UF/IFAS
Okeechobee County Extension Service
458 Highway 98 North
Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578
Phone: (863) 763-6469
E- mail: dfculbert@ifas.ufl.edu
| Quick Links: Landscape attributes storm damage photos invasiveness References |
November 2, 2005
Feature Article - for release the week of November 6, 2005
Dan Culbert - Extension Horticulture Agent
Wilma whacks Washingtonias
Gardeners are amazed at the power of the storms that keep affecting our Florida Yards. In my travels over the past week, I’ve noticed that broadleaf trees and pines continue to show catastrophic effects from extreme winds, while palm trees are surprisingly resilient when it comes to devastating hurricane winds.
However, I do have a palm candidate to add to the “do not plant” list for our area. And it was brought to my attention by two other professionals, our own Livestock Agent Pat Hogue and former Martin County Agent Carol Bailey. Pat mentioned the he saw quite a number of palms that were broken off by the winds south of Lake Okeechobee. And, Carol asked me if I was seeing as many broken windblown palms in our area as she was seeing in Stuart.
After taking a critical look around the area, I’d offer an estimate that at least ten percent of the taller Mexican Washington Palms found in our area snapped off in the storms.
Now before I completely anger those nurseries that are growing these palms and frustrate homeowners that still have them planted in their yard, let me introduce this palm, its attributes and its culture.
While two different Washington Palms are natives of Mexico and southern California, only one is grown here in Florida. The Mexican Washington Palm (Washingtonia robusta) is sometimes called the Hat Palm or Mexican Fan Palm. Since their fan shaped leaves grow on leaf stalks that are armed with fairly large spikes, this palm is called an “armored” palm.
A young Washingtonia
robusta specimen, showing the fan shaped
fronds and a "hula skirt" of brown
fronds. Photo: UF/IFAS
Fort Lauderdale REC |
The petiole, or leaf
stalk of Washingtonia Palms, are covered with
large thorns. Photo: Carol
Cloud Bailey |
A street planting of Washingtonias. The trunks are
clear of both fronds and dark brown
"boots". Photo: Ed
Gilman |
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24 other photos of Washingtonia robusta can be found at the Plants of Hawaii website. |
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Washingtonias are among the most popular plants used in new landscapes. The reason why they are often used in Florida Yards is because they are inexpensive, easy to grow, will increase in height rapidly, and are easy to transplant. They have good salt resistance and drought tolerance; in fact, growing them on the dry side after getting them established is a good thing. Washington palms are hardy down to about 20ºF, but the foliage will be damaged at that temperature.
For best looks, this palm should be grown in groups. Commercial and industrial sites can provide the right proportions for this dryland tropical specimen. However, even though local nurseries often have Washingtonias available for homeowners, this is NOT a good palm for residential landscapes and small yards.
The idea of having a towering giant of a plant with a brown, dead skirt in the landscape is a bit daunting. The old leaves do hang on and are a fire hazard. In California towns, local laws may require that the dead brown fronds be removed to reduce nesting places for unwanted wildlife and as a fire protection method. For property owners, it will be hard to remove old leaves on trees over 30 feet tall.
One source calls this palm the "Skyduster Palm" for good reason: it is the tallest palm that can be found growing in our area – this Washingtonia can stretch upwards to 70 or 100 feet in height. Their height also makes Washingtonias natural lighting rods: lighting will often blast these palms long before they reach mature size. So, the tall mature height is another reason to avoid this palm.
A unfortunately familiar sight in our area are
many broken Washingtonia palms which snapped under
the stress of recent hurricanes.
Photo
by Dan Culbert. |
This complete Vero Beach planting of seven Washington palms was broken by recent hurricanes. Photo by Dan Culbert. |
Close-up of the wind-broken and split trunk of Washingtonia palm. Photo by Dan Culbert. |
|
These shorter Washingtonias in Stuart were not immune to Wilma's wind breakage. Photo by Carol Cloud Bailey |
It is estimated that as many as 10% of landscape Washingtonia palms like these found in the Okeechobee area either broke or bent over as a result of recent storms. Photo by Dan Culbert. |
Not only are cleanup and replacement costs involved, but damage from falling objects can result from broken palms: this Okeechobee security gate had to be replaced after Wilma. Photo by Dan Culbert. |
The best reason not to plant this palm is because it has a brittle trunk that is now apparent by the number of broken stems from recent high winds. Take a drive around the area and count the number of Washingtonias broken by Wilma. In many cases, these broken palms were planted in areas where winds could push on them from several different directions; in other cases, winds pushed them over and banged them against buildings or other landscape features. I’ve taken quite a few photos that show what has happened to this palm after recent hurricanes.
|
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This
Washingtonia
has reseeded into a natural area in the Florida
Keys. Photo
courtesy of Tina Henize, Monroe County Extension.And if the costs of removal and roof repair don’t scare you away from this palm, consider this: there have been a few reports of the Washingtonia reseeding itself in natural areas, making this an exotic invasive plant. While it will never outrun the notorious Brazilian Pepper tree or Tropical Soda Apple for weediness, this is another reason why Wilma may be doing us a favor by breaking the back of these southern California skyscrapers.
So as you plan how to make use of the new open spaces in your Florida Yard, remember to include palms to give you that much needed taste of the tropics. Consider going native, as Mother Nature has produced many beautiful plants that have adapted themselves to the dynamic climatic conditions of the Sunshine state.
I’ve placed more information on our Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu. If you need additional information on Washingtonia and other palms, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469. Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners on Tuesday afternoons from 1 to 5 PM.
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Trade
names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific
information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products
named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida
Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to
provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals
and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age,
handicap, or national origin. Florida
Cooperative
Extension Service / IFAS /
University
of
Florida.
Larry
A. Arrington, Dean Last update: 11/03/2005
. This page is maintained
by Dan Culbert
Bailey, Carol Cloud. "Plant profile - Plants Behaving Badly: Washingtonia robusta." Stuart News, Ft.Pierce Tribune, Vero Beach Press Journal, Sunday November 6, 2005.
De
Ruff, Robert. Mexican
Fan Palm (Plant Data
Gilman, Edward F. and Watson, Dennis G. Washingtonia robusta Washington Palm (Fact Sheet ST-670). Gainesville: UF/IFAS Extension Service, October 1994 http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/WASROBA.pdf
Henize, Tina. The Pain of Pest Plants: Invasive Exotic Eradication for the Master Gardener (PowerPoint presentation). Key West: UF/IFAS Monroe County Extension Service, undated. http://monroe.ifas.ufl.edu/mgtraining/Invasive%20Exotic%20Eradication.pdfSims,
Robert
Vincent. "Garden Rebel: Washingtonia Palms Compliment
Any Landscape." Orlando: WESH House and Home
website,