Brahea

Plant Characteristics

Lifespan:	⌛	[[Lifespan::Perennial]]
Origin:	✈	Mexico, C America

Cultivation

Exposure:	☼	Sun"Sun" is not in the list (sun, part-sun, shade, unknown) of allowed values for the "Exposure" property.
Water:	◍	Drought tolerant"Drought tolerant" is not in the list (wet, moist, moderate, dry, less when dormant) of allowed values for the "Water" property.

Scientific Names

Arecaceae >

Brahea >

Brahea is a genus of palms in the Arecaceae family. They resemble washingtonias, but have important differences. All Brahea tolerate arid climates. They are sometimes called Hesper Palms. All have large, fan-shaped leaves. There are 11 species described in the genus as follows:

Read about Brahea in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture

Brahea (syn. Erythea, one of the Hesperides, Daughter of Evening). Palmaceae, tribe Corypheae, Palms with solitary, often robust, spineless caudices, ringed at the base, clothed above with dead leaf-sheaths. Leaves terminal, the younger ones tomentose in some species, glabrous in others, orbicular, flabellately many-parted, the lobes lacerated at the apex, intermingled with fibers, infolded; rachis short; ligule long; petiole stout, slender and arching in some species, smooth or spiny along the margins: spadices usually paniculate, long, white tomentose; branches stout; spathes many, sheathing the peduncle, thick-coriaceous, densely tomentose; bracts and bractlets distinct; fls. pale: fr. globose or ovoid.—Species 5, Mex. This small group of American palms includes E. armata, which is known locally as the "blue palm," and E. edulis, the latter commonly known as the "Guadaloupe palm," from the fact that it has been found in a wild state only on the island of Guadaloupe, off the coast of Lower California. Erytheas bear much resemblance to Brahea, the segments of the leaves bearing whitish filaments. In the gardens of Santa Barbara, the erytheas in a few years form very handsome trees, but in less-favored latitudes they may be cultivated in the same manner as kentias or latanias, flourishing in a night temperature of 50" to 55° when grown in a rich and open soil and abundantly supplied with water. The above text is from the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture. It may be out of date, but still contains valuable and interesting information which can be incorporated into the remainder of the article. Click on "Collapse" in the header to hide this text.

Brahea aculeata Sinaloa Hesper Palm ↕ 12-30 ft. (3.6-4.7 m) ↔ USDA Zones 8b-11 Sunset Zones

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Brahea armata Blue Hesper Palm, Mexican Blue Palm ↕ 40ft ↔ 6-8ft top USDA Zones 8b-10 Sunset Zones 10, 12-17, 19-24. Hardy to 18F/-8C. Slow grower. Trunk is flexible and slim, gray and smooth, 18 in. (45cm) in diameter. Leaves usually fall off, but sometimes are persistent. Bluish/Silver tint to the leaves, can look nearly white, with 25-30 leaves on a healthy tree. Leaves are divided into 40-60 leaflets. Cream colored flowers are very visible and hang low in large clusters, much longer than leaves. Can withstand wind and heat well. Seeds will sprout for a few years after production, but are always sporadic, taking 1-12 months to sprout. The brown round fruit comes in at 0.8 in. (2cm) and is edible.

Brahea brandegeei San Jose Hesper Palm, Palma de Taco ↕ 125ft ↔ USDA Zones Sunset Zones 19, 21-24 Hardy to 26F/-3C. Has flexible, slender trunk. Grows slowly. Native to Baja California and Sonora in Mexico. Leaves are 3ft (1m) long, a light gray/green color, and are shed when old. Trunks 1ft wide. Similar in appearance to Washingtonia robusta, but leaves are stiffer, fruit bigger and flower stalks shorter and less pendulous. Flowers are self fertile, on stalks coming out from among leaves, but shorter than them. Round shiny fruit is brown when ripe, 0.6-0.8 in. (1.5 to 2 cm) diameter.

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Brahea calcarea ↕ 15-30 ft. (4.7-9 m) ↔ USDA Zones 9a-10b Sunset Zones

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Brahea decumbens ↕ ↔ USDA Zones Sunset Zones

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Brahea dulcis Rock Palm ↕ 10-12 ft. (3-3.6 m) ↔ USDA Zones 8b-10b Sunset Zones

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Brahea edulis Guadalupe Palm ↕ 15-45 ft (4.5-13 m) ↔ 10-20 ft USDA Zones 8b-10 Sunset Zones 11-24 Hardy to 18°F (-8°C). Native of Guadalupe Island. Trunk is gray and fissured, 18in. (45cm) diameter, with numerous irregular rings. The old leaves/petioles fall of on their own. Leaves are shiny green, costapalmate, 3-6 ft (90-180 cm) long and 3 ft (90 cm) wide. Each leaf is divided into 70 to 85 segments; petioles, 40 in (1 m) long, with few or no teeth. Prefers regular water in summer, little in winter, drier air, good drainage. Seeds germinate easily in 1-3 months, and will sprout for years. The round and golden fruit are edible as well, tasting something like dates, and measuring 1-1.25 in. (2.5-3.5cm). Flowers in the summer are a creamy yellow, on stalks up to 4 ft (1.2 m) long which appear between the leaves (and are shorter than the leaves).

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Brahea moorei ↕ 36-48 in. (90-120 cm) ↔ USDA Zones 8a-11 Sunset Zones

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Brahea pimo ↕ 3-8 ft. (1-2.8 m) ↔ USDA Zones 9b-11 Sunset Zones

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Brahea salvadorensis ↕ 10-20 ft. (3-6 m) ↔ USDA Zones 9a-11 Sunset Zones

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Brahea sarukhanii ↕ 10-15 ft. (3-4.7 m) ↔ USDA Zones 9a-11 Sunset Zones

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External links

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - ePIC: Brahea