Brahea armata

Synonyms of Brahea armata

Brahea glauca, Brahea roezlii, Erythea armata, Erythea elegans, Blue Mexican palm, Blue Hesper palm

Origin of Brahea armata

It grows in arid canyons in the south of California and the north-west of Mexico

Hardiness of Brahea armata

-12°C (10°F) (or even lower for adult palms), despite its semi-desert origin. However, young palms need to be protected in winter.

Description of Brahea armata

This palm is easily recognized by its tough, large, metallic blue palms, which can sometimes be almost white. They are in fact covered by a thin layer of wax, whose functionis to protect the palms from the sun.
The spectacular inflorescence can reach 6 metres. This palm is a slow grower at first (it takes years to grow a trunk), but it grows a little faster after a few years, to reach 12 to 15 metres when mature.

How to grow Brahea armata

Don't keep it too long in a container, and plant it in full sun, in a well-drained soil, with regular watering only in summer. Avoid watering its palms if you want to keep them blue.

Story time

It is nicknamed 'zinc palm' because of its color and the stiffness of its palms, which produce a metallic sound in the wind.