Cincodemayo - 12-9-2005 at 12:19 PM
Any one seen these palms before going down into La Paz?
They are Brahea brandeegeei and are supposedly in large stands in the hills before the long downward fall into La Paz...it was way too long ago for me
to remember what the hills looked like 25 years ago let alone what happened that long ago...
Tucker - 12-9-2005 at 12:37 PM
Even as we speak, I'm having my roof re-thatched with palms that come from that area. My palapa guy says the inland palms are much hardier than the
coastal palms. They all look like California fan palms to me.
Cincodemayo - 12-9-2005 at 12:46 PM
Tucker...
The Calif. fans are Washingtonia robusta which have nasty spines on the palm pettioles...the Braheas are more like small serrated saw blades along the
sides of the fronds which are less likely to puncture the skin. Cal fans are brutal! The Mexican blues or Brahea armata are similar to brandeegeei or
the Guadalupe palms which are Brahea edule....all native to Baja and Guadalupe Island.
robusta spikes
Cincodemayo - 12-9-2005 at 01:14 PM
Here are the nasty spines on Cal fans...they don't cut, they tear!
Tucker - 12-9-2005 at 01:17 PM
I'm glad you posted that. I just took a comparison photo, but it didn't show what I wanted. The palms going onto my roof started with much smoother
stems.
Cincodemayo - 12-9-2005 at 01:22 PM
The smoother stems are most likely the Brahea brandeegeei in the beginning picture. Is your palapa guy going to spray fireproofing on them? Somethin
to think about!
Tucker - 12-9-2005 at 03:43 PM
No fireproofing, the bottom of the palapa is at least 25 feet off the ground with no combustibles nearby, one of the attributes of concrete block
construction.
Palms
tehag - 12-9-2005 at 05:32 PM
When they trim the fronds for roofing, thet cut the stem to legnth, lop off part of the spread, and strip away the edge thorns. Once they're ready to
use, the species are very hard to tell apart.
Tucker - 12-9-2005 at 05:43 PM
True Tehag, but I checked in my garden and I am growing both types.