Brahea armata
Brahea armata, commonly known as the blue hesper palm or Mexican blue palm, is a flowering plant in the family Arecaceae, native to Baja California, Mexico. Outside its natural range, it is often planted as an ornamental, valued for its striking grey-blue fronds.
Description
It grows to a height of, with a stout trunk. Its distinctly bluish leaves are wide, with long petioles. The leaves are persistent in nature, forming a shag around the trunk; in cultivation they are typically burned or cut off. The inflorescences extend out beyond the crown, reaching in length. The flowers themselves are small, appearing in February and March, while the fruits are in length, brown and with a generally ovoid to globose shape.Distribution and habitat
This species is endemic to the Mexican state of Baja California, distributed from just south of the international border near the Jacumba Mountains to the central desert and Isla Ángel [de la Guarda|Isla Angel de la Guarda]. Plants growing in the Sierra de San Francisco in Baja California Sur may be of a different species. It is locally common in arroyos and canyon bottoms, and has been observed growing in rock crevices at higher elevations. It is sometimes found with Washingtonia filifera or Washingtonia robusta.Uses
Brahea armata has an attractive appearance, especially when young, and is commonly available at nurseries in the American southwest and in warm temperate locations elsewhere. In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.It is drought tolerant, can handle both partial shade and full sun, and temperatures down to. It is found under a variety of names, including "Mexican blue palm", "blue hesper palm", "big blue hesper palm", "blue fan palm", "sweet brahea", and "palma blanca".
The Cocopah people ate the seeds after roasting them.