One of the most popular plants for landscape gardening is the Brahea Armata (Mexican Blue Palm). It is much sought after because of its highly decorative silvery, blue-green fronds which make a beautiful contrast against other greenery. There is nothing like a one of these beautiful palms for adding a tropical touch to a garden.
This plant is native to Baja California and the Sonora Desert in Mexico which makes it well able to withstand extremes in drought and sudden temperature drops. Because it grows slowly, it stays in proportion to other plants as well as nearby buildings. It is often chosen by landscape artists for gardens as well as public areas because of its luxuriant foliage and attractive flower clusters.
Because of its Mediterranean climate, California became a focal point for gardening experts in the late nineteenth century. Horticulturists began importing many exotic plants from Mexico and South America in order to see what kind of plants would grow well there. This was not only for the purpose of landscape gardening but also for food production.
Some plants did better than others due to the temperature extremes that are common in California. The temperature extremes made it possible to come up with a scale of measurement that shows which plants would survive best under temperatures extremes as well as their drought capacity. This made it possible to know which plants could be shipped to many parts of the United States as well as worldwide.
Another popular gardening choice is the Butia Capitata (Jelly Palm), also native to Mexico and Baja California. Often recommended as a container plant, it grows slowly with beautiful blue green fronds. It desert plant is also hardy and can withstand temperature extremes. It produces very sweet fruit that makes delicious jelly. Healthy trees have been known to produce 100 pounds of fruit yearly.
The Butia Yatai (Jelly Palm) is another hardy plant and can withstand temperature drops as low as -10 degrees Centigrade. It is one of the most beautiful feather fronds palms and is easy to maintain. Native to South America, it produces sweet-tasting fruit which tastes a bit like pineapple. As it can grow up to eight meters in height, it is probably best planted in soil rather than a pot.
Although they can grow in a wide range of temperatures, these desert plants thrive when exposed to a couple of hours of direct sunlight every day. They can be watered once a week or more frequently as long as the potting soil is kept moist. Indoor plants can become spotted or yellowed from too high salt or mineral content in tap water. So it is best to use filtered water for watering them. Boiled water that has been cooled down can also be used.
Brahea Armata (Mexican Blue Palm) is one of the best plants for adding a tropical touch to any garden. Its beautiful silvery green fronds make it an attractive contrast to other garden foliage. This popular desert plant is extremely hardy and can withstand temperature drops. Not only is it beautiful but it also makes a very practical plant selection.