The Canary Islands’ name is probably came from the Teneriffa Blog Latin term Insula Canaria, meaning Island of the Dogs. It is thought that a dense population of fierce dogs, like the Presa Canario, inhabited the island of Gran Canaria during Roman times.

Prior to European colonisation peoples similar to the Berbers of North Africa populated the islands. They came to be known collectively as the Guanches, although Guanches was originally the name for the indigenous inhabitants of Tenerife.

In 1402, the Spanish conquest of the islands began with an expedition to the island of Lanzarote. From there, they conquered Fuerteventura and Hierro and established a base on the island of La Gomera, but it would be many years before the island was truly conquered. The natives of La Gomera, and of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and La Palma, resisted the Spanish invaders for almost a century.

The Canary Islands were then a source of dispute between Spain and other European powers. The most severe attack took place in 1599 when a Dutch fleet of 74 ships and 12,000 men, attacked the capital, Las Palmas. The Dutch then laid siege to the city, but eventually gave up the siege of Las Palmas and withdrew.

Another notable attack occurred on the 25th July 1797, when a British fleet under the future Admiral Lord Nelson attacked Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The British were repulsed losing almost 400 men. It was in this battle that Nelson lost his right arm.

The rivalry between the elites of the cities of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife for the capital of the islands led to the division of the archipelago into two provinces in 1927. This has not lain to rest the rivalry between the two cities, which continues to this day.

The distinct features of the Canary Islands are their great height in relation to their area. Indeed the Teide volcano on Tenerife is the highest mountain in Spain, and the third largest volcano on Earth. When the prevailing wind, the NE trades, meet the high mountains, moisture is condensed and the windward side of the islands see a good deal of rain. This accounts for the diversity found in the Canary Islands, from pine forests to sand dunes, lush green valleys in the North, to dry and hot desert in the south. According to the position of the islands with respect to the trade winds, the climate can be mild and wet or very dry.

The economy of the Canary Islands is based primarily on tourism; about 10 million visit every year, which makes up 32% of the GDP. Construction accounts for nearly 20% of the GDP and tropical agriculture, primarily bananas and tobacco, are grown for export markets. Tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cochineal, sugarcane, grapes, vines, dates, oranges, lemons, figs, wheat, barley, corn, apricots, peaches and almonds are also grown.

There are several airports throughout the Canary Islands easily reached most major cities of Europe or America. The Canary Islands are an all year round sailing and yacht charter.

On your yacht charter in the Canary Islands you have the opportunity to see whales, dolphins, turtles, and flying fish.

The Canary Island’s geographical position means that there are generally good winds for sailing. The North Easterly trades that once took Columbus to America funnel through the islands creating what are known as wind acceleration zones and this means that even with fairly light prevailing winds there is still enough wind for a great.

Despite its position close to the tropics, the Canaries are not too hot in summer, 21-29°C, pleasantly warm in winter, 15-20°C, and can be regarded as an year round yacht charter area. Gales are infrequent and the islands are not affected by hurricanes.

The seven main islands of the Canary Islands are well spaced out so that it is only a day’s sail between most of them.

The greatest range of facilities for yachts is to be found in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which has a yacht harbour administered by the port authority. Gran Canaria’s south coast has several good marinas at Pasito Blanco, Puerto Rico and Puerto Mogan. There are haul-out facilities at all of them as well as at the fishing harbour Arguineguin. Other harbours include Agaete and Amfi del Mar.

Berthing facilities in the capital of Tenerife have improved dramatically with the opening of Marina Santa Cruz in the very centre of the capital Santa Cruz. A smaller Marina Tenerife operates in the fishing harbour. Outside of Santa Cruz there are good facilities at the marinas at Radazul, Los Gigantes and Puerto Colon. The boatyard at Los Cristianos also has haul-out and repair facilities. There are also harbours at Candelaria and San Miguel.

Lanzarote now has two marinas: Puerto Calero and Marina Rubicon. Both have boatyards and a range of services. There are also harbours at Arrecife and Puerto Carmen

On Fuerteventura there is a small marina with haul-out and some repair facilities as well as fuel at El Castillo and limited repair facilities in the capital Puerto Rosario. Other harbours include Corralejo and Morro.

La Gomera lies 28° North of the equator in the sub tropics, which give the island very agreeable average temperatures of 21 degrees in winter, and 28 degrees in summer. The island still retains it’s Canarian character and unlike it’s larger neighbours does not suffer from mass tourism, even though it is only a short transfer from Tenerife’s main (south) airport.

The centre of San Sebastian, the capital of La Gomera, has changed little since Columbus’s fleet was anchored in the bay. The Count’s tower, the Church Of The Assumption, where the members of the expedition were blessed, along with the Well Of Aguada – where the water that baptised America was drawn, have survived to this day. San Seba

Canary Island Dates are also widely known as the Pineapple Palm. The palm tree is easily recognized through it’s crown of leaves and trunk characteristics. When they are pruned properly, the bottom of the crown, also called the nut, appears to have a pineapple shape. It’s not uncommon to see Pineapple palms, pruned and trimmed to enhance the appearance. Many people consider pruning as defacing and lessening the appearance of the tree. The trunk of the Canary Island Date palm is very recognizable because of its diamond shaped ridges which cover most of trunk.

These ridges appear more prominently as the palm matures through scarring of old leaves which have fallen off. As the palm matures, the once small unnoticeable trunk now becomes noticeable. The Canary Island Date palm is also known scientifically as Phoenix canariensis and is from the Canary Islands, which are located off the coast of Africa. The average height that the Phoenix canariensis palm grows is between 50 to 60 feet. The Pineapple palm flowers late spring early summer and has numerous orange seeds which ensure its population.

The Canary Island Date has 10 to 15 feet long green leaves that create a stunning crown look. The support for the immense crownshaft is by the massive trunk which is largely appealing. The Canary Island Date palm thrives in acidic soil conditions and full sun. The Canary Date palm is a grand statement for any home, business, or corporate center.

For more in depth information about the Canary palm, such as natural habitat, Palm Height, Palm Spread, Palm Speed of growth, Salt Toleration, and types of soil, please visit realpalmtrees.com palm-blog section.

Canary Island Date Palm Tree Environmental Impact:

Canary Date palm is a beautiful addition to any large yard or garden. However in New Zealand, the Canary Island Date palm tree is known as a “sleeper weed” and has invaded special areas of native habitation growth. Some of these special areas are delicate mangroves and unstable rainforests. The reason the Canary Island Date palm is known as a “sleeper weed” is because its ability to blend into the surroundings as vegetation and is noticed too late to be easily pulled up out of the ground. The wide-spread and not so eco-friendly numbers of the palm is caused by the wildlife which eat the fruit from either the stalk or when fallen on the ground.

Canary Island Date Palm Transplanting:

If not properly done, transplanting is known to kill the palm. The Pineapple palm needs to be healthy, fertilized, and green before transplanting for a greater success rate. Transplanting should be limited to growth needs and should be carefully thought out. The average height the Pineapple Palm is between 50 to 60 feet and the trunk is 2 to 4 feet in diameter. Before transplanting, make sure there is ample space for the growth of the palm tree and that when pulled out of its spot the roots stay intact together.

Also, when planted in partial sun, the growth of the Date Palm tree will be stunted and extra maintenance will be needed for it to receive the proper nutrition. Make sure the hole which is dug for the palm is one to two feet larger than the root ball. Also, to ease the transplant shock, add Mycohorrizal fungi to the side of the root ball before putting the root ball in the hole. After placing the rootball in the hole, ensure that no part of the trunk is buried in the dirt.

Then soak the ground around the palm tree 1-2 times a day for the first three weeks without soaking the trunk. Also, insert fertilizer spikes for year round feeding. Applying these easy tips will ensure that the Canary palm tree will thrive. For more in depth information about how to transplant a Large Canary palm, please visit realpalmtrees.com.

DIY – Landscape Design

The Canary Island Date palm tree would best be suited for larger areas such as large yards, office buildings, corporate centers, or parks. When using a Pineapple palm for landscaping be cognizant of the ultimate height and width of the palm before planting. When you have chosen the area in which you would like to plant the Canary Island Date, ensure that there is proper irrigation to the palm. It is important that your irrigation system or yourself do not apply water or spray water on the trunk of the Canary Island Date palm. The water will encourage bacteria to grow and a very not-so-nice friend, Ganoderma butt rot, to infest the palm and eat away at the palm from inside out.

There is no cure for the Ganoderma butt rot, but there is methods of protection against it, just spray the palm with some liquid copper fungicide and stay away from watering the trunk. Once the irrigation and position of the palm tree are thought out, then comes the wonderful variety of palms which can be used to add distinction and interest to the area. Many people use the shade that the Canary Date palm provides as a refuge from the sun. Creating a canopy is an ideal option for planting a Canary Island Date palm, just space them far enough for each palm to receive its own amount of sunlight.

You can also use the Canary Island Date palm tree as a tropical backdrop in any setting. The way to accomplish a tropical setting is by mixing other leaf types of palm trees in and underneath the area. To give the area a more native feel, you could plant other woody and herbaceous plants. There is also a fern that thrives in the nut of the palm which, if properly watered, turns the nut of the palm green and gives the Canary palm tree a tropical vibe.

DIY – Indoor Design

The Canary palm makes a great indoor palm if provided the right environment. The Canary Island Date palm needs an area where full sun is given, so either a full window skylight or a conservatory would be ideal. Since the Canary Island is indoors, it will need extra nutrients to maintain its constant vitality. Also, good waterings are needed along with good drainage soil in the pot. Place small rocks or pebbles into the soil for good drainage. As long as the Canary Date palm has full sunlight, properly watered, and sufficiently nutriented it should thrive in any indoor setting.

The Canary Island Date can be placed as a socialistic starter when placed in the decorating scheme of a room. Take into consideration the surround area to which the Canary Island Date palm will be placed, usually the surrounding area has to complement the palm tree. There are endless shapes and colors of vases and pots to choose from which can give the palm tree an extra oomph. Try using contrasting and vibrant colors to showcase the palm tree.