Canary Phoenix (Phoenix canariensis) 10g Rocalba

Canary Phoenix (Phoenix canariensis)

Contents of the package 10 g

Endemic to the lower regions of the Canary Islands; from there it has been introduced to other parts of Macaronesia and the Mediterranean. Its largest natural populations are on the islands of Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma, growing at altitudes of 200-600 m. In the Madeira Islands it occurs between 0-400 m a.s.l.

After the colonisation of the Canary Islands by the Spanish, much of it was cut down and its natural stands are often destroyed by bushfires. In its native habitat, it is nowadays most threatened by hybridisation, because, like many other palms, it readily interbreeds with introduced related species. Its hybrids with the common date palm grow in masses on Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.

It is popularly planted throughout the world in all subtropical and tropical climates. In Budapest, there is a planted specimen in the Botanic Garden, which is protected by a heated cover in winter.