Palm tree Medicinal Uses, History, Planting Tips, Soil Needs, Symbolism

By Liliana Usvat
Blog 151-365

Palm trees are a family of plants. This family is called Arecaceae. Palm trees are not true trees. They grow in hot climates.

Well known palm trees are:

• Date palm
• Coconut palm

There are over two thousand kinds, living in many kinds of places from rainforests to deserts.

History

Palms first appear in the fossil record around 80 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous Period. Some kinds from that period are still to be seen today, such as the nipa palm or mangrove palm

The palm as a symbol

 

•  The palm branch was a symbol of triumph and victory in Roman times. The Romans rewarded champions of the games and celebrated success in war with palm branches.
• Jews also had a tradition of carrying palm branches during festive times.
• Early Christians used the palm branch to symbolize the victory of the faithful over enemies of the soul, as in the Palm Sunday festival celebrating the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
• In Judaism, the palm represents peace and plenty. The palm may also symbolize the Tree of Life in Kabbalah.
• The Prophet Muhammad is said to have built his home out of palm, and the palm represents rest and hospitality in many cultures of the Middle East.
• Palm stems represented long life to the Ancient Egyptians, and the god Huh was often shown holding a palm stem in one or both hands.

• The sacred tree of the Assyrians was a palm that represents the god Ishtar connecting heaven, the crown of the tree, and earth, the base of the trunk. The Mesopotamian goddess Inanna, who had a part in the sacred marriage ritual, was thought of as the one who made the dates abundant 
• The palm tree was a sacred sign of Apollo in Ancient Greece because he had been born under one .
• The palm, especially the Coconut, remains a symbol of tropical island paradise  
• The palm tree also represents Oasis.

 Soil Need

Light and well-drained soils are imperative for healthy palm tree growth. Sand-based soil, like sandy loam, provides the best earth environment for spreading palm roots because palms do not like compacted soils with few air pockets, such as clay. Heavy soils suffocate roots and contribute to growth stunting and root rot.

Water Preferences


If you have just planted your palm tree, its water needs are significantly different than for an established plant. Water new palm twice a week until the first 18 inches of soil are moist. A moisture meter is a useful tool to verify the depth you have saturated. After six months have passed, the palm has a better root structure to find adequate moisture. At this point, watering is only necessary two times each month. A well-established palm has a good level of drought tolerance.

Planting the Desert with Palm Trees

If you are considering planting palms as part of a backyard desert oasis, be aware that there are few palm trees you can grow with confidence in  dry, hot desert -- out of the over 2500+ species of palms around the world. 

 

Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) - a multi-trunk palm that grows to about 15 feet. 

Mexican Blue Palm (Brahea Armata) - a slow-growing palm with arching, silvery-blue feather-like fronds. Reaches about 30 feet at maturity.

Guadalupe Fan Palm (Brahea edulis) - similar to the Mexican Blue Palm, this one grows faster to 30 feet in height. The fan-shaped fronds are a light green. Edible fruit.  

Pindo Palm (Butia capitata) - Another short palm, growing only to 20 feet. The gray-green feather-shaped fronds curve downward. Edible fruit. 

Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis) -- a giant among palms, grows to 50 feet high with a massive trunk and 10 foot long fronds.  

Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera) -- more slender than the Canary Island palm, but also grows tall: 60 feet.

Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) - a semi-dwarf palm with windmill-shaped fronds. Slow-growing to 15 feet tall. This tree loves our summer heat!

California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera) - a native of California, Arizona, and Mexico, this massive palm grows to 50 feet.  

Mexican Fan Palm (Washingtonia robusta) - a palm equivalent of a skyscraper, it grows to 80 feet or more. 

Two other palms worth trying are the Chinese Fountain Palm (Livistona Chinensis ) and the Australian Cabbage Palm (Livistona australis). Both have a "weeping" shape with gracefully drooping fronds. 

About Planting Palms

Palms, unlike other trees, are best planted in late Spring or Summer. They like warm soil for their roots to grow.  Be sure the hole for planting is 2 to 3 times as wide as the root ball.  And water regularly until established.

About Pruning Palms

Only trim off the brown drooping fronds. Do not trim off  ones that are still green -- the tree needs them to collect sunlight to create chlorophyll for growth and best health.  As a rule of thumb, leave a minimum of 7 fronds on the tree.

Medicinal Uses

 

• The fruit of the date palm contains tannin, which makes it an effective astringent. 
• The fruit from this tree has been used to treat sore throats, 
• colds, 
• bronchial catarrh,
•  fevers, gonorrhea, 
• edema and 
• abdominal problems. 
• The seeds from the tree have been ground into a paste that is effective in treating ague.
•  Toothaches have been relieved by date palm roots.  
• Finally, gum extracted from the trunk of this tree has effectively been used to treat diarrhea and 
• urinary ailments.
• Roots of coconut palms are medicinal and can be used to treat dysentery. 
• They can also be used as a dye or a mouthwash. 
• Shredded roots also make a crude toothbrush.