Life Amid The Palms December Bonus Edition

Washingtonia filifera VS robusta

Washingtonia filifera and Washingtonia robusta are both types of palms that are often used in landscaping. They're famed for Southern California skylines. Where we live in Tucson Arizona, they're both dominant also.

They're in the Washingtonia Genus. Therefore, they have some similarities.

For instance, they're both fan palms. Yet, there are distinctive differences between the two.

One easy difference is their common names.

• Washingtonia filifera is called the California Fan Palm.

1. In the UK, they call it the Cotton Palm. Because amidst its fronds, there are cottony threads.

• Washingtonia robusta, commonly named Mexican Fan Palm.

Another quite easy to recognize difference is the height they attain & their trunk styles.

• Washingtonia filifera gets very tall, with a slim trunk all the way up.
• Washingtonia robusta is somewhat shorter, and the trunk is quite stout.

1. If left alone, it keeps its "skirt" of expired fronds. Sometimes nearly down to the ground.

BREAKING NEWS! There's also a hybrid of the two species above. They're calling it Washingtonia filibusta. Not sure how "breaking" out this info is, as it was first described in 2014! In the palm tree species world, that's relatively new though. (More on this species hybrid below!)

MORE NEWS!

Our Bonus Holiday Issue has your free gift, below. As we've mentioned, from time to time we'll do that. Free for Subscribers Only!

Free Holiday Gift for Subscribers

Are you planning to purchase a Washingtonia filifera? But wonder if you'd prefer a Washingtonia robusta. Now maybe you'd want to consider the filibusta as an option?

Are you trying to identify a palm, when you think it's a Washingtonia, but not sure which species?

Were you just looking for the botanical information? Maybe to know some of the palms you're seeing on a Fabulous Tropical Trip?

Or for whatever general palmy reason of interest?

Your itemized chart lines out Washingtonia filifera vs robusta details you'd need. And we added filibusta, too! With it comes an Identification Checklist to help figure out which Washingtonia species works for you. Click this link to access your Filifera-robusta ID/Eval Cheat Sheet:

CLICK HERE TO GET/DOWNLOAD YOURS!

Til Next Time,

Karen & Bill of Mission: Palm Trees

P.S. Don't miss Our Latest Articles - And if you want to see what we have for you, available by subject be sure to check out our Mission: Palm Trees Site Index

P.P.S. Have you missed any of our Life Amid the Palms memos? Easily Check our past year's issues, by subject & date, of Life Amid the Palms Here>

CONTACT US>