Blue hesper palm

Brahea armata

Description

The Blue hesper palm is single trunk fan palm growing slowly to 30-40 ft. tall with 24-30 in. diameter trunks. Distinctive fan-shaped fronds are chalky blue-gray in color with sharp spines on the petioles; fronds persist on the trunk until removed. Long and arching creamy-yellow inflorescences occur for several weeks in summer for a dramatic display; colorful orange fruit to 1 in. diameter mature by the end of summer.

The Blue hesper palm is quite rare in nature where it is restricted to several small canyons and desert slope areas of northwestern Baja California. In contrast, it is a popular palm in Inland Valley landscapes and gardens as an accent tree due to its distinctive flower and foliage character. It is used as a focal plant and entry accent in containers and raised planters; large specimens take many years to develop. It prefers full sun, well-drained soils and periodic summer irrigation.

Plant Type: Palm
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Upright, Arching
Growth Rate: Slow
Foliage Color: Pale green
Flower Color: Cream
Flower Season: Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Rocky soil, Deep soil, Clay, Calcareous soil
Exposure Adaptations: Wind, Heat, Aridity, All day sun
Function: Specimen, Near pools and water features, Foliage accent plant, Civic spaces, Banks
Height: 30 ft. – 40 ft.
Width: 15 ft. – 20 ft.

Watering Schedule: Low 2

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 2 weeks after establishment.

Learn how to apply this watering schedule to your landscape on our How to water waterwise and California native plants page.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another two weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
To save water, in many cases you can go longer in between waterings during the winter, often up to 3-4 weeks between watering for well-established plants. Two weeks after watering, check the soil approximately 4” below the surface. If it is still significantly moist, you can wait longer before watering again.
In most cases, if you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, you may use these features to save some water in in the fall and winter. If you are using automatic weather adjusting functions, continue to allow the timer to run every two weeks. It will adjust the number of minutes it runs to account for the cooler weather.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.