Brahea decumbens

Mexican Dwarf Blue Palm

While fairly well known to palm enthusiasts all around the world, for some reason this palm has always managed to escape cultivation. What this small palm lacks in stature, it makes up for in color, and the striking, steel blue leaves really are an extraordinary feature. It is one of the toughest palms around and perfectly adapted to poor soils, drought and severe freezes. It will grow slowly but steadily in a place in full sun in all temperate and subtropical climates. B. decumbens has always been on top of the list of the most desirable temperate palms ever, and specimens such as the famous plant at Huntington Gardens in California have spirited entusiasts' minds. Yes, seeds have been around, many false ones, eventually turning out to be B. berlandieri or B. dulcis, but the true B. decumbens has been ever so rare. Particularly because of this unobtainability we are most proud to announce that now, after many failed visits to its native location, we have finally managed to exclusively acquire the first true-to-name commercial quantity of this palm to be available EVER and to finally be able to introduce it into general cultivation!!!

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germination comments by our visitors
For general germination instructions click here.

Also see plant cultivation comments below.

Seeds from this species ...

... are average to germinate and need more than 1 year to sprout.
I got fruit in Stockton Downtown. I throw seed on the ground in my backyard. I got the seed in 2005 and spout in 2007. Seedling is a slow grower and germinated by it self.
Submitted on 13/02/2007 by one of our visitors

...very difficult to germinate and need more than 1 year to sprout.
Initially tried constant temp of around 30C, after 6 months none had germinated. Resoaked the seeds and moved them to an area that varies between about 30-35C during the day and 20-25C at night. One seed out of ten germinated after 3 months (9 months total). It has now been about 13 months total. No more germinations, but none have rotted either.
Submitted on 27/09/2005 by Jack Sayers jack_sayers@sbcglobal.net

...very difficult to germinate and need more than 1 year to sprout.
finally germinated 6 of 100 after 14 to 16 months. kept in pure wet sand in small pot sealed in baggie on top shelf of greenhouse (hot!) seedlings green, growing well for breheas.
Submitted on 31/03/2005 by John Voss jvoss8@cox.net

...easy to germinate and need more than 1 year to sprout.
after 14 months, the first brahea decumbens has germinated! should i be proud or have others been more successful?kept them in very damp sterile sand in a high heat zone on the top shelf of the greenhouse.
Submitted by one of our visitors

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plant cultivation comments by our visitors
Also see germination commnets above.

Plants from this species ...

... have not yet been commented on. Be the first to write a comment:

win € 75 worth of seeds

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If you wish to read more on palm cultivation, we highly recommend Ornamental Palm Horticulture by Timothy K. Broschat and Alan W. Meerow, available in our bookshop.

Ratings and comments reflect individual experiences and the views of our visitors. They do not necessarily describe the most appropriate methods, nor are they necessarily valid for all seeds or plants of this species. Germination and plant cultivation success depends on many different factors; nevertheless, these experiences will hopefully aid you in your effort to get the best germination results from our seeds and the best growth results from your plants.

We recommend:

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms
by Robert Lee Riffle, Paul Craft, Scott Zona

2nd edition
Completely revised and updated
Hardcover - 528 pages
11 x 8.5 inches

Our rating:

Suitable for: all

The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is the definitive account of all palms that can be grown for ornamental and economic use. Palms are often underutilized as a result of their unfamiliarity—even to tropical gardeners. To help introduce these valuable plants to a new audience, the authors have exhaustively documented every genus in the palm family.
825 species are described in detail, including cold hardiness, water needs, height, and any special requirements. Generously illustrated with more than 900 photos, including photos of several palm species that have never before appeared in a general encyclopedia, The Encyclopedia of Cultivated Palms is as valuable as an identification guide as it is a practical handbook. Interesting snippets of history, ethnobotany, and biology inform the text and make this a lively catalog of these remarkable plants.

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