Brahea armata


Brahea armata, commonly known as Mexican blue palm or blue hesper palm, is a large evergreen tree of the palm family Arecaceae, native to Baja California, Mexico. It is widely planted as an ornamental.
It grows to a height of, with a stout trunk. Its distinctly bluish leaves are wide, with long petioles. The leaves are persistent in nature, forming a shag around the trunk; in cultivation they are typically burned or cut off. The inflorescences extend out beyond the crown, reaching in length. The flowers themselves are small, appearing in February and March, while the fruits are in length, brown and with a generally ovoid to globose shape.
This species is the most widespread endemic palm of Mexico’s northern peninsula; it is locally common in arroyos and canyon bottoms, and has been observed growing in rock crevices at higher elevations. It is sometimes found with Washingtonia filifera or Washingtonia robusta.
Brahea armata has an attractive appearance, especially when young, and is commonly available at nurseries in the American southwest and in warm temperate locations elsewhere. In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.
It is drought tolerant, can handle both partial shade and full sun, and temperatures down to. It is found under a variety of names, including "Mexican blue palm", "blue hesper palm", "big blue hesper palm", "blue fan palm", "sweet brahea", and "palma blanca".
The Cocopah people ate the seeds after roasting them.