Washingtonia robusta

Mexican fan palm

Family: Arecaceae · Type: shrub · Not Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Mexican fan palm is a naturalized shrub found in southern coastal California in desert washes, disturbed areas, and riparian corridors at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from April to June, this palm produces white flowers in large drooping clusters up to 3 meters long. Growing with a distinctive trunk reaching up to 30 meters tall and 80 centimeters in diameter, it has red-brown petioles sharply toothed along their entire length. Its large fan-shaped leaves extend to 1 meter wide, with inconspicuous thread-like fibers along the leaf segment margins. This palm is a prominent landscape feature in disturbed areas, easily recognizable by its tall, slender trunk and expansive fan-like foliage.

Habitat: Desert washes, disturbed areas, riparian corridors

Bloom period: Apr-Jun

Elevation: < 500 m

Bioregions: SCo

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.