Other Names:  Blue Sonora Fan Palm

Description:

This graceful variety features icy blue-green leaves with a distinctly droopy character; this variant is vigorous and faster growing; persistent leaves should be trimmed away; tolerant of warm, humid conditions; a great addition to the tropical landscape

Ornamental Features

Blue Sonora Hesper Palm is draped in stunning clusters of creamy white flowers with chartreuse overtones hanging below the branches from mid to late winter. It has attractive grayish green foliage with hints of silvery blue. The large fan-shaped palmate leaves are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter. The gold fruits are held in abundance in spectacular clusters from early to mid summer. The fruit can be messy if allowed to drop on the lawn or walkways, and may require occasional clean-up. The rough dark brown bark is extremely showy and adds significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Sonora Hesper Palm is an open evergreen tree with a strong central leader and a towering form, with a high canopy of foliage concentrated at the top of the plant. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Blue Sonora Hesper Palm is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Shade
• Hedges/Screening

Planting & Growing

Blue Sonora Hesper Palm will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 3 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live to a ripe old age of 150 years or more; think of this as a heritage tree for future generations!

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is very fussy about its soil conditions and must have sandy, acidic soils to ensure success, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.