Chamaerops humilis L.

Spice Flower In the field

Family: PALMAE

Genus: Chamaerops

Catalan common name: Garballó. Margalló.

Spanish common name: Palma de escobas. Palmito.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): West Mediterranean

Uses and properties: Edible or foodstuffs. Furniture, construction and tools. Medicinal.

Plants protected by law: Balearic Catalogue.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Phanerophyte.

Habitats: Xero-acanthic shrubs of the mountanous regions, and steppe-grasslands of Ampelodesmos mauritanica. Garden plants. Wild olive trees and other sclerophyllous shrublands. Juniperus phoenicea subsp. turbinata forest. Pine wood and shrubland with rosemary and thyme garigue. Dry soils and rock outcrops, always near the coast.

Characteristics: This Mediterranean fan palm is the only autochthonous palm tree in the Balearic Islands. It has palmate leaves and a column-like trunk which can grow several metres long, but is normally shorter. Its distribution in the islands is slightly erratic: in some places it is abundant whereas in other, similar places there are none. This plant withstands fires, and re-grows after a fire, which is why it is abundant in some places that are very punished by fires, like the peninsula of Artà.