The Blue Hesper Palm Tree, scientific name Brahea armata, is one of the most popular palm trees in Florida, because of its unique appearance and low maintenance. This stunning palm would be a great focal point for any landscape.
It can also be grown indoors in a container. Brahea armata can tolerate cold temperatures down to 15F and can be grown in states like Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas and Virginia.
Quick Facts:
| Scientific name: | Brahea armata |
| Common names: | Blue Hesper Palm, Mexican Blue Palm, Blue Palm, Sweet Brahea Palm, Gray Goddess. |
| Origin: | Native to Mexico and Baja California. |
| Growth Rate: | Slow. Up to 30 – 40 ft tall and 15 – 20 ft wide. |
| Cold Tolerance: | USDA Zones 9b (25 – 30 F) to 11 (above 40 F) |
| Light Req: | Full sun. |
| Water Req: | Moderate. High drought tolerance. |
| Soil Req: | Alkaline |
| Fruit: | Yellow with brown stripes. Edible |
| Propagation: | Seeds, germinating in 2-3 months |
Blue Hesper Palm Identifying Characteristics
The Blue Hesper Palm has single gray trunk which is topped with beautiful silvery-blue fan shaped fronds. Lightly swollen at the base trunk is ringed with scars from old leaf bases.
Trunk can get up to 1.5ft in diameter. It requires some maintenance, if the dead leaves are not trimmed or dropped off they form a brown skirt.
Brahea armata has one of the bluest fronds in the world. It has 25-20 palmate, or fan shaped, fronds with 40 to 60 leaflets which can range from pastel bluish white or silver-blue to aquamarinein color. The Blue Hesper Palm has waxy stems that are covered with dark curved thorns.
Blue Hesper Palm Flowers and Fruits
During summer months Blue Hesper Palm produces beautiful white fragrant flowers that grow in clusters up to 3ft long. They hang down from the leaves extending much farther than the leaves’ length.
Flowers are bisexual, male and female flowers are on the same inflorescence. The Blue Hesper Palm flowers are considered to be one of the most beautiful of palm flowers.
As flowers mature they are followed by raddish brown editable fruits. These berrylike fruits are about ¾ inch in diameter and have a single round seed inside.
How to Care For Blue Hesper Palm
Being native to desert, Blue Hesper Palm likes full sun and can tolerates drought.
The Blue Hesper Palm doesn’t require a lot of water and prefers moist well drained soil. It will tolerate salty soil. It does well in alkaline soil, so adding lime to the soil will help it to grow faster.
This slow growing palm can get up to 30 – 40 ft tall and 15 – 20 ft wide.
It can tolerate cold down to 25F when mature enough. It is great for zones 9b (25 to 30 F) to 11 (above 40 F). This palm tree does very well in a pot and can grow indoors.
Apply good quality palm fertilizer that has continuous release formula twice a year during growing season.
This is Generally healthy palm without any problems. Sometimes it can get Phytophthora root or bud rots.
Blue Hesper Palm Picture
More information can be found on Floridata site.
