Difference between revisions of "Brahea pimo"

Revision as of 21:01, 26 July 2015

Pronunciation: bra-HEE-uh PEE-moe

Common Name: Wooly Brahea (un-official)

Brahea pimo is a wonderful palm for California, but unfortunately a very rare one, still. It is one of the more ornamental of the Braheas, though a very slow growing plant. At this time few if any flowering plants in California and certainly none even approaching maximum height. Uniquely wooly, tomentose petioles and leaf undersides with colorful petioles and perfect, circular leaves.

Appearance and Biology

Habit: solitary with a crown of 8-12 fan leaves
Height: 12' estimate
Trunk: single; 8" diameter; covered with retained leaf bases
Crownshaft: none
Spread: 6'-8'
Leaf Description: palmate; circular; fairly stiff with only some leaflets drooping; pale green to sea green; 4'-5' long; underside fuzzy with thin layer of white tomentum; leaves seem overly large for relatively thin petiole; leaves divided only 1/4 their length or less
Petiole/Leaf bases: 2' long; covered on both surfaces with fairly dense layer of pinkish-white scurf; armed with small, irregular but sharp. saw-like teeth along edges; black line along edges of petioles; un-split leaf bases
Reproduction: monoecious
Inflorescence: 5' long and tomentose
Fruit: 1/2"; ovoid and yellow when ripe

Horticultural Characteristics

Minimum Temp: 25F estimate
Drought Tolerance: good
Dry Heat Tolerance: good
Wind Tolerance: fair
Salt Tolerance: low
Growth Rate: very slow
Soil Preference: calcareous (alkaline), but seems somewhat adaptable
Light Requirement: filtered sun to full sun
Human Hazards: sharp, though small, petiolar teeth
Disease or Horticultural Problems: unknown
Transplants?: probably poor
Indoor?: unknown
Availability: extremely rare with only a few rare plants showing up in collections

all photos below are from palms at the Huntington gardens, California unless labeled otherwise
San Diego county, California, private garden, in filtered light
Huntington Beach, California, private garden
younger palm, San Diego county, California, Bradford garden
petioles on palm in Huntington Beach
petioles on palm in San Diego county
petioles on young palm in California also with fuzz on them, Bradford garden, San Diego county

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 '''''Brahea pimo''''' is a wonderful palm for California, but unfortunately a very rare one, still.  It is one of the more ornamental of the Braheas, though a very slow growing plant.  At this time few if any flowering plants in California and certainly none even approaching maximum height.  Uniquely wooly, tomentose petioles and leaf undersides with colorful petioles and perfect, circular leaves.
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Difference between revisions of "Brahea pimo"

Geoff Stein - Author & Editor

Revision as of 21:01, 26 July 2015