Showing posts with label Palmaceae. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Palmaceae. Show all posts

Monday, April 26, 2010

Washingtonia robusta - Mexican Fan Palm

Washingtonia robusta: Washingtonia, named for George Washington; robusta, meaning 'robust'.

Compare to the California native W. filifera, the California Fan Palm.

W. robusta is taller than W. filifera (and Phoenix canariensis for that matter), with a more compact head and narrower trunk resembling a living telephone pole. W. robusta is also much more common than W. filifera.

Lovely skyline effect, especially when planted in groups.

Petioles are armed.

Creamy white inconspicuous flowers in April and May.

Shiny black edible drupes enclose a brown, flat, hard-shelled seed.

Syagrus romanzoffianum - Queen Palm

Syagrus romanzoffianum: Syagrus is the name used by Pliny the Elder for a variety of date palm; romanzoffianum, named for the politician Nikolai Petrovich Romanoff (1754-1826), who financed the second Russian expedition in the Americas.

Feather palm with fronds easily damaged by wind.

Soft, flexible, paired leaflets radiate around the frond. Petioles are unarmed.

Fruits are inedible single-seeded drupes about 1.5" long ripening late in summer.

Very smooth grey bark with rings originating from old leaf base attachments.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Chamaerops humilis - Mediterranean Fan Palm

Chamaerops humilis: Chamaerops, from Greek meaning 'dwarf bush;' humilis, from Latin meaning 'low' or 'small' -- for its low-growing habit, which is more dwarfish than most of its kindred.

Usually multi-trunked. Trunk is shaggy, similar to Trachycarpus fortunei.

Fan-shaped leaves. Petioles are armed.

Flower bud

Flowers yellowish to orange

Inflorescences of 6-8" clusters of flowers

Fruit is an orange to yellow drupe.

Shrubby form in youth.


This is the only palm native to Europe.