Washingtonia robusta. How pure is it ?

[MarcusH]

I'm trying to find out how pure my Robusta is. I see some other mexican fan palms in our neighborhood that have less fibers on the leafs. Would like to hear an experts opinion.  Thank you 

[jwitt]

"texican"

[PalmatierMeg]

Not a Washy expert here but yours looks all/mostly robusta to me. The rusty-red color of the trunk & boots point to that. Also, the large spines and bountiful fibers. I’ve been told filiferas have fewer fibers, much smaller spines and very little red.

[MarcusH]

4 hours ago, jwitt said:

"texican"

that means exactly? 

[MarcusH]

4 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Not a Washy expert here but yours looks all/mostly robusta to me. The rusty-red color of the trunk & boots point to that. Also, the large spines and bountiful fibers. I’ve been told filiferas have fewer fibers, much smaller spines and very little red.

I have two Filibusta filifera dominant.  Filifera have a lot of fibers 

[Dwarf Fan]

6 hours ago, PalmatierMeg said:

Not a Washy expert here but yours looks all/mostly robusta to me. The rusty-red color of the trunk & boots point to that. Also, the large spines and bountiful fibers. I’ve been told filiferas have fewer fibers, much smaller spines and very little red.

^^^ I have spent a fair amount of coastal vacation time in Baja Sur and Norte in Mexico and can confirm this is absolutely indicative of a W. Robusta. Robusta will also be wider at the base of trunk and tapper thinner upward towards the crown.
 

Also, Filifera will have a larger crown and ultimately a thicker and more cylindrical trunk.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Dwarf Fan

[Dwarf Fan]

7 hours ago, jwitt said:

"texican"

 

2 hours ago, MarcusH said:

that means exactly? 

I would think he means Filibusta. The vast majority of Washys I have seen across Texas are predominantly Filibusta Hybrids and mutts with various proclivities to express more Filifera or Robusta traits or some combination of both. Then the next most common is pure Robustas and then a few Filifera scattered here and there.

Marcus your Robusta looks to definitely be predominantly, if not pure Robusta. She looks textbook Robusta for her size and I have seen literally 1000’s of pure Robustas driving through Baja.

 

***I am by NO definition an expert, I am just a guy who spends a lot of time staring at Palm trees everywhere I go.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Dwarf Fan

[MarcusH]

Crossing my fingers that this one is a pure Robusta . I like the looks of a Robusta but wouldn't mind if there's some kind of a mix in it .  She grows faster than my Filibustas in the back yard that's for sure.  My Filibusta have the thorns of a Robusta but that's pretty much about it for the most part .  

[MarcusH]

1 minute ago, MarcusH said:

Crossing my fingers that this one is a pure Robusta . I like the looks of a Robusta but wouldn't mind if there's some kind of a mix in it .  She grows faster than my Filibustas in the back yard that's for sure.  My Filibusta have the thorns of a Robusta but that's pretty much about it for the most part .  

 

[Dwarf Fan]

9 minutes ago, MarcusH said:

Crossing my fingers that this one is a pure Robusta . I like the looks of a Robusta but wouldn't mind if there's some kind of a mix in it .  She grows faster than my Filibustas in the back yard that's for sure.  My Filibusta have the thorns of a Robusta but that's pretty much about it for the most part .  

Robustas, as the name implies, are very robust they literally grow like weeds, keep her consistently moist especially in the heat but not swampy and she will grow like a rocket ship.

Once established they’re extremely drought tolerant and low water usage but they won’t grow as fast if you water restrict them.

Edited July 30, 2023 by Dwarf Fan

[MarcusH]

10 hours ago, Dwarf Fan said:

Robustas, as the name implies, are very robust they literally grow like weeds, keep her consistently moist especially in the heat but not swampy and she will grow like a rocket ship.

Once established they’re extremely drought tolerant and low water usage but they won’t grow as fast if you water restrict them.

I don't let my soil dry out all my palms get their required amount of water,  not that I have to but they benefit from regular watering.  3 x a year they get fertilized with a slow release fertilizer.  Robustas are good here if we don't get another Feb 2021 palmaggedon winter storm in the next 50 years. It killed quite a few ones over here in San Antonio Texas. Some pure ones survived surprisingly. Filibusta, Filifera are the only Washingtonias that are bulletproof in our location.  I planted my Robusta in March last year and it went through a severe freeze in late December with temps of 16,21,24,28F.  I only used light protection but it made it and recovered like a champ . Hopefully we get some mild winters in the next few years . The 20s winter  has been very rough in Texas so far.