Brahea's

Use this forum to discuss matters relating to Areca, Bismarckia, Brahea, Jubaea, Parajubaea, Phoenix and other Palm species. This is where one posts unknown plant photos for ID help.

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Stan
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Brahea's

#1

Post by Stan »

I would say Brahea edule..but Geoff might say brandigee. Todays spottings.
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Hayward Ca. 75-80f summers,60f winters.
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Agavemonger
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Re: Brahea's

#2

Post by Agavemonger »

Looks to me like the top photo is Brahea armata. (Note the blue leaves and the very long infrutescences extending beyond the outside of the leaves).

Second photo is Brahea edule. (Note the green leaves and the infrutescences within the leaf crown).

These are all very nice, quite old palms. :U

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Stan
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Re: Brahea's

#3

Post by Stan »

Thanks Monger. The B. edule is larger them most around here..so wasnt sure.
Hayward Ca. 75-80f summers,60f winters.
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Agavemonger
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Re: Brahea's

#4

Post by Agavemonger »

Yeah, those are some grand old palms; they probably predate those apartments by a good while...

Groomed up a bit, I would say the larger B. edule might be the tallest I've ever seen.

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Luc
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Re: Brahea's

#5

Post by Luc »

Agree with that, armata and edulis
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Re: Brahea's

#6

Post by Agavemonger »

Yes, edulis is correct.

Note also on Brahea armata the slight markings retained on the otherwise smooth trunk from the leaf bases; Brahea edulis has a rough, almost cobby trunk generally without leaf base markings.

Brahea brandeegii has a much thinner trunk with shorter & less wide petioles that are striped, and tends to retain leaf bases on the trunk. They also often have leaf base markings on the bare trunks.

Although Brahea edulis can put out an inordinate number of leaves per year when kept wet and well fed (I used to maintain a large, maturing one that I would prune off as many as forty or more leaves per year) they have very tightly stacked, particularly thin leaf bases, so each leaf only adds a very slight amount of growth to the trunk. The trunks don't seem to elongate at all save for when they drop leaves, so I would say they only grow an inch or perhaps a maximum of a few inches per year. So for all intents and purposes, they are slow-growing in height. Trees with tall enough trunks that you can easily walk under the leaf crowns would necessarily be quite old, probably well in excess of fifty years or more.

Both Brahea armata and Brahea edulis are quite stately trees when well nourished and well maintained, especially as maturing trees. There are many trees of both species throughout coastal California that were originally planted around the early 1900's in front of Victorian and Craftsman homes in older neighborhoods. To see a large Brahea armata in full bloom on a well-lit full-moon summer evening can be quite a memorable sight indeed.

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