Other Names:  Cuban Wax Palm

Description:

A showy palm for the landscape, featuring a stout trunk topped with a dense crown of stiff, deeply segmented, fan shaped, silver blue leaves; dainty brown flowers that extend past the leaves are followed by clusters of black fruits

Ornamental Features

Blue Yarey Palm has attractive steel blue foliage with hints of silver on a tree with the bulk of the canopy held atop a towering trunk or stem. The large palmate leaves are highly ornamental and remain steel blue throughout the winter. It features dainty clusters of brown flowers held atop the branches in mid spring. The fruits are showy dark green drupes which fade to black over time, which are displayed in mid summer. The smooth gray bark is extremely showy and adds significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Yarey 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 relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Spiny

Blue Yarey Palm is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• Mass Planting

Planting & Growing

Blue Yarey Palm will grow to be about 25 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a high canopy with a typical clearance of 7 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. As it matures, the lower branches of this tree can be strategically removed to create a high enough canopy to support unobstructed human traffic underneath. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.

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 not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by cuttings.