Exploring the braheas

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Anyone have nice looking braheas they would be willing to share pictures of? I've recently gotten interested in braheas after my brahea edulis has reached some size and simply looks beautiful. I had taken them for granted up to this point. When they are well fed and well watered they really look quite tropical and they are far lower maintenance than any other genus we can grow here.

The brahea genus is particularly interesting because it's the only palm genus that is truly native to the California botanical district. Contrary to popular belief, washingtonias actually fall outside of this district even if they're native within State lines - they belong to the Southwest Desert. it's not surprising that only braheas are capable of naturalizing throughout the State. Washingtonias are sterile along the coast up here, they don't produce seed.

I am growing brahea edulis, armata, clara, super silver, nitida and decumbens. I am actually growing a bunch of extras as give aways to spread them in the neighborhood. I am also wondering if any of the other braheas make edible fruit.

[Phoenikakias]

I just love Braheas . They are far more ornamental than washis. Besides they seem to thrive in my climate, cold (at least the usual one in my place) does not bother them, they start and keep growing at lower temps, they can withstand ful sun exposure, low air humidity, wind and hot temps in summer (in fact they look better in places with low air humidity). I post pictures of mine later.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Phoenikakias

[sarasota alex]

The brahea genus is particularly interesting because it's the only palm genus that is truly native to the California botanical district. Contrary to popular belief, washingtonias actually fall outside of this district even if they're native within State lines - they belong to the Southwest Desert.

I am not familiar with the California botanical district, but the the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions 2nd Edition (current) recognizes the entire state of California as a distinct botanical country - California (75 CAL). Brahea edulis is native to the island of Guadalupe which is part of a different botanical country - Mexican Pacific Islands (79 MXI). Overall the genus is native to 12 different WGSRPD botanical countries.

[Tampa Scott]

I have a few B armata that I grew from seed collected in cali in 2008. The young palms are really slow growing for me here in FL. I hope they will pick up a little speed in the growth this year. The seedlings do the best growth in the less humid air of winter here.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Tampa Scott

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

The brahea genus is particularly interesting because it's the only palm genus that is truly native to the California botanical district. Contrary to popular belief, washingtonias actually fall outside of this district even if they're native within State lines - they belong to the Southwest Desert.

I am not familiar with the California botanical district, but the the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions 2nd Edition (current) recognizes the entire state of California as a distinct botanical country - California (75 CAL). Brahea edulis is native to the island of Guadalupe which is part of a different botanical country - Mexican Pacific Islands (79 MXI). Overall the genus is native to 12 different WGSRPD botanical countries.

The references I was given list the California botanical district to include coastal California and coastal baja including the Guadeloupe islands. That way of breaking up the zones intends to ignore political borders and focuses instead on zones that support particular plant groups. The plants on Guadeloupe island are quite similar to what is found in the rest of coastal California.

[Phoenikakias]

I just love Braheas . They are far more ornamental than washis. Besides they seem to thrive in my climate, cold (at least the usual one in my place) does not bother them, they start and keep growing at lower temps, they can withstand ful sun exposure, low air humidity, wind and hot temps in summer (in fact they look better in places with low air humidity). I post pictures of mine later.

[Phoenikakias]

[Jim in Los Altos]

This is all I could muster up right now. The trunking Brahea is edulis and the smaller is B. nitida from a picture taken a year ago. I also have two very small super silvers in the ground (still green) and a very blue twenty three year old B. armata (at least it's supposed to be) that is a midgit at only a foot tall.

[AlekLO]

Wow!!!Beautiful pics....thanks guys....

[dalmatiansoap]

Nice plants! Braheas are grandiose must have for every garden IMO.

Here is one of my seedlings I grew from seed and planted few weeks ago

Also have potted Super silver still in green phase and Nitida seedling.

[sarasota alex]

The brahea genus is particularly interesting because it's the only palm genus that is truly native to the California botanical district. Contrary to popular belief, washingtonias actually fall outside of this district even if they're native within State lines - they belong to the Southwest Desert.

I am not familiar with the California botanical district, but the the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions 2nd Edition (current) recognizes the entire state of California as a distinct botanical country - California (75 CAL). Brahea edulis is native to the island of Guadalupe which is part of a different botanical country - Mexican Pacific Islands (79 MXI). Overall the genus is native to 12 different WGSRPD botanical countries.

The references I was given list the California botanical district to include coastal California and coastal baja including the Guadeloupe islands. That way of breaking up the zones intends to ignore political borders and focuses instead on zones that support particular plant groups. The plants on Guadeloupe island are quite similar to what is found in the rest of coastal California.

Got it. It sounds like it makes more sense. Depending on how far south the district goes it may also include Brahea brandegeei and Washingtonia robusta which are native to the coastal parts of Baja California Sur.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

This is all I could muster up right now. The trunking Brahea is edulis and the smaller is B. nitida from a picture taken a year ago. I also have two very small super silvers in the ground (still green) and a very blue twenty three year old B. armata (at least it's supposed to be) that is a midgit at only a foot tall.

Wow, Jim, not just on the braheas, but on your entire garden. Looks amazing!

Phoenikakias, which ones are in your pictures? One of them almost looks like a sabal.

I am growing some extra braheas to replace the prichardia in my garden for when they croak. I think the braheas are really just as good as the prichardias from an appearance perspective but are way more adapted to our climate.

[Stevetoad]

Yes! Pictures make everything better! Awesome braheas!

[Phoenikakias]

Axel, they are all Brahea.

[ghar41]

We've had a beautiful rain the past two nights so it's a perfect time to take pictures. Here are some Braheas from my yard. B aculeata, B nitida and B mooreii (2.)

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

We've had a beautiful rain the past two nights so it's a perfect time to take pictures. Here are some Braheas from my yard. B aculeata, B nitida and B mooreii (2.)B aculeata.jpgB nitida.jpgB mooreii.jpgB mooreii 2.jpg

Nice braheas! Wasn't the rain awesome? It rained at night and it was sunny and warm during the day. We had rain four nights in a row, the two first nights were heavy drizzle, then one inch of rain on Saturday night and some more rain last night. this is the way I love the rain. Everything is lush, wet and green in the Morning and the sun comes out during the day. The skies with all the random clouds looked more like windward Hawaii than California.

It's a nice treat after such a tough cold Winter devoid of any warm rains.

[richtrav]

I probably have hundreds of Brahea pictures, here are some of plants in the wild:

Brahea moorei, west of Cd Victoria

Oasis of Brahea nitida, northern Sonora

Brahea berlandieri, above Cd Victoria

Blue form of Brahea aff berlandieri, east of Jalpan

Brahea elegans, Nacapule Canyon southern Sonora

Brahea decumbens, near Zaragoza

A rare decumbens that has remained green through adulthood

A presumed decumbens-berlandieri type intergrade, near Aramberri

The Brahea formerly known as bella, now just a northern berlandieri, near La Babia between Big Bend and Eagle Pass in Coahuila

[ghar41]

Wow, Rich awesome. Please post more!

[Alberto]

Wow! thanks for this pics. I love Braheas!

[Stevetoad]

Awesome photos! Can't get enough habitat pics!

[Shirleypalmpaws]

Richtrav, Ooh, this one is making me fall in love:

"Blue form of Brahea aff berlandieri, east of Jalpan"

So sweet with the little white flowers sparkling around it. Love!!

[sarasota alex]

Thanks for the nice habitat photos!

[sarasota alex]

Washingtonias are sterile along the coast up here, they don't produce seed.

I just got back from the SF Bay area and although I haven't seen any Washingtonias with fruit, I saw plenty of volunteer W. robusta around.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

Washingtonias are sterile along the coast up here, they don't produce seed.

I just got back from the SF Bay area and although I haven't seen any Washingtonias with fruit, I saw plenty of volunteer W. robusta around.

Depends where in the Bay area, in the cold Summer areas like the Sunset district of San Francisco and Half Moon Bay they don't flower and they don't bear fruit. I've seen blooms on the ones in Santa Cruz but I've never seen any seedlings there. In the south Bay (San Jose, Mountain View) there are seedlings everywhere.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

The brahea genus is particularly interesting because it's the only palm genus that is truly native to the California botanical district. Contrary to popular belief, washingtonias actually fall outside of this district even if they're native within State lines - they belong to the Southwest Desert.

I am not familiar with the California botanical district, but the the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions 2nd Edition (current) recognizes the entire state of California as a distinct botanical country - California (75 CAL). Brahea edulis is native to the island of Guadalupe which is part of a different botanical country - Mexican Pacific Islands (79 MXI). Overall the genus is native to 12 different WGSRPD botanical countries.

i finally managed to find the reference: Brahea edulis is endemic to Guadalupe Island, Mexico, a small oceanic island (254 km2) in the Pacific, 241 km off the coast of Baja California. It is part of the California Floristic Province Hotspot (sensu Conservation International). See http://www.virtualherbarium.org/psg/flagship/Brahea-edulis.html.

For a map of the California Floristic Province, take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Floristic_Province.

[sarasota alex]

Washingtonias are sterile along the coast up here, they don't produce seed.

I just got back from the SF Bay area and although I haven't seen any Washingtonias with fruit, I saw plenty of volunteer W. robusta around.

Depends where in the Bay area, in the cold Summer areas like the Sunset district of San Francisco and Half Moon Bay they don't flower and they don't bear fruit. I've seen blooms on the ones in Santa Cruz but I've never seen any seedlings there. In the south Bay (San Jose, Mountain View) there are seedlings everywhere.

Yes, I am not sure if I've seen any north of Redwood City.

[Phoenikakias]

In my garden (hot summer days and warm summer nights) I have occasionally some naturally sprouted Brahea seedlings from two spss.

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

These fielfd photos are spectacular. I am really curious how these are identified? This below was ID'd as berlianderli. Based on research in various books and papers, it currently goes under the identifier dulcis "blue". The rocky slope, the really thin leaflets that are straight and upright, and the fact that they're almost 360 degrees around are consistent with dulcis. Brahea berlandieri was originally described by Beccari in 1907 as a blue variety of B. dulcis. It didn't become it's own species until 1945 and then it was wrapped back into dulcis. The one below could almost be confused with armata, but armata doesn't like to grow on rocky slopes, it grows on canyons and alluvial alleys where there is ground water. Perhaps that's why berlianderli is called the "Silver Rock Palm".

The brahea below is supposed to be berlianderli as well, but berlianderli is supposed to be silver. Wouldn't this then be a regular brahea dulcis? The leaves are also almost 360 degrees, but the leaflets are a lot more droopy. could be brahea dulcis var tilaco?

This one below is ID'd as brahea bella, but that is now going under the name brahea dulcis var. Bella.

How can this be elegans? See the Dick Douglas garden brahea elegans below. it's green. Now this one almost looks like a clara or a nuri to me. Is it elegans because its trunk is so much narrower?

Dick Douglas Garden Elegans:

I do have several brahea elegans seedlings, and some are indeed developing more glaucous attributes, perhaps this palm comes in both colors. But all the literature and nursery descriptions has it described as green.

[Sutter Bob]

I missed this thread before.

Brahea armata and clara both produce seed here and clara seed seems to germinate readily when sown straight to the earth.

Like most of my palms, I only have young specimens but hope to keep adding to the mix.

Currently have armata, clara, elegans and decumbens.

I've posted photos of an old clara on Bridge Street here in an old post - my seedlings are all offspring from that pretty blue mother plant.

I wish the city would trim off the old boots but it's still an impressive tree. We have a few old armata scattered around town which are impressive in bloom.

[MattyB]

A green B. decumbens? Oh great!

[Phoenikakias]

In my garden (hot summer days and warm summer nights) I have occasionally some naturally sprouted Brahea seedlings from two spss.

Naturally sprouted aculeata grows faster than naturally sprouted brandegeii.

Edited February 26, 2014 by Phoenikakias

[Toby]

I probably have hundreds of Brahea pictures, here are some of plants in the wild:

Oasis of Brahea nitida, northern Sonora

Hi Rich,

I have always been wondering about this Brahea, so far north of the range of B. calcarea/nitida I am familiar with. Do you have more pictures, especially of inflorescences/infructescenses?

Best, TOBY

[Explorer]

Beutifull those blu Brahea. Its a shame we can not grow them here year round outside. To damne cold winters now and then...

Alexander

[Al in Kona]

I've always liked Braheas enough so that even here in Hawaii - South Kona upslope, I'm growing some of my favorites, namely: B.armata, B. berlandieri, B. clara, B. decumbens, B.moorei, B. 'Super Silver'. Sure wish I could find a blue form of Brahea aff berlandieri that comes from east of Jalpan!

[Mauna Kea Cloudforest]

I've always liked Braheas enough so that even here in Hawaii - South Kona upslope, I'm growing some of my favorites, namely: B.armata, B. berlandieri, B. clara, B. decumbens, B.moorei, B. 'Super Silver'. Sure wish I could find a blue form of Brahea aff berlandieri that comes from east of Jalpan!

Me too, I am drooling over all those silver brahea in habitat. You are fortunate to be able to grow brahea in Kona, I would grow them there if I lived there too.

[John Case]

Alex,

The California Botanical 'District' is something that has been put together by the California Native Plant Society. It has, depending upon who you talk to and the handbook you reference, between 9 and 22 different botanic 'zones'. It extends itself South into Mexico, and East into AZ as well, ignoring any political lines and includes lots of desert areas that extend in any way into CA proper.

As to its relevance to the Brahea species, since almost any Brahea will grow in CA to maturity and at least 1 and possibly 2 Braheas fall into the botanic zone definition of the CA Native Plant Society, they are 'CA natives' even though none of them are native to CA proper.

Now that I have muddied up the waters, we can focus on proper Identification of these palms.

[John Case]

I currently have armata, dulcis, edulis, and 'elegans' from Randy......also a seedling armata that is 5 years old and 8 inches tall (but aceelerating)

[Meangreen94z]

On 4/2/2013 at 1:46 AM, richtrav said:

I probably have hundreds of Brahea pictures, here are some of plants in the wild:

 

Brahea moorei, west of Cd Victoria

 

http://i48.tinypic.com/296caac.jpg

 

http://i48.tinypic.com/2qakbbp.jpg

 

 

Oasis of Brahea nitida, northern Sonora

 

http://i49.tinypic.com/2upxqgo.jpg

 

 

Brahea berlandieri, above Cd Victoria

 

http://i49.tinypic.com/2vla7uo.jpg

 

 

Blue form of Brahea aff berlandieri, east of Jalpan

 

http://i45.tinypic.com/2gxqwhw.jpg

 

 

Brahea elegans, Nacapule Canyon southern Sonora

 

http://i48.tinypic.com/16jj3m1.jpg

 

 

Brahea decumbens, near Zaragoza

 

http://i49.tinypic.com/2581jed.jpg

 

A rare decumbens that has remained green through adulthood

 

http://i50.tinypic.com/2znxylh.jpg

 

 

A presumed decumbens-berlandieri type intergrade, near Aramberri

 

http://i48.tinypic.com/o8gef7.jpg

 

 

The Brahea formerly known as bella, now just a northern berlandieri, near La Babia between Big Bend and Eagle Pass in Coahuila

 

http://i45.tinypic.com/2s7tbic.jpg

The pictures no longer load, is there any chance you still have them to share? I’m a big fan. Thanks.

[Jim in Los Altos]

On 3/30/2013 at 10:26 AM, Jim in Los Altos said:

This is all I could muster up right now. The trunking Brahea is edulis and the smaller is B. nitida from a picture taken a year ago. I also have two very small super silvers in the ground (still green) and a very blue twenty three year old B. armata (at least it's supposed to be) that is a midgit at only a foot tall.

Same two palms ten years later. 
 

[Meangreen94z]

1 hour ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Same two palms ten years later. 
 

Great pictures, thank you.