This Phoenix palm makes a strong contribution to the iconic Taradale First World War Clocktower Memorial. The clocktower was unveiled on December 16 1923 [1]. It has been described as part of the social identity of the local community, and the clock tower along with rose gardens, sundial, fountain, flagpole and WWII Memorial Plunket Rooms across the road, were listed as a category 2 historic place in 2020 [2]. There is no record of planting date, but circa 1938 looks likely: the 1936 historic photo [3] shows no evidence of the palm nor the two pohutakawa close by, however an aerial photo of 1947 shows evidence of all three plants looking about 10 years old [4]. It is no surprise to find a Phoenix palm planted here, as the road where the memorial is situated continues into Kennedy Road, closer to Napier, which has one of New Zealand’s most well known double avenue plantings of Phoenix palms, established in 1929 [5].

References:
1. Taradale First World War memorial', url: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/taradale-war-memorial, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 4-Aug-2017
2. ‘Taradale war memorials earn heritage status’, Hawke’s Bay Today, 7 September, 2020.
3. ‘Taradale Clock Tower, 1936’. Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, 1784-050.
4. ‘Looking SSW along Gloucester Rd. from bottom ... (Nap1-45/35)’; V.C. Browne aerial photo viewable on DigitalNZ website.
5. HBR/G1656