Guadalupe Palm, Palmera de Guadalupe

Scientific Name: Brahea edulis H. Wendl. ex Watson
Synonym: Erythea edulis
Family: Arecaceae

Recommended Temperature Zone:
Sunset®: 11-24
USDA: 8b-10

Frost Tolerance: 18°F (-8°C)

Sun Exposure: Full sun

Origin: Guadalupe Island, Mexico, in the Pacific Ocean, off of central Baja California, where it is endangered by the large population of goats.

Growth Habits: Solitary palmtree, 15 to 45 feet tall (4.5-13 m), 10 to 20 feet spread; gray, fissured trunk, 18 inches in diameter (45 cm), many irregular rings, self cleaning, without dead leaves or leaf petioles; shiny green, costapalmate leaves, 3 to 6 feet long (90-180 cm), 3 feet wide (90 cm), divided in 70 to 85 segments; petioles, 40 inches long (1 m), with few or no teeth

Watering Needs: Regular water in summer, little in winter, dislikes high humidity, needs good drainage

Propagation: Seed, easy to germinate, usually 1 to 3 months to sprout. Several years old seeds will grow.

The specific epithet, 'edulis', comes from the Latin for 'edible' referring to the fruit. The Guadalupe Palm is faster growing than its popular cousin the Mexican Blue Palm (Brahea armata)

Blooming Habits:
Creamy yellow flowers. The flower stalks, up to 4 feet long (1.2 m) appear in summer, between the leaves, shorter than the leaves.

Fruiting Habits:
Round edible golden fruits, 1 to 1.4 inch in diameter (2.5-3.5 cm). They have a taste similar to dates.