CHAMAEROPS HUMILIS: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, CARE, DISEASES - BIOLOGY - 2025

Chamaerops humilis is a species of palm tree belonging to the Arecaceae family. It is commonly known as palm heart, margalló, dwarf palm, European palm, fox dates, broom palm, bargalló or astapalma.

It is the only species of palm native to the Iberian Peninsula. It is a type of shrubby palm that develops several stems and can be up to 4 m high. The leaves are between 11 and 43 cm long and 7 to 60 cm wide, have a webbed or coast-webbed shape (fan-shaped), which are divided into numerous segments that end in a bifurcated shape.

Chamaerops humilis or palm heart. Source: Boumlik Messaïli

The appearance of the leaves is grayish or bluish-green, they are supported by petioles that show spines all over the edge which are up to 3 cm long and are yellow. The flowers are distributed in a spiral way along a 15-20 cm long inflorescence, which develop in the middle of the leaves. The fruits are fleshy, date-like and brownish-brown or reddish.

The formation of several of these palms constitutes the palmitares and they are achieved from 0 to 1100 meters above sea level. Heart of palm also resists various types of soil, drought, salinity and strong winds. It lives in rocky and sandy places, dunes, beaches, cliffs, among others.

The marrow of its stems is extracted from it, known as palm heart, which is a delicious food that is consumed fresh or canned. The leaves contain fibers that are used to make baskets and brooms.

Heart of palm has some medicinal properties since its stem or leaf extracts can be consumed to treat diabetes, digestive disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, among others.

characteristics

Appearance

It is a palm tree with a bushy bearing that reaches up to 4 m in height, and its trunk is 8 to 35 cm in diameter. You can develop multiple logs. In protected areas this species can grow up to 10 m.

The trunk is covered by the marcescent leaves that are attached to it, and it is characteristic that the trunks are thicker at the top than at the bottom.

Leaves

The leaves are fan-shaped, simple and large. The leaf blade can be between 11 and 43 cm long and 7 to 60 cm wide. The leaves can range from dark green to bluish-green or gray.

Palm heart leaves. Source: Boumlik MessaïliCamera location35 ° 28 ′ 42.4 ″ N, 0 ° 24 ′ 22.9 ″ W View this and other nearby images on: OpenStreetMap - Google Earth 35.478444; -0.406361

As in other palm species, the leaves are divided into triangular segments up to a third of their space, they are narrow and there are brown fibers next to them. They also have a petiole 8.5 to 55 cm long and 0.2 and 1.5 cm wide with yellowish spines of about 2.5 cm.

flowers

The flowers are grouped in inflorescences that arise from the middle of the leaves. They are covered by a cylindrical spathe, which opens when mature.

The flowers are creamy-yellow in color and are arranged in a spiral on the axis of the inflorescence. Flowering occurs in the spring and the fruits ripen in late July.

Inflorescence of palm heart. Source: H. Zell

Fruit

This species of palm produces fleshy, date-like fruits that are 1.2 to 4 cm long and up to 1.6 cm wide. Its color is brownish-brown or reddish. These fruits serve as food for birds and rodents in the forests.

Phytochemical composition

The leaves and fruits contain tannins, flavonoids, terpenoids and saponins. To a lesser extent, steroids and essential oils are also found.

Taxonomy

The name of this genus Chamaerops comes from the Greek word chamai, which means low, and rhops, which means stem, due to its low-rise shrub appearance. The name of the species humilis, means humble, also due to its small height.

- Kingdom: Plantae

- Phylum: Tracheophyta

- Class: Liliopsida

- Order: Arecales

- Family: Arecaceae

- Genus: Chamaerops

- Species: Chamaerops humilis L.

Synonyms for this species are: Corypha humilis and Phoenix humilis.

Habitat and distribution

This palm tree grows in arid or dry areas with a lot of sunlight. It adapts to various types of soil and grows on rocky or sandy substrates. It is easily obtained in hills, ravines or mounds of the Mediterranean coast of Spain, and also as an ornamental species in xerophytic gardens.

In addition, it tolerates saline winds and areas near the sea. The set of palm hearts in nature are called palmitares and are found from 0 to 1100 meters above sea level.

Habitat of the palm heart. Source: Marco Schmidt

It is the only palm native to the Iberian Peninsula and is distributed from Portugal, Morocco and Malta. It is also located in the Dominican Republic.

The consumption of the heart or marrow of palm is a threat to the species since in times of scarcity, many specimens are affected.

This palm can be associated or cultivated well with two other species of arecaceae such as Trachycarpus fortunei and Washingtonia filifera.

Applications

The leaves have many fibers from which filaments known as vegetable hair are extracted, which are used to make baskets, twine and brooms. These fibers are also used for padding in upholstery, paper and fabric production.

The pith of its stems, known as palm hearts, is a succulent and appetizing structure that is eaten fresh or preserved. Likewise, you can consume the buds, and the spathe of the inflorescence. Its fruits serve as food for birds and rodents.

The fruits (dates) known in Catalonia as raposa dates are eaten but due to their high tannin content it is not so highly valued in the culinary industry.

In addition, it can be used as an ornamental, and in soil recovery plans in the areas where it originates.

Chamaerops humilis. Source: wikimedia commons

As for its medicinal uses, its stem or leaf extracts can be consumed for the treatment of diabetes, digestive disorders, gastrointestinal diseases and spasms.

Other studies indicate that the consumption of Chamaerops humilis produces a beneficial effect on chronic diseases such as cancer, ulcer and kidney stones. Also, the aqueous extract or decoction of palmetto leaves has properties to control hyperglycemia and lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Care

Spread

To multiply the heart of palm, the seed must be cleaned before sowing it. To do this, the pulp of the fruit is removed by macerating these, and then applying an abrasive method that destroys the pulp but does not damage the seed coat. After this, the seed must be dried and sieved and winnowed.

The germination of these seeds occurs between 22 and 25 ° C, and is inhibited below 15 ° C. During the process, it is necessary to provide the necessary humidity, which may take several months, but normally it takes 3 to 6 weeks.

The sowing process is commonly done in forest trays with cells of 200 or 300 cm ³ of substrate. Germination is observed when the first grayish-green leaves appear, wrapped by a sheath at their base.

Transplant

Regarding its transplantation, this palm tree has the advantage of being able to be easily moved to another soil, without requiring strong root balls, being able to recover in a year or a year and a half.

Temperature

The minimum temperature that palmetto can resist is -10 ° C. Below this value and depending on the growing conditions, the plant may suffer defoliation or stem strangulation.

Floor

Although the palm heart adapts to various types of soil (limestone, clay, rocky, poor in organic matter), they prefer fertile soils with good drainage.

In good growing conditions this species can grow at an average speed of 30 to 90 cm the trunk annually.

Fertilization

The application of nutrients should be in low quantity, or make a gentle fertilizer.

Light

This species of palm is ideal that is exposed directly to the sun so that it grows well. It can also be kept in semi-shady conditions.

Wind

Depending on the species of palm tree, this type of plant can be susceptible to damage due to the force or permanence of the winds. Heart of palm is a highly wind resistant species.

Pruning

Pruning is necessary to remove the leaves that are no longer functional and have been attached to the trunk.

Irrigation

Heart of palm is a fairly drought-resistant species. In fact, it is considered resistant to dry environments.

With regard to salinity, palmetto also tolerates the salts present in irrigation water, and can even develop near the sea.

Diseases

Heart of palm is not usually affected by common garden diseases. But, one of the diseases that can attack it is the leaf spot caused by Pestalotiopsis palmarum or Pestalotia palmarum.

It is an Ascomycota fungus that produces black spots on the leaves that have well-defined margins, they can even damage a large area of ​​the leaf blade.

As is frequent, the incidence of this fungus occurs when the pathogen enters the tissues through wounds caused by pruning or other disease or insect bites.

In the case of a strong or severe attack, this disease can cause the rot of the neck of the plant and cause its death. Likewise, this fungus usually attacks other palm trees such as Phoenix dactylifera, Washingtonia robusta, and Phoenix canariensis.

References

1. Benmedhdi, H., Hasnaoui, O., Benali, O., Salhi, F. 2012. Phytochemical investigation of leaves and fruits extracts of Chamaerops humilis LJ Mater. Environ. Sci 3 (2): 320-327.
2. Gaamoussi, F., Israili, Z., Lyousii, B. 2010. Hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of an aqueous extract of Chamaerops humilis leaves in obese, hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic meriones shawi rats. Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 23 (2): 212-219.
3. Catalog of Life: Annual Checklist 2019. Chamaerops humilis L.
4. Arbolapp. 2019. Chamaerops humilis Palmito. Taken from: arbolapp.es
5. Flowers and plants. 2019. Chamaerops humilis. Taken from: floresyplantas.net
6. Palmasur. 2019. Chamaerops humilis. Taken from: palmerasyjardines.com
7. Provincial Council of Malaga. 2019. Palmito (Chamaerops humilis). Taken from: malaga.es
8. Infoagro. 2019. The palm heart leaf spot. Taken from: infoagro.com