Pygmy Date Palm, Robellini Palm (Phoenix roebelenii)

by palmbob Mar 15, 2011 9:23 PM

Pygmy Date Palm,about 25 inches high. Planted in bed along driveway.

Here's some taller specimens used in landscaping in Los Angeles

Here are typical ferny looking palms growing in the landscaping in Southern California

This Pygmy Dwarf Palm was planted in a zone 8 climate. Only time will tell if it remains healthy.

Multiheaded variety Seal Beach California

San Diego, another multi-headed form

flower detail

Tampa - Early August - Flowered in June - A little more than 5' tall -age unknown

Trunk with Brown Anole (;

Thorns measure 2-4 inches depending on location. Shorter at base.

older palm in Ventura showing pruned and unpruned trunk, California

another multiheaded palm, this one in Ventura Ca, with over a dozen of it's heads arlready cut off

Three P. robelenii grouped together in an attractive clump. Notice closely that they are fruiting/flowering. Zone 10, se FL.

Hawaiian grown plant

Brownsville Texas in March, 2005. A good specimen palm for office walls

This makes a great lacy houseplant.

Great lacey leaves.

Dole plantation garden, Wahiawa Oahu. Probably the best and healthiest looking plant I've ever seen of this species.

taller mature palms in Huntington Gardens, Pasadena California

Pygmy date palm in Athens, GA area - overwintered 05/06 with some protection.

pygmy date in SC

I love these palms. Because of their size, they fit in small spaces and really complement a larger palm (Kentia shown here) when planted next to one.

bluffton, south carolina

Rancho Mirage, CA -2007-

overpruned trees in Los Angeles

southern California

Dwarf Phoenix in Norte California.

2 year old 'Pygmy Date Palm'

cleaned trunk, showing woody leaf base scars

Robellini in pot, was doing well, now all brown/freeze dried looking & dying- what is wrong?

showing trunks in three different stages of being pruned- leaf bases left on (top 1/3), leaf bases cut and only fibrous matte left (middle 1/3) and all removed (bottom 1/3)

The Huntington Botanical Gardens

Shaggy, unpruned plant. Everglades City. July 2014.

Closer view of crown.

Haphazardly covering a mature specimen with tarp was not enough for this robellini after 17 degrees and other freezes well down into the 20's (deg F).