Torquay Palm
The Torquay Palm can be seen in many parts of the south west of England, the climate in this particular region of Britain allows mediterranean species, like the palm, to thrive.
One of the notable features of the coastal resort of Torquay are the palm trees that line the pavements and roads looking out across the English Channel. Indeed Torquay is affectionately known as the capital of the English Riviera.
In the mid to late 1970’s a local grower began cultivating young palms and selling them to the public, it was seen at the time as a tourist gimmick but soon caught on and before long every resort along the south and south west coastline was innundated with ‘Torquay Palms’ for sale.
Always ready to try something new I bought one for under a pound, the poor thing had a mere three drooping blades rising from its crown, I gave it very little chance of reaching anything like the ones lining the front at Torquay.
It survived the car journey back to the Midlands and was promptly planted in a medium sized plastic container where it stood semi-dormant for the rest of the summer.
I took it into the greenhouse over winter and once the threat of frost had past, brought it out again for a second chance. Amazingly new growth appeared in the form of several light green blades, this continued the following year with the older blades dying off and being replaced by fresh ones.
After two seasons my palm had grown too large for the container, thus the decision was taken to plant it in a permanent position in the garden where it has remained for the past thirty years.
It has now attained a height of some thirty feet, has a perfectly straight trunk which has formed by removing the dead blades each year, and, as can be seen from the photos, it flowers annually. The bunches of flowers go on to form new branches.
If you are visiting the south west of England and see one of these poor specimens for sale, don’t pass it by, take it home and who knows in thirty years time it could be as grand as mine!
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