Botanical Name: Brahea armata
Common Name: Mexican Blue Palm
Type of Plant: monocot: treelike
Character evergreen
 
Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape an erect, single-trunked, non-self-cleaning fan palm; develops a stout (2' - 3') trunk and a crown of arching, stiff, blue fronds
Height 15'-30' (40')
Spread 1/3 - 1/2
Growth Rate slow
 
Environment:
Exposure outdoors full sun; requires heat
Soil well-draining sandy loam preferred; tolerates most
Hardiness hardy (zones 3-17, 19-24): thrives in hot desert locations
 
Morphology:
Leaves fan-shaped fronds: 3' - 6' wide, 6' - 10' long, strongly glaucous (blue-silver); the petioles are heavily armed with saw-like teeth
Flowers purple, small, in long arching panicles that extend beyond the foliage; summer
Fruit a drupe: round, 1/2" diameter, hard when ripe
 
Propagation:
seed (slow)
 
Usage:
an excellent accent palm valued for its distinctive blue-silver foliage; suitable for tropical or desert-theme
 
Landscape Care:
Watering regular if drainage is good, becomes very drought-resistant after established
Fertilizing very little is required
Pruning remove old dead fronds and flower panicles
Pests/Diseases relatively free; root and crown rot in poorly drained soils
Special Conditions/Other riparian habitats in the desert canyons of
 
Origin: Baja
Family: Arecaceae

Notes:
 
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