The Palms

At the moment (2007), we have about 90 palms on the Palm Beach. There are two different types: the flax palm and the phoenix palm.

The Flax Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)
Our flax palms are now three to four metres tall and they can grow to be up to ten metres tall. The leaves are fan-shaped, and the main stem is covered by brown, threaded remains of old leaves. It is a tough palm which will survive temperatures of almost 20 degrees below zero (Celsius) at the top, while the root needs protection.

The natural habitat of the flax palm is in central and southern China where the palms often grow on slopes.

The Phoenix Palm (Phoenix canariensis)
Our phoenix palms are now three to four metres tall and can grow to be up to 20 metres. The leaves are feather-shaped and they may be as big as five metres long and one metre wide. The first part of the main stem is covered with remains of old leaves, while the second part is smooth. The palms can survive temperatures of about five degrees below zero (Celsius) at the top, but the root needs protection.

The natural habitat for the phoenix palm is the Canary Islands. The fruits are inedible and the palm is not to be mistaken for the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), which is an African palm.

How does the Palms Survive on the Beach?
The majority of the palms are buried in large basins in the sand. The basins are made from a heavy wire netting through which the palm roots can grow. This way the palms can absorb nutrition directly from the ground one and a half metre below the beach.

The rest of the palms are placed on the beach in large plastic basins. They are watered once a week during the summer.