Palm Collection

Palms are a fascinating group of plants, related to grasses but with complex reproductive strategies. They have an ancient lineage: the first palm fossil (leaves of Sabal species) dates back to the upper Cretaceous Period, 84 million years ago. Palms have a wide distribution and are found in tropical and subtropical regions, and also occur in desert areas where permanent ground water is available. Only a very small number of palms grow in temperate countries.

Here at Durban Botanic Gardens, we have an extensive palm collection of more than 130 species from 58 genera. The beautiful Palm Walk was established in 1889 and today contains a majestic stand of palms lining the avenue. The Palmetum partly surrounds the lake in the grounds and was created in 1977. The collection has a diverse group of palms, ranging from the Giant Fishtail Palm of Borneo which grows to over 25m in height, to the small Chamaedorea palms which grow in the understory of rain forests.

Many palms are threatened with extinction in the wild especially those which occur in tropical rain forests or on small islands. Here, the removal of rain forest habitats for timber, agriculture, pasture and mining are seriously endangering palms throughout the world. The removal of seeds and plants from the wild by unscrupulous palm collectors is another important factor in the conservation status of many rare palm species. Often seeds from whole stands of palms are taken illegally, isolating populations and bringing them even closer to extinction.

Here at the Durban Botanic Gardens, we are in the process of creating a seed bank of our palm species. The primary aim is to ensure that the gene pool of each species is as genetically diverse as possible. This could, in future, supplement endangered wild population and be of use in  re-introduction programmes.