The Mexican Fan Palm Tree, scientific name Washingtonia robusta, is a very popular indoor and outdoor palm because of its striking appearance and cold hardiness which makes it a great choice for landscapes in USDA zones 8b-11. This is a cold-hardy, drought-resistant, and inexpensive palm that doesn’t require a lot of maintenance. Washingtonia robusta can be grown in states like Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Oregon, and Texas.
MEXICAN FAN PALM
It has a single gray trunk ringed by old leaf bases, about 13 inches in diameter. The Mexican Fan Palm requires some maintenance to keep its attractive look.
Old leaves need to be trimmed, otherwise, the trunk will be sheathed in dead leaves, that form a brown, shaggy covering, also called a “hula skirt”, that extends nearly to the ground. The trunk is straight, a little swollen at the base, has no crown shaft, topped with a crown of 20-25 large fronds.
Leaves are rich glossy green, palmate, or fan-shaped, about 5ft long and 4ft wide. They have lance-shaped leaflets with elegant drooping tips that provide a very tropical appearance to the landscape. The petioles of mature palms are armed with short, sharp thorns. Be careful when trimming.
