HALIFAX –
An experiment that began in 2018 to see if palm trees could survive in Halifax came to an end this spring when the last two surviving trees failed to bloom.
The city initially planted nine trees in four parks in the suburb of Dartmouth, choosing varieties that were known to grow in more northerly climates of Asia or in high-altitude areas such as northern India.
The trees included windmill and miniature Chusan palm, which are native to parts of Asia, needle palm from the southern United States and pindo palm, native to South America.
Municipal spokesperson Ryan Nearing says five of the trees had died by the end of the winter of 2021-22 despite various methods that were used to try to protect them.
Others subsequently died, and Nearing says the last of the trees — two windmill palms — were declared dead in April.
He says while there are no plans for a similar experiment in the future, the city continues to look for ways to introduce biodiversity into its green spaces.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2024.