White rock palm leaves

(Brahea calcarea)

galery

Description

A breathtakingly beautiful, medium sized, rare fan palm with a smooth, slender trunk and dark greyish green, finely segmented leaves with white undersides. It is easy to distinguish from other Brahea as the only species without a thorny petiole. Native to western and southern Mexico, where it grows on dry limestone hills among pines and oaks at elevations between 900 and nearly 2000 m (3000 and 6600 ft.), it is well suited to temperate and warm temperate climates. It will take moderate frosts and is very tolerant of drought conditions. A superb, reliable, robust and truly unique palm that is still very rarely seen in cultivation. (RPS.com) Trunk: Solitary. Height: to about 12 m. Leaf detail: Costapalmate leaves, shiny green above, glaucous below, mature frond has droopy tips. The only Brahea not to have armed petioles. Requirements: Full sun, well drained soil, water sparingly. Frost and drought tolerant. Does not do well in high humidity.

Taxonomic tree:

Domain:
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum:
Class: Liliopsida
Order:Arecales
Family:Arecaceae
Genus:Brahea
News coming your way
The biggest news about our planet delivered to you each day
Subscribe