MEXICAN FAN PALM (WASHINGTONIA ROBUSTA)

Also known as Sky Duster, Cotton Palm and Petticoat Palm, Washingtonia robusta epitomises Californian boulevards. The Mexican Fan Palm has a tall, slender reddish trunk that swells towards the base topped by a crown of large, bright green, fan-shaped leaves, with cotton-like threads hanging from each leaf. With its strong architectural features and tropical good looks, this palm is a must for all interior landscapers.

Washingtonia robusta is known as Mexican Fan Palm Is commonly seen at 40 to 50 feet but capable of soaring to 80 feet in height, Washington Palm is quickly recognized as the much-used, straight, singletrunked street palm of years past. The lower leaves persist on the tree after they die, forming a dense, brown, shaggy covering below the living, bright green, broad, fan-shaped leaves, giving it the common name of petticoat palm.