Difference between revisions of "Washingtonia robusta"

Latest revision as of 22:29, 12 August 2015

Pronunciation: wash-ing-TOE-nee-uh roe-BUST-uh

Common Name: Mexican Fan Palm, Feather Duster Palm

Washingtonia robusta is probably the most commonly grown palm in the US and one of the most recognizable palms in the world. Many consider these 'trash palms' and they are indeed one of the most serious weeds in many urban and rural areas. However common and easy to grow, these are one of the fastest growing of all palms, and quickly can become majestic landscape specimens. Few palms are more impressive than those over 80 feet tall, planted along avenues evenly spaced and all leaning the same direction (towards the ocean and the afternoon sun). Heads or more compact, greener and trunks thinner than the native California Fan Palm, Washingtonia filifera, which this one is often confused with. Many hybrid palms of the two growing in public landscaping, and referred to as 'filabustas'.

Appearance and Biology

Habit: solitary with dense crown (under ideal conditions) of about 30 leaves
Height: 100 feet
Trunk: partial or complete retained dead leaf petticoat except in very old palms usually clean (in cultivation usually pruned clean or closely thatched); 16"-24" thick, grey (reddish when recently pruned); often leaning toward the west when very tall
Spread: 6'-8'
Leaf Description: palmate to barely costapalmate; 6'-7' long; deep green and glossy when mature; leaves stiff until maturing at which time leaflets tend to droop; cottony fibers associated with leaflets
Petiole: long 5'-6' (about equal to rachis) and heavily armed with large, very sharp teeth mildly to severely hooked; leaf bases split upon trunk
Reproduction: monoecious and 'rampant'
Inflorescence: long, arching, dark brown
Fruit: spherical dark brown; 1cm
Seed: 4-5mm spherical black

Horticultural Characteristics

Minimum Temp: 20F, though moderate leaf burn at 25F
Drought Tolerance: very high
Dry Heat Tolerance: very high
Wind Tolerance: very high
Salt Tolerance: good
Growth Rate: very fast (fastest palm in California and one of the fastest in the world)
Soil Preference: extremely tolerant of a wide range of soil types
Light Requirement: full sun, though can grow well in deep shade for years
Human Hazards: falling leaves in winds dangerous to both pedestrians and cars; profuse seed production makes sidewalks slippery; petiolar teeth make pruning hazardous; dead petticoats are fire hazard and hiding place for vermin
Disease or Horticultural Problems: few
Indoor?: performs moderately well if bright light available, but a dangerous indoor palm; used fairly frequently in large, indoor shopping malls

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 '''Common Name''': Mexican Fan Palm, Feather Duster Palm
 </center>
-'''''Washingtonia robusta''''' is probably the most commonly grown palm in the US and one of the most recognizable palms in the world.
+'''''Washingtonia robusta''''' is probably the most commonly grown palm in the US and one of the most recognizable palms in the world.  Many consider these 'trash palms' and they are indeed one of the most serious weeds in many urban and rural areas.  However common and easy to grow, these are one of the fastest growing of all palms, and quickly can become majestic landscape specimens.  Few palms are more impressive than those over 80 feet tall, planted along avenues evenly spaced and all leaning the same direction (towards the ocean and the afternoon sun).  Heads or more compact, greener and trunks thinner than the native California Fan Palm, ''Washingtonia filifera'', which this one is often confused with.  Many hybrid palms of the two growing in public landscaping, and referred to as 'filabustas'.
+<center>
 {| colspan="2" style="background: #FCFCFC; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" |
 | style="width: 50%; background: #f8e8df; border: 1px solid black; vertical-align: top;" |
 <div style="background: #e5a178; border: 1px solid black; padding: 5px; margin: 3px; font-weight: bold; text-align: center; font-size: 120%;">Appearance and Biology</div>
 <div style="padding-left: 1em;">
-*'''Habit''': solitary
+*'''Habit''': solitary with dense crown (under ideal conditions) of about 30 leaves
 *'''Height''': 100 feet
-*'''Trunk''': partial or complete retained dead leaf petticoat, though in cultivation usually pruned clean; 16"-24" thick, grey (reddish when recently pruned); often leaning toward the west when very tall
+*'''Trunk''': partial or complete retained dead leaf petticoat except in very old palms usually clean (in cultivation usually pruned clean or closely thatched); 16"-24" thick, grey (reddish when recently pruned); often leaning toward the west when very tall
 *'''Spread''': 6'-8'
-*'''Leaf Shape''': palmate
+*'''Leaf Description''': palmate to barely costapalmate; 6'-7' long; deep green and glossy when mature; leaves stiff until maturing at which time leaflets tend to droop; cottony fibers associated with leaflets
-*'''Petiole''': long (about equal to rachis) and heavily armed with large, very sharp teeth
+*'''Petiole''': long 5'-6' (about equal to rachis) and heavily armed with large, very sharp teeth mildly to severely hooked; leaf bases split upon trunk
-*'''Foliage''': deep, somewhat shiny green, stiff as young palm, but leaflets developing characteristic droopiness with age; some cottony fibers
 *'''Reproduction''': monoecious and 'rampant'
 *'''Inflorescence''': long, arching, dark brown
@@ Line 31: / Line 30: @@
 *'''Soil Preference''': extremely tolerant of a wide range of soil types
 *'''Light Requirement''': full sun, though can grow well in deep shade for years
-*'''Human Hazards''': falling leaves in winds dangerous to both pedestrians and cars; profuse seed production makes sidewalks slippery; petiolar teeth make pruning hazardous
+*'''Human Hazards''': falling leaves in winds dangerous to both pedestrians and cars; profuse seed production makes sidewalks slippery; petiolar teeth make pruning hazardous; dead petticoats are fire hazard and hiding place for vermin
 *'''Disease or Horticultural Problems''': few
-*'''Indoor?''': performs moderately well if bright light available, but a dangerous indoor palm
+*'''Indoor?''': performs moderately well if bright light available, but a dangerous indoor palm; used fairly frequently in large, indoor shopping malls
 |}
+{{#Widget:AdResBan}}
 <gallery>
 File:Washingtonia reflections larb.jpg|Los Angeles arboretum
-File:Washingtonia robustas naked and not.JPG|clear and trimmed to thatch looks
+File:Washingtonia robustas naked and not.JPG|clean trunk and full petticoat looks
 File:Washingtonia robustas with skirts larb.jpg|skirts to ground
 File:Washingtonia robusta trunk and crown.JPG|crown and trunk
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 File:Washingtonias leaning Pasadena.jpg|tall trees leaning west
 File:Washingtonia thatched trunk.JPG|close up of thatched trunk trimming
+File:Windy palm 5.JPG|400px]]
+File:Washingtonia skirt from below.JPG|petticoat from below
+File:Washingtonias in ravine TO wilderness.JPG|naturalized in Ventura county
+File:Washingtonias with and without skirt.JPG|palm with and without a skirt
+File:Washys skirts LA arb.jpg|petticoated palms in Los Angeles arboretum
+File:Washingtonia shot new camera larb.JPG|mature palms
+File:Washingtonia trunk pruned to thatch.JPG|pruned to tight thatch
+File:Washingtonia mall 2.jpg|around the mall
+File:Washingtonia curved in vegas.JPG|somewhat stunted in Las Vegas
+File:Washingtonia teeth.JPG|petiolar teeth
+File:Washingtonia leaf bases.JPG|leaf bases
+File:Washingtonia trunk roots.jpg|roots
+File:Washingtonia roots covering curb.jpg|roots covering curb
+File:Washingtonia hacked.JPG|'hacked'
+File:Washingtonias overpruned nearby.JPG|overpruned
+File:Washingtonias fried Palmdale.jpg|fried from frost in Antelope Valley
+File:Washington fronds in street after winds Reseda.jpg|after winds, San Fernando Valley, California
+File:Washingtonia trash.JPG|typical post trimming trash
 </gallery>
 [[Category: Washingtonia]]

Difference between revisions of "Washingtonia robusta"

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Latest revision as of 22:29, 12 August 2015