Your garden needs your help. For example, the roots of Palm tree species like Royal, Bismarck, Bailey, and Canary Island date palms, grow up to 50 feet away from the trunk. Debra LaGattuta is a gardening expert with three decades of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening. Other trees have roots that grow thicker as they mature, which can lead to a crack in a sidewalk or concrete surface. Occasionally confused with the alexandra palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae) - a relative of the piccabeen palm - the alexander is a more commonly used landscape palm. In the northern tip of USDA Zone 11, the lipstick palm benefits greatly from a heavy layer of mulch to protect its root system from cooler temperatures. They're also highly recognisable as their own distinct family, Arecaceae. [4], The fruits are ovoid to globose with a persistent calyx. I'm using some stocking to attach this one. If you think about how the palm seeds operate in nature this might make more sense. This means they are usually just on the surface of the ground where they need to try and grow. Roots of the Palm tree grow horizontally at a greater distance from the trunk but they remain within the top 12 to 36 inches of the topsoil. Even if the roots of your palm tree get just a tad bigger, its unlikely but still possible they could become invasive and cause problems in other ways. Cyrtostachys renda, the lipstick palm, is famous for its bright red crownshaft, from which it earns its common name. Particularly in case keeping a palm tree in a pot in the area I was considering was a better option. It was by no means an exhaustive list, so here I'm going to add 5 more. Alexander Unfortunately, Sabal palms are susceptible to a weevil (Rynchophorus cruetatus) that attacks the bud of the palm. Allergy-free gardening: The revolutionary guide to healthy landscaping. Heres how. Stressed sabal palms are susceptible to palmetto weevil ( Rhynchophorus cruentatus) invasion. Dropping leaves can clog gutters and cause continuing damage if not cleaned out regularly. I live in Cascais, Portugal where I aim to create the drought-tolerant garden of my dreams. When I think about the Alexander Palm, I think about a park or a street I might like to drive along to admire the view. Sabal palms are very common and most of these trees grow with few problems in the landscape. So palm tree roots are not thick and since they stay thin and regularly regenerate, the root ball doesnt tend to grow too large in comparison to the height of the full palm. The soil should have good drainage too. Because they have slow to medium growth rates, your lipstick palm does not need to be repotted very often. The roots grow along with the tree by spreading themselves horizontally across the soil. Coconut is used as a fruit and oil while Palm fronds are used for decoration. In the United States, they can be found in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the southernmost parts of Florida. Palms have many small roots that are unlikely to overrun a space and cause issues. Partial sun is best for these vibrant palms when they are young and more tender. True to the reputation of other palm trees, the Alexander Palm will enjoy full sun to part sun to part shade which gives you lots of options for where to place it. The following paragraph from the previously mentioned Garden Tabs article, I feel explains this concept perfectly: Its highly unlikely that a palm trees roots will damage concrete. No, but They Are Similar; Heres How, Cute & Funny Names for Plants: When Your Pet Is as Green as Your Thumb! All this may be helpful, but without actual numbers, its going to be hard to determine whether the palm tree roots are going to interfere with other things theyre planted near. Once you decide that the Alexander Palm is for you, its really easy to propagate your own from seed. A similar thing happens with pigmy date palm and other palm trees. Genus. The species epithet is given in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark.[7][10]. Ptychosperma means "a folded seed" and comes from two Greek words: ptycho, or "a fold," and sperma, or "seed.". Why? As they get older however, the problems begin: Frangipani trees, Pink Trumpet trees, Golden Rain trees, Flame trees, Liquid Amber trees and other deciduous trees are wonderful features in the garden and can provide a spectacle in the turning of the seasons. However, although their foliage is lush and attractive, palms can be a problem in the garden because it's almost impossible for other plants to grow in the ground below the canopy. Archontophoenix alexandrae, commonly known as Alexandra palm, king palm, Northern Bangalow palm, or feather palm,[4][5][6] is a palm endemic to Queensland, Australia. Its unlikely for a palm tree to damage concrete. The roots grow along with the tree by spreading themselves horizontally across the soil. Palm roots will seek water so if the pipe is leaking the roots can head that direction. Eucalyptus trees' root systems can be quite aggressive and far-reaching, and it is common for retaining walls or building foundations to be disturbed by searching roots. Even root barriers will struggle with this species. Subscribe to our newsletter for plant profiles, gardening tips, and all things green. It exhibits fair growth in well-drained soils but grows best in more organic, nutrient-laden soils. Probably in 1989 when the house was built. It is not a tree for a suburban yard. While its unlikely, as youve likely put together yourself, that a palm tree root system will create problems for a house if its planted nearby, its still possible for a palm tree roots to cause problems in theory, and its certainly possible for palm trees to cause problems in other ways, which is why its advisable not to plant a palm tree too close to your home. Since the roots are small and not thick, they typically dont push hard enough to create issues when being planted near concrete. Aussie Green Thumb is brought to you by a panel of Australian gardening experts sharing their gardening knowledge and experience with our community. And there'll be lots more great advice on next weeks' show. Not only would you be helping me, but others who stumble across this article looking for a better understanding of the root systems of palm trees. Heather V. Quintana, Michael G. Andreu, Melissa H. Friedman, and Mary McKenzie, The upper portion of several specimens of, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, UF/IFAS Electronic Data Information System, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Try to include some root structure if possible. Debra is a member of The Spruce Gardening andPlant Care Review Board. Is Agave a Cactus? The base of the trunk is bright green with white rings while the crownshaft, or the part of the trunk where the palm fronds emerge, is bright red. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company. Stop playing with the nature , else nature will play with you. The older leaves of the plant start to fade and might become brown as they get older. Apparently a happy Alexander Palm is one with warm roots and its mulch and manure that achieve this cosy feeling for your palm. However, because of the nature of palm root systems, it usually is not necessary to prune palm roots. These trees grow wonderfully near water sources, such as ponds or rivers. Does that mean youre free to plant palm trees next to concrete? Some palms suffer from having their roots cuts or bent and could undergo severe shock. [4][5] The graceful crown has 8 to 10 pinnate, feather-like fronds that measure up to 4.5m (15ft) in length, with 60 to 80 leaflets on each side of the midrib. The root system is very aggressive and strong and will easily knock down a masonry retaining wall. If you are looking for some honest and in depth reviews about gardening equipment and tools, have a look at our guides. Keep the soil moist, watering before the soil has a chance to dry out. Out of concern over growing palms in a spot that would potentially give me serious trouble later, I decided to do some digging (the pun was a happy accident! Ive also planted a Dwarf Jacaranda which looks brilliant with the palms and while the full size species has aggressive roots, Im taking a chance that the Dwarf will behave.time will tell I guess. Thanks again!! Palms belong to the Arecaceae family, which are perennial flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. I've used some webbing here from a coconut palm to protect the bare roots until they get established. Once you've slid the plant and roots out of the pot, place the palm in a pot large enough to accommodate new growth and fill it in with well-draining potting soil. Now this is a problem most tropical gardeners will face after a few years when their palms have matured. Try a mix of heights and textures such as hibiscus with thryallis, hope Roots of palm trees grow in thin strands from the base of the trees root ball. Christmas palm (Adonidia merrillii) is one of the few palm species that will do well in a small site. JERRY COLEBY-WILLIAMS: One of the key things about soils is that they can vary on a relatively small area, within a suburb, a street or even a garden. Young palms start out with a primary root system that takes up nutrients and water and anchors them in the ground. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases; learn more here. I've installed timed irrigation throughout the garden and only have it on for five minutes twice a day and it keeps everything happy. Palm trees have a fibrous root system. The roots of the Palm are not deeply rooted in the soil. It was named in honour of Princess Alexandra of Denmark,[7] but is often erroneously referred to by the misnomer Alexander palm. Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Its still a good idea to plant the trees far from any fence or other structure in your yard just to be on the safe side. However, in some cases, the roots reach the underground pipes and get entangled in them. What it's made of and how it affects the plants we grow. Leaves on shady, wet paths can also cause injury to pedestrians if not frequently removed. | 5 Easy ways, Why is my carrot cake dense? Additionally, AussieGreenThumb.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. Although they're sometimes referred to as trees they're actually monocots. Reviewed February 2022. In the summer, these palms produce a shaft with greenish-white flowers that give way to small, black fruits. Good luck, hope it works out as youre envisioning! Thank you for this article it was so helpful! The most damaging trees to house foundations include oak, ash, and poplar trees. The stems of the plant may also become mush and could produce a foul odor. It's a palo verde tree, which is both native and non-toxic to kids and pets and horses. To think that from a tiny seed and in just 6 weeks of waiting, you can grow such an extraordinary specimen of a tree. 3. Drainage is very important as mentioned with the soil so if your Alexander Palm is in a pot, ensure that there is a drainage system to allow for excess water to run off. The number of roots per Coconut Palm tree depends upon its age as these roots keep growing to form the base of a stem throughout its life. You can prune off any old bits to enable the plant to give more energy to the newer plant growth. Susan Highland USDA Zone 9b. Coconut palm trees are grown for various commercial purposes. Alexanders are moderately Youll need to inspect your plant carefully as sometimes the scale insects are not always immediately visible like on the underneath of the leaves. They might, however, wrap themselves around the pipes as they get longer. [11], This species is easily grown from fresh seed, and is very popular in cultivation in Australia, both for private gardens and as a street and park tree. When your Alexander Palm seedlings have started to sprout, you can move them somewhere even warmer and with high humidity. The ultimate guide to low-maintenance plants and landscaping! If you need to increase humidity you can place plants closer together, or mist the plant now and then. This is because their growth has overtaken Use organic peat moss or top soil as a soil amendment when planting One potential issue? And in Brisbane, Jerry explains the science behind soil. They are spread over the soil like a mat and penetrate nearly 36 inches of topsoil. Of course Bromeliads and orchids aren't the only solution to creating a garden under palms. Although not thick-rooted, like ficus trees, palm roots may grow into established pipe cracks and breaks if moisture is plentiful. That means a roughly 5 meter high tree will have a root system thats roughly 60 cm or two feet wide and deep. When tree roots are dehydrated, they usually get larger. Inflorescences produce white male and female flowers. Someone planted Sago Palms by our pool waterfall. Just ensure the mulch doesnt touch the edges of the tree trunk. WebWhile royal palm tree roots are not invasive, they can still be a bit of a pain if you dont treat them right as they grow. [4], The inflorescence of Archontophoenix alexandrae is a panicle, creamy white when first released from the protective sheath or prophyll that it develops within, and transitioning through light green as the fruits develop and finally to brown when it is shed from the tree. Ebooks that help you grow, design and enjoy your landscape! Required fields are marked. Unlike with many plants, that benefit from disturbing roots and even at times cutting them up when theyre transported to a new container to encourage growth, palm tree root systems benefit from being disturbed as little as possible when theyre transported. Such a plant can become stunted if not repotted into a larger container. The palm tree falling over. Their foliage will also bring lots of colour to the garden. This only occurs in the case of large Palm trees. Give it a boost with some mulch and fertiliser. Again, you can use a neem oil application on your Alexander Palm which is a safe and nature friendly way of moving the caterpillars along. https://www.south-florida-plant-guide.com/alexander-palm.html The germination process is around 6 weeks. An average of 3,600 roots can be produced by a Coconut tree that is 60 to 70 years old. Filed Under: Palms, Plant Care, Plant Facts. 1988. palm is a moderate grower and can even be grown indoors where there's This wide spacing provides a large enough growing area for sturdy root establishment without harming your pipes. Thanks for the information. The roots can not cause any issues to structures because of their thin and fibrous roots. This means they're more closely related to the grass family than to tree families. WebAre Bangalow Palm roots invasive? Often, single large gum tree specimens are lone survivors of development. Some of the major ones include; Let us take a look at the Root system of the Coconut Palm Trees. Overwatering also leads to the common issue of root Pests and Diseases that Affect Alexander Palm, Alexander Palm frequently asked questions, Wrapping Up Our Alexander Palm Growing and Care Guide, Find out the benefits of tea tree mulch along with other types of mulches with the help of our ultimate mulch guide, If you need help choosing a good humidifier for your plants, refer to our in depth plant humidifier reviews and buying guide here, honest and in depth reviews about gardening equipment and tools, Click here to learn more about the Bangalow palm or Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, have a browse through our bush tucker categories, 9 Best Weed Pullers in Australia (2023 Review), 3 Best Gardening Gloves in Australia for 2023, Dehytray Solar Dehydrator: Solution to Solar Food Drying, 7 Best Mattocks in Australia (2023 Buyers Guide), 7 Best Star Picket Drivers in Australia for 2023, 5 Best Compactors in Australia (2023 Reviews), Plants (Plant Profiles and Gardening Guides). 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