Washingtonia filifera (Linden ex André) H. Wendl.
California fan palm, desert fan palm, cotton palm, Arizona fan palm
The California fan palm is the only palm that is native to the southwestern United States. They can live for as long as 250 years. The genus is named for George Washington.
Plants: Palms reach 59′ (18 m) in height, with tall thin gradually narrowing gray trunks up to 6′ (1.8 m) around at the base.
Leaves: Leaf fronds are up to 6′ (1.8 m) long, composed of a rounded, fanlike spray of narrow, pointed leaves at the end of each petiole (leaf stem). Fans are 3–6′ (91–182 cm) around, and gray-green in color. Old leaves may remain attached indefinitely, forming a “petticoat” that can reach all the way to the ground, held together by threadlike fibers on and between the leaves.
Flowers: Small off-white flowers extend well beyond the foliage.
Fruits: Black berries, about ¼″ (6.3 mm) in diameter, in clusters of long strings.
Habitats: Desert locations where underground water is always available, at elevations of 328–3937′ (100–1200 m).
Edibility: The sweet fruit pulp is edible. Indigenous Americans ate it raw or cooked, and ground it into flour for cakes.
Online References:
References:
5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Spring, Joshua Tree National Park, California 
5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Spring, Joshua Tree National Park, California 
5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Spring, Joshua Tree National Park, California · ≈ 15 × 10″ (39 × 26 cm) 
5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Spring, Joshua Tree National Park, California 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California 
ID is uncertain 
5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Spring, Joshua Tree National Park, California 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California ID is uncertain 
2/17/2007 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California ID is uncertain 
5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Spring, Joshua Tree National Park, California 
5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Spring, Joshua Tree National Park, California 
2/28/2010 · Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California ID is uncertain 
5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Spring, Joshua Tree National Park, California 
5/2/2018 · Cottonwood Spring, Joshua Tree National Park, California 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Liliopsida | Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family |
| Subclass | Arecidae | Palm-like plants |
| Order | Arecales | Palms |
| Family | Arecaceae | Palms |
| Genus | Washingtonia | After George Washington (1732-1799), first President of the United States |
| Species | filifera | Composed of or bearing thread-like structures |
Washingtonia filifera description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
