Encyclopedia
of Stanford Trees, Shrubs, and Vines
Washingtonia robusta. MEXICAN FAN PALM. Mexico
PALMAE (Palm family)
An avenue of 10 was planted at the west gateway to the
Inner Quad around 1968 when Lomita Mall was laid out. They were about 20 feet
tall when planted, so the resulting overnight effect was impressive. Several senior
members are to be found behind Bulding 460 and in the islands in the Inner Quad,
where they were second only to the late Casuarina glauca
in height. There are hooked spines on the leaf stalks. The flower clusters are
rather interesting, if you can ?nd one low enough to see it properly. They are
later followed by large bunches of shiny black 3/8-inch dates. A wave of popularity
for new plantings of tall specimens of this fan palm set in just before 2000.
There is a spectacular group of 36 – six rows of six each – at Schwab
Residential Center in the interior courtyard adjacent to the east building. In
2002, the Science and Engineering Quad was furnished with 22 trees approaching
40 feet in height. To tell which fan palm is which, just remember that W.
robusta from Mexico is less robust than the California
fan palm.
Other campus palms: Brahea
armata | Brahea edulis |
Butia capitata | Chamaerops humilis | Jubaea chilensis | Livistona chinensis | Phoenix canariensis | Syagrus romanzoffianum | Trachycarpus fortunei |
Washingtonia filifera | Washingtonia robusta
Illustrations (links open new windows): gallery
Additions/Revisions:
Name derivation, genus | species
Related
material: Canopy Trees for Palo Alto Tree
Library
Botanical
name index | Common name index | Family
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