Palm Tree - Care and Basic Palm Tree Needs
All agriculturists, environmentalists, horticulturists, and home gardeners
have one all-abiding question about any Palm Tree or plant they wish to introduce into
their growing spaces. Will it flourish?
The ability to predict whether a newly collected Palm species or cultivar can be
successfully grown in a location is fundamental to the continued productivity
of America's agriculture and to the survival of our landscapes. The
plants in our urban spaces, farms, fields, and forests consist of native
vegetation and exotic Palm Tree and plants introduced into our land from all over the
world.
All Palm trees and plants must be placed in an environment that meets their
basic requirements:
Day length. Day length is usually the most critical factor in
regulating vegetative and Palm Tree growth, flower initiation and development, and the
induction of dormancy. A Palm Tree thrives only when the day length promotes
their growth and prepares them for the seasonal changes.
Radiation. Most plants respond to radiation in the 270- to 3000-nm
region. Cloudy, rainy days coupled with the shade provided by nearby
plants and structures can significantly reduce the amount of radiation
available. Palm Tree and plants survive only where the amount is within a specified
range.
Temperature. Plants and Palm Trees grow best within an optimum range of temperatures;
and the range may be wide for some species, narrow for others. Plants
survive only where temperatures allow them to metabolize.
Frost. Palm Tree and plants differ in ability to survive frost, their responses
varying from immediate death to sustained performance. The previous
environmental and cultural conditions of plants can often shift, but not
permanently alter, their tolerance to freezing. Plants and Palms survive only
when they are adapted to subfreezing weather.
Heat. The thermal cutoff temperature varies widely from Palm Tree species
to species. By tradition we group plants into sun, partial sun, and
shade types and plant them according to their light and heat tolerances.
Rainfall.Gardeners need to know how much water a landscape plant
and Palm Tree require in determining its usability in low maintenance landscapes.
Rainfall gardening often greatly limits which Palm species can be used successfully.
Gardeners also need to know how much and how often to water plants in high
maintenance landscapes.
pH. The ability of a Palm tree and plant roots to take up water and nutrients depends
on the pH (measure of acidity or alkalinity), presence of soluble and insoluble
salts, and aeration of the growing medium. The successful culture
of all plant and Palm Tree species requires that they be grown in a medium within a definite
pH range and with from 10 to 14 essential nutrients in appropriate balance.
Although plants and Palms may tolerate some extraneous elements and compounds, every
plant amd Palm Tree species and cultivar has well prescribed limits.
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