Christmas Palm Tree

A native of the Phillipines, the Christmas Palm Tree belongs to the Arecaceae family. This is a neat little palm tree that looks like a miniature version of the royal palm. A single smooth and slender gray stem is partitioned by leaf scarring. The stem is swollen at the base. The crown is neatly compact with a dozen or more feather leaves. A short green crownshaft supports this crown. The leaves are about 5 ft. long and are arched in shape. The leaflets are about 2 ft. long. This Christmas palm tree grows to an average height of 16 ft. The inflorescence of the tree is quite long, about 2 ft., and it consists of small grayish-green flowers. These flowers emerge at the point where the crownshaft attaches itself to the trunk of the tree

The fruits that grow from these flowers are about 1 inch long and about .5 inch wide. These green fruits come after the flowers fall off in autumn. By late fall, these green fruits would have started ripening. By the time December rolls in the fruits turn a bright red and look like decorative hangings on a Christmas tree. And this is perhaps how the palm got its rather unusual name. The Christmas palm is a popular landscaping tree in the capital city of Philippines. This is how the tree got its next popular name: the Manila Palm.

The Christmas palm tree grows very fast and is not very fussy about its requirements. The tree is moderately salt-resistant. The tree grows in almost any kind of soil except if the medium is too soggy. Constant wetness will cause the roots to decay. As the tree grows in the tropical climate in the Philippines, it needs the full blaze of the sun, though it will tolerate some amount of shade also. The moisture needs of the plant are also medium. It does need constant watering, but will also tolerate some periods of drought and dryness. But if the period of dryness gets prolonged the tree will not survive. The new trees easily germinate from fresh seeds within 1-3 months. The seeds germinate well in Agar, gelatin or in some other medium. The foliage of the tree is evergreen.

The Christmas palm tree is a showy piece. Its compact beauty and small structure makes it a perfect addition to atriums, courtyards or other small areas. When the trees are planted in small groups of two or three, the stems of the trees curve in a very graceful arc starting from the center of the tree. This creates a lovely natural and living sculptured archway right in the center of your garden. When the Christmas palm is grown in a container, its structural purity and grace is nicely showcased. Despite hardship and friendly neglect this tree is hardy enough to survive and flourish.

The Christmas palm was earlier known as the Adonidia Merrillii, but this name is no longer synonymous with the Christmas palm. Even so, the name Adonida is still used to refer to this tree. The negative aspect of this tree is that it is very susceptible to the lethal yellowing leaf disease. When this occurs, the trees usually lose first their leaves, and then the trunk breaks down the center of the tree. If the tree is protected against this disease, it will live long and well. It is a very neat tree that is commonly used to line avenues and streets. They are well suited to a patio, terrace, or poolside. The Christmas palm tree is indeed an attractive addition to the indoor collection of plants in your courtyard.