast though.  Right now mine is pushing 3 new fronds at once and it holds many fronds.  Sabal mexicana is faster than palmetto from what I have seen.  And the blue 'argentea' is slower growing than the regular green form.

Humilis seems to be fastest compared to the others. I have to trim my Humilis at least twice a season to prevent it from overgrowing the rest of my garden. It also gets damaged the fastest by cold spells compared to the other species.

Their toughness comes from the suckers they grow; therefore, I am a bit careful to cut them. I have seen many tall single trunk ones in Barcelona, but they never have winters where its get cold enough to receive damage from freezing conditions.

My experience is that they get damaged at -10 C/14 F but in my garden all species survived -16 C/ 2 F.

[palmofmyhand]

2 hours ago, KPoff said:

@palmofmyhand I think when they get to the size yours are 10 F is no problem for them. Did it get above freezing during the day or did you have multiple days below freezing? We had 3-4 days this winter in a row that never broke freezing.

honestly I think when it snowed it was below freezing almost all day except for an hour or two a degree or two above freezing. I actually looked back and it actually only hit 16 degrees this year it was 11 degrees in 2022. I know we didn’t have multiple in a row below freezing and most likely not even a full day completely under freezing although the snow stuck around some peoples houses for up to 2 days after before melting if in the shade I think.

[SeanK]

From last year:

[Las Palmas Norte]

26 minutes ago, SeanK said:

From last year

Wow. You have quite a home. Fantastic looking meds too.

[SeanK]

Just now, Las Palmas Norte said:

Wow. You have quite a home. Fantastic looking meds too.

I wish!

This is a municipal planting.

[Las Palmas Norte]

Oh, OK. I was working off the thread title.

"Show us your chamaerops humilis"

 

[KPoff]

4 hours ago, SeanK said:

From last year:

@SeanK isn’t Atlanta 8A? I’m impressed they’ve gotten that tall there!

[SeanK]

1 hour ago, KPoff said:

@SeanK isn’t Atlanta 8A? I’m impressed they’ve gotten that tall there!

They don't. I was in FL last year.

Biggest ones in GA are probably in Augusta.

[Mazat]

On 6/7/2025 at 4:42 PM, GregVirginia7 said:

Without winter protection this one would not make it here. Got lazy a couple winters ago…the panic lights went on after the damage was done…

And now a complete recovery to the point where protection will be more of a challenge…it’s overtaking the McCurtain.

I’ll have to make this winter’s shroud bigger for sure…doesn’t take a lot, just a little with a load of lights.

 

 

 

they all look great, Greg 🤗👍

good that you are protecting them. the result is wonderful.

[Mazat]

12 hours ago, SeanK said:

From last year:

Great 👍 🤗 

[Mazat]

On 6/8/2025 at 12:48 AM, Marco67 said:

Humilis seems to be fastest compared to the others. I have to trim my Humilis at least twice a season to prevent it from overgrowing the rest of my garden. It also gets damaged the fastest by cold spells compared to the other species.

Their toughness comes from the suckers they grow; therefore, I am a bit careful to cut them. I have seen many tall single trunk ones in Barcelona, but they never have winters where its get cold enough to receive damage from freezing conditions.

My experience is that they get damaged at -10 C/14 F but in my garden all species survived -16 C/ 2 F.

amazing what this species can withstand.

on the island of Elba italy near the coast on stony ground i saw them often.

[Mazat]

here our cerifera 

[Mazat]

On 6/7/2025 at 9:06 PM, Foggy Paul said:

Here are ours. They were planted in 2018 along with two Trachycarpus as the backbone of the garden, to hedge against an historic freeze or other calamity. They have been slow for sure, but I'm including an as-planted pic so you can see the growth over 7 years. Restricting them to a triple and a double has taken nearly continuous effort. I wear a bicycle helmet while pruning after getting a spine lodged in my scalp. This is one palm I do not subscribe to the "don't cut green leaves" dictum as otherwise they would be an uncontrolled mass of spiny foliage. They have flowered the last three years, but no fruit yet.

they are all beauties 🤗👍

[Mazat]

On 6/7/2025 at 7:38 PM, MarcusH said:

It's a beautiful palm and I see them a lot over here in SA. With every palm tree, you have to keep in mind its mature size . These palms can grow pretty big and "wide" . The trunks can grow horizontally more than 5 ft away from the center.  I saw it many times but the good thing about the Chamaerops humilis is they're slow growing..  That's why I haven't gotten one. If I would have the space,  it would be growing it in my yard. 

okay, i unterstand it.

yes, they would grow excellently 🤗

[Mazat]

On 6/7/2025 at 5:17 PM, NMPalmjunky said:

@Mazat Thank you for the kind words. Here is a pic from last year before the haircut. 

you are welcome 🙏

[Mazat]

On 6/7/2025 at 10:02 PM, JohnAndSancho said:

I dunno why I never paid more attention to these. I'm pretty sure I could grow them here and they'd thrive. 

absolutely 🤗

[Mazat]

On 6/7/2025 at 7:38 PM, MarcusH said:

It's a beautiful palm and I see them a lot over here in SA. With every palm tree, you have to keep in mind its mature size . These palms can grow pretty big and "wide" . The trunks can grow horizontally more than 5 ft away from the center.  I saw it many times but the good thing about the Chamaerops humilis is they're slow growing..  That's why I haven't gotten one. If I would have the space,  it would be growing it in my yard. 

Sabine just told me that she would have bet on you having one.

she was thinking of a large pot as an alternative solution .... 

[Mazat]

On 6/7/2025 at 11:31 PM, Hillizard said:

RPS advertised the seeds as "Vulcano" but when I grew them they were obviously ''argentea'.  Still, a very nice palm. https://www.palmpedia.net/palmsforcal/Chamaerop_humilis_var._argentea

Next is a great "Vulcano" I got from a generous SoCal Palmtalker.  It's got lots of tomentum on the underside of each soft, bright green leaf.

very interesting.

they are all very beautiful specimens 🤗 

[tinman10101]

This is my David and Goliath pic. Chamaerops volcano and jubaea chilensis. 

So glad @Darold Petty and @Hillizard that both of your volcanos are looking superb. 😉

[KPoff]

On 6/9/2025 at 6:02 AM, Mazat said:

here our cerifera 

@MazatThat looks great! I love the raised bed with the cylindropuntia with it.

[Mazat]

On 6/10/2025 at 2:22 AM, tinman10101 said:

This is my David and Goliath pic. Chamaerops volcano and jubaea chilensis. 

So glad @Darold Petty and @Hillizard that both of your volcanos are looking superb. 😉

beautiful vulcano and I also like the jubea chilensis very much

🤗😄

[Mazat]

21 hours ago, KPoff said:

@MazatThat looks great! I love the raised bed with the cylindropuntia with it.

thank you very much, Kevin 🤗😀

[Harry’s Palms]

I bought one 25+ years ago for $3 at a palm nursery down near San Diego. They had a bunch in small pots . I wasn’t looking for one but couldn’t pass up the chance. I was expecting a clumping palm . It never sent out any pups , just grew straight up. Harry

‘I am 6’ tall and I have to reach up to touch the lower fronds when I stand where the gnome is! My single stem Chamaerops Humilus . This is from a year ago.

[Mazat]

40 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I bought one 25+ years ago for $3 at a palm nursery down near San Diego. They had a bunch in small pots . I wasn’t looking for one but couldn’t pass up the chance. I was expecting a clumping palm . It never sent out any pups , just grew straight up. Harry

‘I am 6’ tall and I have to reach up to touch the lower fronds when I stand where the gnome is! My single stem Chamaerops Humilus . This is from a year ago.

beautiful tall specimen, Harry 🤗😄

It's really special that they can grow straight upwards as the only specimen and otherwise often form runners. really fascinating.

[palmofmyhand]

4 hours ago, Harry’s Palms said:

I bought one 25+ years ago for $3 at a palm nursery down near San Diego. They had a bunch in small pots . I wasn’t looking for one but couldn’t pass up the chance. I was expecting a clumping palm . It never sent out any pups , just grew straight up. Harry

‘I am 6’ tall and I have to reach up to touch the lower fronds when I stand where the gnome is! My single stem Chamaerops Humilus . This is from a year ago.

wow that has to be one of the best I’ve seen, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that big on its own. I hope the two I have also grow that big.

[Slifer00]

 

53.5 degrees north

[WSimpson]

Left of the Butia . I didn't realise how big that Butia would get .

Will

 

[KPoff]

2 hours ago, WSimpson said:

Left of the Butia . I didn't realise how big that Butia would get .

Will

 

@WSimpson yours looks awesome! How has it fared in the winter there? That south side of your house?

[Harry’s Palms]

11 hours ago, WSimpson said:

Left of the Butia . I didn't realise how big that Butia would get .

Will

 

That Mediterranean is a nice one , at least what I can see of it. Butia get much larger than most folks think , I have had that discussion before when I see them planted in a small space . Yours is very nice , here they get much larger even than yours. Harry

[Mazat]

15 hours ago, WSimpson said:

Left of the Butia . I didn't realise how big that Butia would get .

Will

 

A beauty 🤗 

[Basti]

I always overlooked this palm species until I got my own and it now is my favorite palm I own. Planted this one out in the beginning of April this year (2 last photos) and it looks happy so far (first photo from last week). I live in 8/8b and never saw any Chamaerops humilis planted out in my area before. What kind of growth can I expect over the next few years? Its 6 y.o. and planted with south-west orientation.

[Stefanus]

On 6/7/2025 at 5:53 AM, Darold Petty said:

Here is my eleven year old Chamaerops 'vulcano'.  It was a gift to me in September, 2021 by a guy who will remain unknown.  Let's just say he knows the best place for pho !    

It is 3 cm diameter by 30 cm tall  (1.25x12 inches)     I ground planted it today. 

Are you sure it is 11 years old? Mine is about the same size and just a few years old.

[Darold Petty]

Stefanus,  my plant was a gift from the friend who grew it from seed.  Not all vulcano seed will show the desired character of few, very broad leaflets.  My friend had discarded 50% of the seedlings for this failure to express the compact form. Your plant may have been labeled 'vulcano' to you,  but compare the older frond in the lower right corner to the most recent one in the top right corner.  To my eye your plant is not maintaining the look of very few, but very wide leaflets.    

[Mazat]

3 hours ago, Darold Petty said:

Stefanus,  my plant was a gift from the friend who grew it from seed.  Not all vulcano seed will show the desired character of few, very broad leaflets.  My friend had discarded 50% of the seedlings for this failure to express the compact form. Your plant may have been labeled 'vulcano' to you,  but compare the older frond in the lower right corner to the most recent one in the top right corner.  To my eye your plant is not maintaining the look of very few, but very wide leaflets.    

yes, i was just thinking the same thing as you, Darold.
unfortunately, the exact description of a plant is often not quite right. we have often experienced this.
but it's pretty anyway 😃

[Stefanus]

I understand what you guys see. I bought it as Vulcano seedling 2 years back from a renowned company so I assumed it would be right. I wasn’t aware that not all seeds have the Vulcano gen.

[Foggy Paul]

Saw this on a walk through a nearby neighborhood yesterday. The owner is doing a nice job of making their Chamaerops a Tillandsia habitat. There are a lot of Chamaerops in SF!

[SeanK]

Very nice. I've never seen one whose clumping was that tight.