Practical
Plants

Washingtonia filifera

Desert Fan Palm

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Palmae
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
12 m
Spread
12 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

Fruit - raw or cooked or dried for later use[7][13][1][4][12]. It can be made into jellies and drinks or dried and ground into a meal[13][5]. The seed can be ground up with the dried fruit and then both are eaten as a porridge[11]. The fruit is small and hard[9], but has a thin sweet pulp that tastes somewhat like dates[5][9]. The ovoid fruit is about 6mm long and 4mm wide[8]. Young central bud - roasted[13][4][5]. Harvesting this central bud will kill the tree since it is unable to make side branches[K]. Young leaf bases - raw or cooked[1][4]. Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a powder and used for making bread or porridge[1][5].

Plant part
Fruit
Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Seed

Material uses

A fibre from the leaves is used in basket making and for cordage[13][3]. The whole leaves are woven and used as the side walls and roofs of huts and temporary dwellings[13][12]. The seeds have been used as the rattle in gourd rattles[12]. Wood - light and soft[15]. It has been used for making cooking implements, spoons etc[12].

Product or use
Fibre
Product or use
Musical
Product or use
Weaving

Environment

Range
South-western N. America - S. California, S.W. Arizona, N.W. Mexico.
Habitat
Often forming extensive groves or small isolated clumps in moist alkaline spots in rocky canyons about seeps, springs and streams below 1500 metres[14][15][2].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 9+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline, very alkaline
Tolerances
drought
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
tolerant
Salinity
tolerant

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse. Pre-soaking for 24 hours in warm water may speed up germination, especially of stored seed[8]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first two winters. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Give the plants some protection from the cold for at least their first two winters outdoors.

Cultivation

Requires a sheltered sunny position in a fertile moist but well-drained soil[6][10]. Tolerates some salt in the soil[8] and maritime exposure in climates that are warmer than Britain[8]. Plants can tolerate extensive droughts so long as their roots have tapped into underground water supplies[10]. Plants can tolerate light frosts and should succeed outdoors in the mildest parts of Britain[2]. They have been known to tolerate short-lived lows down to about -10°c[10]. This species has an extensive and fleshy but strong root system that can penetrate to a considerable depth in search of water[10]. It generally establishes best when planted out at a young stage. However, older plants are substantially more cold tolerant than juvenile plants[10]. In areas at the limit of their cold tolerance, therefore, it is prudent to grow the plants in containers for some years, giving them winter protection, and only planting them into their permanent positions when sheer size dictates[10]. Palms can also be transplanted even when very large. Although the thick fleshy roots are easily damaged and/or desiccated, new roots are generally freely produced. It is important to stake the plant very firmly to prevent rock, and also to give it plenty of water until re-established - removing many of the leaves can also help[10]. Plants growing in the wild are seen as an indication of underground water[8]. Plants produce a 'skirt' of old dead leaves, this can be a fire hazard and the old leaves are usually removed when being grown in areas liable to forest fires[8]. A fast growing tree, even when young, in its native environment and very tolerant of transplanting despite its deep root system[8].

References

  1. Yanovsky. E. Food Plants of the N. American Indians. Publication no. 237. U.S. Depf of Agriculture.

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Taylor. J. The Milder Garden. Dent 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  3. Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.

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  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩1↩2↩3

  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

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  7. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

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  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  9. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2

  10. McMillan-Browse. P. Palms for Cooler Climates. Trebah Enterprises. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0 9521952 0 8

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  11. Radio 4 AM - 1997-00-00

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  12. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  13. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  14. Munz. A California Flora. University of California Press 1959-00-00

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  15. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩1↩2

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