Brahea armata

Brahea armata, commonly known as the blue fan palm, blue hesper palm or Mexican blue palm, is a flowering plant in the family Arecaceae, native to Baja California, Mexico. Outside its natural range, it is often planted as an ornamental, valued for its striking grey-blue fronds.

Description

A medium sized palm. It grows to 12-15 m tall. The trunk is single and thick and grey. It can be 40-50 cm across. It can have the dead leaves hanging on the trunk or the trunk can be smooth but covered with old leaf scars. The leaf stalks are lined with thorns. The leaves are stiff and spread out like fingers on a hand. They are fan shaped. The leaves are covered with a pale blue bloom. The flowering stalk comes from amongst the leaves. It arches out further than the leaves. This flowering stalk can be 4-6 m long. The fruit are 12 mm across and yellow-brown when ripe. The seed is round.

Edible Uses

Although we have seen no reports of edibility, the fruit is almost certainly edible either raw or cooked. It is about 2cm in diameter.

Traditional Uses

The fruit is eaten.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

None known

Distribution

It will grow from subtropical to temperate climates. It needs well drained soil and full sunlight. It can tolerate some frost. In Mexico it grows in dry rocky soils. It is often on poor alkaline soils. In Mexico it grows from sea level to 1400 m altitude. In Brisbane Botanical Gardens. It suits hardiness zones 9-11.

Where It Grows

Australia, Central America, Mexico, North America, Slovenia, USA,

Cultivation

Succeeds in most fertile moist but well-drained soils in a sheltered sunny position. Tolerant of poor dry soils. Plants are drought and heat tolerant. This species is not very cold-hardy, though it tolerates several degrees of frost if it is growing in a dry sunny climate and could be tried out of doors in the mildest areas of Britain. Palms usually have deep penetrating root systems and generally establish best when planted out at a young stage. However, older plants are substantially more cold tolerant than juvenile plants. In areas at the limit of their cold tolerance, therefore, it is prudent to grow the plants in containers for some years, giving them winter protection, and only planting them into their permanent positions when sheer size dictates. Palms can also often be transplanted even when very large. Although the thick fleshy roots are easily damaged and/or desiccated, new roots are generally freely produced. It is important to stake the plant very firmly to prevent rock, and also to give it plenty of water until re-established - removing many of the leaves can also help.

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a warm greenhouse at not less than 24°c. Germination of fresh seed usually takes place in 3 - 4 months at 25°c. Stored seed is very slow to germinate. Pre-soaking the seed for 24 hours in warm water prior to sowing may shorten the germination time. Plants form a long tap-root some time before forming a shoot so it is best to sow 2 - 3 seeds per deep pot. Grow the seedlings on in the greenhouse for at least their first three winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.

Other Uses

None known Special Uses

Production

It is slow growing when young.

Notes

There are about 12-16 Brahea species. They all grow in Mexico.

Synonyms

Also Known As

Guadalupa, Mexican Blue palm, Palma azul

References (21)

• Balick, M.J. and Beck, H.T., (Ed.), 1990, Useful palms of the World. A Synoptic Bibliography. Colombia p 160
• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994) (As Glaucothea armata)
• Blomberry, A. & Rodd, T., 1982, Palms. An informative practical guide. Angus & Robertson. p 64
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 167
• Burkill, I.H., 1966, A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol 1 (A-H) p 960 (As Erythea armata)

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