Chamaerops Species, Blue Mediterranean Fan Palm

I am growing both the “regular” green, and blue forms of Mediterranean fan palms in NC zone 8a. The blue form has proven to be much m...Read Moreore cold hardy for me. Both receive crown protection during wet winter weather. The green form has been defoliated and the spears have pulled each winter, while the blue form has shown no winter damage at all. However, the blue seems to be even more painfully slow growing in comparison.

Well, actually the 'cerifera' form (I think that's the same than var. argentea) of Ch. humilis is not an European palm but is originating...Read More from a valley in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco.

i got a three gallon for 13$!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! wow haha very very beutifull blue/white and cold hardy to 8a at least .

In my opinion the cold hardiness of this plant is overrated, I would be cautious below zone 8b unless you had a very warm microclimate.

I just received some seeds forthis palm, which I intend to plant today. I was told the color was as good as that of the Bismarckia; your ...Read Morepictures seem to confirm that. Do you know how old those seedlings are?

Basically the same plant as Chamaerops humilis, except bluish-silver leaves. Some varieties are really silvery and incredibly ornamental...Read More. Silvery forms seem to be a bit slower growing than normal Chamaerops. Recently (in the year 2006) this form of palm has become much more readily available in southern California and you can get a robust 15 gal palm for only $60 (5 years ago it would be worth $200 or more). I have also seen them now at lots of local 'regular' nurseries. I look forward to someday seeing them used as landscape palms here in So Cal.

One thing I have discovered is growers often get seed of this plant, and they very often turn out to be normal green plants. I had heard the excuse that they are green now, but will blue with age. Not knowing anything at the time, I decided that was reasonable... many palms change a lot as they age. I purchased many seedlings under this 'promise'. But now I know better. Even as small seedlings, the 'cerifera' forms show a distinct blue blush, so don't fall for that. A 1 gal plant should be quite blue, or it's not this form!

This plant seems to be more sensitive to overhead watering than a normal Chamaerops, though even those can rot from being watered overhead. So be careful if you are depending on a lawn sprinkler or other sprinkler system to keep this plant watered (very drought tolerant, so you shouldn't need that). Tap water on the crown of this form of Chamaerops WILL eventually rot the bud (rain seems harmless as far as I can tell). I have learned this by rotting several stalks of one of my favorite palms, over and over (now I know better, I hope). Water from below: drip, or hose, or low emitter.