Phoenix canariensis
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fe71ed22b4179076953 |
| Scientific name | Phoenix canariensis |
| Authority | Chabaud |
| First published in | Prov. Agric. Hort. Ill. 19: 293 1882 |
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
Ornamental nursery stock of Phoenix canariensis is a major commercial product; mature palms are sold for landscaping in Mediterranean and subtropical climates. Sap tapped from the inflorescence is processed into a fermented beverage (palm wine) and into a concentrated syrup used as a sweetener in confectionery. The terminal bud (palm heart) is marketed as a fresh vegetable for salads, soups and stews. Seed oil is extracted for cosmetic and soap formulations. Leaves provide a bast fiber used in thatching, rope, mats and basketry, while the trunk is milled into timber for construction and furniture.
Industrial and craft applications:
The stiff, waxy fronds are stripped and woven to produce thatch for roofs, a material valued for water‑resistance and durability. Leaf fibers are twisted into cordage and woven into brooms, baskets and floor mats. The wood, with a density of about 0.45–0.55 g cm⁻³, is employed for posts, beams, interior joinery and decorative pieces.
Food and beverages (non‑medicinal):
Sap collected in the early morning is fermented by indigenous yeasts to yield a low‑alcohol palm wine; the same sap is boiled down to a viscous syrup (≈10–15 % sucrose) used as a natural sweetener. Palm hearts are harvested by removing the apical meristem; they are typically sliced, blanched and canned or sold fresh for culinary use. The small, sweetish fruit is occasionally eaten raw or incorporated into desserts, though commercial distribution is limited.
Wood and fiber:
The heartwood of Phoenix canariensis exhibits moderate durability (class III in the EN 350 standard) and low shrinkage (≤ 5 %). Its high cellulose content (≈45 % of dry mass) and low lignin (≈12 %) give the leaves a tensile strength of ≈350 MPa, suitable for rope and woven goods. The fibers are moisture‑regaining (≈10 %), which contributes to pliability in basketry.
Fragrance and cosmetics:
Cold‑pressed seed oil contains approximately 12 % lauric acid, 6 % myristic acid and a neutral odor profile, making it suitable as a base oil in soaps, creams and shampoos. The oil’s relatively low peroxide value (≤ 10 meq O₂ kg⁻¹) and stable fatty‑acid composition support its use in cosmetic formulations.
Properties relevant to use:
Leaf‑fiber tensile strength (~350 MPa) and moisture regain (~10 %) enable durable cordage and woven mats. Sap sucrose concentration (~10–15 % w/w) and pH (~5.2) favor fermentation pathways for beverage production. Wood density (~0.5 g cm⁻³) and low shrinkage (≤ 5 %) contribute to dimensional stability in interior joinery. Seed‑oil lauric‑acid content provides soap‑making properties (good saponification value) without strong odor.
Standards and regulation:
Seed‑oil applications in cosmetics must comply with the EU Cosmetic Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, requiring safety assessment and labeling. Palm heart marketed as a food product is subject to EU food‑safety regulations (Regulation (EC) No 178/2002) and the Novel Food Regulation (EU) No 2015/2283 if introduced as a new ingredient. Leaf‑fiber products for rope and thatch are covered by EN 350 durability classification and EN 12257 rope‑testing standards.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Phoenix canariensis is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Over‑harvesting of sap and removal of the heart can threaten populations. Sustainable practices include selective tapping (≤ 30 % of sap flow), periodic heart harvest only from mature individuals, and promotion of nursery‑grown ornamental stock to reduce wild‑origin extraction. Certification schemes such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) have begun to adopt guidelines for palm‑derived timber and fiber.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix canariensis var. porphyrococca | Vasc. & Franco | Portugaliae Acta Biol., Sér. B, Sist. 2: 313. 1948 |
| Phoenix cycadifolia | Hort.Athen. ex Regel | Gartenflora 28: 131 (1879) |
| Phoenix dactylifera var. jubae | Webb & Berthel. | Hist. Nat. Iles Canaries 3(2; 3): 289. 1847 |
| Phoenix jubae | Webb ex Christ | Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 6: 469 (1885) |
| Phoenix tenuis | Versch. | Cat. (1869) 13, cum ic. |
| Phoenix vigieri | Naudin | Rev. Hort. (Paris) 57: 541 (1885) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | canary island date palm |
| Spanish | palmera canaria |
| Spanish | palma fénix |
| Spanish | palma fenix |
| Arabic | نخيل الكناري |
| Arabic | نخلة كنارية |
| Azerbaijani | kanar finiki |
| azb | کانار فینیکی |
| Bulgarian | канарска финикова палма |
| Catalan | palmera de canàries |
| Catalan | palmera canària |
| Czech | datlovník kanárský |
| German | kanarische dattelpalme |
| Greek | Κανάριος Φοίνικας |
| Esperanto | kanaria palmo |
| Basque | kanariar palmondo |
| Basque | palmondo kanariar |
| Persian | نخل جزایر قناری |
| Finnish | kanariantaatelipalmu |
| Finnish | kanariantaateli |
| French | dattier des canaries |
| frr | kanaarisk datelpualem |
| Galician | palmeira das canarias |
| Galician | palmeira canaria |
| Hebrew | תמר קנרי |
| Hebrew | דקל קנרי |
| Croatian | kanarska datulja |
| Upper Sorbian | kanariski datlowc |
| Hungarian | kanári datolyapálma |
| Hungarian | kanári főnixpálma |
| Indonesian | kurma canaria |
| Italian | palma delle canarie |
| Japanese | カナリーヤシ |
| Japanese | フェニックス |
| Kabyle | usser |
| Lithuanian | kanarinis finikas |
| Norwegian Bokmål | kanariepalme |
| Dutch | canarische dadelpalm |
| Dutch | kanarische dadelpalm |
| Polish | daktylowiec kanaryjski |
| Portuguese | palmeira-das-canárias |
| Portuguese | palmeira das canárias |
| Russian | Финиковая пальма канарская |
| Russian | Финик канарский |
| Slovak | Ďatľovník kanársky |
| Slovenian | kanarska palma |
| Slovenian | kanarski datljevec |
| Swedish | kanariepalm |
| Thai | ปาล์มขนนก |
| Turkish | kanarya adaları palmiyesi |
| Ukrainian | Фінікова пальма канарська |
| Uzbek | kanar xurmosi |
| Walloon | pålmî a l' ôle des canareyes |
| Chinese | 加拿列海棗 |
| Chinese | 加那利海枣 |
| Chinese | 加拿利海枣 |
| Chinese | 槟榔竹 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Africa click to expand
-
Macaronesia
- Azores
- Canary Islands
- Madeira
-
Northern Africa
- Algeria
- Tunisia
-
Macaronesia
-
Australasia click to expand
-
Australia
- New South Wales
- Norfolk Island
- South Australia
- Victoria
- Western Australia
-
New Zealand
- New Zealand North
-
Australia
-
Europe click to expand
-
Southeastern Europe
- Greece
- Italy
- Sicilia
-
Southwestern Europe
- Spain
-
Southeastern Europe
-
Northern America click to expand
-
Mexico
- Mexico Northwest
-
Mexico
-
Southern America click to expand
-
Caribbean
- Bermuda
-
Western South America
- Bolivia
-
Caribbean
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000269748 |
| UNII | K87X7MJL2V |
| Flora of Alabama | 5434 |
| USDA Plants | PHCA13 |
| Tropicos | 2401073 |
| INPN | 113248 |
| Flora of Italy | 7846 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:668909-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-152655 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 276700 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 690026 |
| Observations.org | 120596 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 113250 |
| Nature Serve | 2.145148 |
| IUCN Red List | 13416997 |
| IPNI | 668909-1 |
| iNaturalist | 78554 |
| GBIF | 6109529 |
| Freebase | /m/09l41s |
| EPPO | PHXCA |
| EOL | 1135089 |
| Elurikkus | 576180 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 6449 |
| USDA GRIN | 28045 |
| Wikipedia | Phoenix_canariensis |
| PaleoBotany | 117581 |
| PFAF | Phoenix canariensis |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| Lupeol | 259846 | Click to see CC(=C)C1CCC2(C1C3CCC4C5(CCC(C(C5CCC4(C3(CC2)C)C)(C)C)O)C)C | 426.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50013A020 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Cholestane steroids / Cholesterols and derivatives | |||||
| Cholesterol | 5997 | Click to see | 386.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50013A020 |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (3S,5S,9S,10S,13R,17R)-17-[(2R)-5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-tetradecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 91746710 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CCC4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 416.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50013A020 |
| (3S,6R)-6-[(8R,9S,10S,13R,14S,17R)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-tetradecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl]-3-propan-2-ylheptan-1-ol | 56924079 | Click to see | 416.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50013A020 |
| 17-(5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 86821 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50013A020 |
| Stigmast-5-en-3-ol | 22012 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50013A020 |
| Stigmasterol | 5280794 | Click to see | 412.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50013A020 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids | |||||
| Ferulic Acid | 445858 | Click to see | 194.18 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50013A020 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides / Flavonoid-3-O-glycosides | |||||
| 2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-3-((2S,3R,4R,5R,6S)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl)oxychromen-4-one | 51402807 | Click to see | 464.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.2053 |
| 2-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-5,7-Dihydroxy-3-(3,4,5-Trihydroxy-6-(Hydroxymethyl)Oxan-2-Yl)Oxychromen-4-One | 5378597 | Click to see | 464.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.2053 |
| Isoquercetin | 5280804 | Click to see | 464.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.2053 |
| Isorhamnetin 3-galactoside | 13245586 | Click to see | 478.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.2053 |
| Isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside | 5318645 | Click to see | 478.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.2053 |
| Isorhamnetin 3-robinobioside | 6223069 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C(OC4=CC(=CC(=C4C3=O)O)O)C5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)OC)O)O)O)O)O)O | 624.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.2053 |
| Narcissin | 5481663 | Click to see CC1C(C(C(C(O1)OCC2C(C(C(C(O2)OC3=C(OC4=CC(=CC(=C4C3=O)O)O)C5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)OC)O)O)O)O)O)O | 624.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.2053 |
| Rutin | 5280805 | Click to see | 610.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.2053 |
| Vitamin P | 5293655 | Click to see | 610.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1248/CPB.39.2053 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 3-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Tricin | 5281702 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1O)OC)C2=CC(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O | 330.29 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1021/NP50013A020 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |