Deer Resistant
Drought Tolerant
Full Sun
Cold Hardy
| Grows Well In Zones: | 4-11 Patio / 9-11 Outdoors |
| Mature Height: | 50-100 ft |
| Mature Width: | 8-10 ft |
| Sunlight: | Full Sun |
| Growth Rate: | Moderate |
| Shape: | Tree |
| Placement: | Outdoors |
Tall, towering beauty
Bring the tall, slender beauty of the Mexican Fan Palm to your home. Native to Southern California and Mexico, it is commonly called Skyduster or Mexican Washingtonia, and will quickly grow tall and make itself a statement palm in your property.
The thick canopy is filled with attractive, glossy green, fan-shaped fronds with divided leaflets near the ends. Each frond grows about 5 feet long with a spread of around 4 feet. If the colorful trunk and green canopy of fronds weren’t eye-catching enough, Mexican Fan Palms have the characteristic of developing a skirt of old fronds. The dead fronds bend down encircling the trunk creating what looks like a skirt. Adding color and interest are the reddish-brown, roughly textured, single trunks that eventually weather to gray. The Mexican Palm produces small, berry like fruits that attract birds and other wildlife.
The Mexican Fan Palm quickly grows into a tall and stately tree so it won’t have you waiting years for it to put on some size. The palm matures to a height of 50 to 100 feet tall with a spread of around 10 to 15 feet. Trees average around 3 feet of new growth yearly.
The Mexican Fan Palm can tolerate some cold, it is comfortable in temperatures down to 25°F. Anything below that may damage its fronds. If small enough, you can wrap its trunk with a heavy blanket and cover its fronds when colder than average temperatures arrive. This cold hardy giant stands tall during mild winters, making it the perfect palm to make the dream of having a tropical backyard a reality.
Their low-maintenance qualities and drought resistance give an added bonus to this fast growing tropical palm. It is useful in a variety of situations, making it an attractive accent tree, specimen, planted in groups, marking an entryway or used in the pool area.
If you’re looking for an easy, tall, tropical beauty that will be the focal point in your home, the Mexican Fan Palm is for you.
Q: How big do Mexican Fan Palms get?
A: European Fan Palms can grow 8-15 ft tall and 6-10 ft wide.
Q: Should you trim a Mexican Fan Palm?
A: Mexican Fan Palms do not need to be trimmed, but pruning the old dead leaves at the bottom of the canopy is optional, and improves the overall look of the palm.
Q: Can you plant the Mexican Fan Palm in a container?
A: They grow beautifully in containers or pots, and only need to be repotted every 3 years.
Q: Can you plant Mexican Fan Palms indoors?
A: Although it can survive indoors when smaller, it grows too tall to be considered an indoor palm.
1. Sunlight: Mexican Fan Palms prefer full sun, but they can tolerate locations with partial sunlight as well.
2. Watering: When newly planted, be sure to water your palm 3 times a week for the first month. After it is established, it is drought tolerant and only needs to be watered once a week unless it rains. Make sure you water thoroughly to make sure the bottom roots receive water at every watering. The amount of water per palm may range from 2 gallons for small containerized material to 15 gallons for larger palms.
Watering varies depending on the time of year and the outside temperature and weather. Here is a guideline for how much to water in any given season:
Winter: (60 degrees or less) no need to water, except for the first 30 days after installation.
Spring: (75 degrees or less) water palm once a week.
Beginning of Summer: (90 degrees or less) 2-3 times a week.
Heat of Summer: (90 degrees and above) 4-5 times a week.
Plants in a container need more constant watering than those planted on the ground.
Overwatering or bad drainage can cause permanent damage to the roots over time. Placing mulch over the roots can help with water retention. Use caution not to allow the mulch to touch the base of the palm, otherwise it can cause rot.
3. Fertilization: Mexican Fan Palms should be fertilized three times a year in the Spring, Summer and Fall. Use a general purpose blend specific to palms, and be sure to follow the instructions on the label.
4. Soil: Mexican Fan Palms tolerate most soils, as long as they drain well. If necessary, add some sand to the soil mix to help it drain better.
5. Pruning: It is not necessary to prune your Mexican Fan Palm. If you do decide to prune your palm in order to improve its overall look, be sure to prune the fronds that are damaged to mostly brown at the base of the stem. Do not cut any green fronds, as this can weaken the palm.
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