Washingtonia

Soaring to over 100', this skyscraper of the palm world is a striking sight when planted at equal intervals along a boulevard or when snuggled up in groups against high rise buildings. The gray trunk is ringed with closely set leaf scars although usually at least part of the trunk remains covered with old leaf stem "boots." The solitary trunk bulges at the ground and becomes slender as it approaches a crown of large palmate leaves with gracefully drooping tips. These are glossy rich green and grow to about 5' long and 4' wide and are borne on 3' orange stems that are edged with vicious saw-tooth spines.

Location
This palm is native to the desert mountain valleys and canyons of Sonora and Baja Mexico. It is a popular landscape plant in Florida, California and Arizona and in areas where it is hardy throughout the world.

Culture
Washington palm prefers a moderately rich well-drained soil but can survive on poor soils, even sand.
Light: It does best in bright sunny conditions but Washington palm will tolerate some shade.
Moisture: Washington palm is very drought resistant when established, but looks better and grows faster when given adequate moisture.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 9-11. Washington palm is hardy down to about 20 F but foliage will be damaged at that temperature.
Propagation: Propagate by seeds, which will germinate within 2 months.

Usage
Use the Washington palm for formal groupings, street plantings, and groves in large open areas - these are the palms planted along Venice Beach and other California beaches. Young plants can be grown in containers and give a tropical look to patios and decks. This palm should only be used in large open areas - it is a NOT a good palm for residences with small yards.

Features
Washington palm has many fine attributes including salt resistance and fast rate of growth. It is becoming one of the commercial landscaper's favorite palms - appearing in startling numbers along Florida's urban freeways, and in commercial and industrial developments.Washingtonia Robusta (12') Washingtonia or "Washy" (for short) are great for shipping. We typically ship them from 8'-10' on up to 18'. The "Head" of the washingtonia's are thick and truncks are wide. It is a great "high impact" "Low lying" palm. We have found the optimal shipping size of the washingtonia to be 8'-14'. Although we ship much taller ones, it is not possible to optimize truck space without "chopping the root ball" to an unsafe size. We highly recommend shipping washingtonia's with at least a 32" root ball. Do not untie (open up) the leaves until the tree has been planted & watered heavily for 3 weeks.