Palms For California

Pronunciation: BOO-tee-uh cap-ih-tah-tuh X sigh-AHG-russ row-manz-off-ee-ANN-uh

Common Name: Mule Palm; Butiagrus Palm

Butia x Syagrus is one of the more commonly grown hybrid palms and one of the hardiest feather palms one can grow. Though a number of Butia X Syagrus hybrids are created and grown in California, this is by the most common mix of species. However, despite having the same parents in almost all these palms grown, there is quite a bit of variation in appearance of these plants (see photos below). Plants are as hardy as Butias but grow larger and faster more like its Syagrus parent. These palms tend to be pretty pricey.

Synonym: Butiagrus nabonnandii

Appearance and Biology Habit: solitary with a crown of about 20 feather leaves Height: 35' Trunk: single; 12"-20" thick; clean trunk in most older individuals; younger plants have unsplit leaf bases retained on trunk with a heavy weave of thick brown fiber; closely spaced and sometimes barely visible rings; most have knobby leaf-base remnants regularly spaced around trunk; grayish Crownshaft: none Spread: 16" Leaf Description: pinnate; non-plumose despite Syagrus genetics; 10'-14' long leaves; over 100 leaflets per side per leaf, very closely spaced; leaves mild to moderately 'V'; leaflet droop varies from almost none to over half leaflet length drooping; dull to medium green in color Petiole/Leaf bases: 2' long; stiff; 'armed' with long fibrous leaflet remnants; medium green to reddish brown near base- some forms have nearly jet black petioles; leaf bases un-split Reproduction: monoecious and sometimes fertile (not all are true mule palms) Inflorescence: 2' long' from within crown; densely branched; arching and drooping; tan spathe often retained above each inflorescence; flowers light yellow Fruit: medium green turning orange when ripe; spherical; 1" in diameter

Horticultural Characteristics Minimum Temp: 20F Drought Tolerance: good Dry Heat Tolerance: excellent Wind Tolerance: fair Salt Tolerance: unknown Growth Rate: slow to moderate Soil Preference: widely adaptable Light Requirement: full sun Human Hazards: none Disease or Horticultural Problems: none Transplants?: reportedly pretty good Indoor?: unknown Availability: rare but some nurseries have many of these while most rarely carry these