Description

This delightful little palm is a favorite landscape item in areas where it is hardy. It is just as likely to be encountered as a popular indoor container plant often used in shopping mallscapes and other commercial plantings. Pygmy date palm grow slowly reaching heights of ***0 ft (2.**3.1 m). The stem is covered with old leaf bases and is topped with a dense head of bright green pinnate leaves that grow to about 4 ft (1.2 m) in length. Delicate leaflets, arranged neatly along the upper length of the gently arched leaf stem lend the plant a very graceful aspect. Lower leaflets are modified into sharp pointed **3 in (**8 cm) spines. Cream colored flowers are held on short, 1 ft (0.3 m) inflorescences and are followed by small black dates on the female plants (male flowers are borne on a separate plant). Although this palm is single stemmed most nurseries offer it in containers planted with 3 to 5 specimens. When grouped like this, the stems tend to curve gracefully away from the center of the clump creating an especially attractive arrangement.