Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

  [   PIER species lists  ]   [   PIER home  ]

Washingtonia robusta
H.Wendl., Arecaceae
Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES


Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

High risk, score: 15 (go to the risk assessment (Pacific))
Reject, score: 10 (go to the risk assessment (U.S. (Florida)))

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Mexican Washington palm, Mexican fan palm, Mexican washingtonia, Washington palm, skyduster palm, thread palm

French: palmier évantail du Mexique

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Flowers and fruits very similar to Washingtonia filifera, but differing in the following particulars:  Trunk: Brownish instead of grayish.  Rings more conspicuous, less vertical chinks.  Grows to greater height—to 80 ft.  More slender, except at expanded base.  If shag is removed, adhering leafbases form criss-cross pattern, similar to the palmettos.  Petiole: Reddish-brown, instead of green; conspicuously brown at base.  Usually more toothed than Washingtonia filifera, in young trees; less toothed in mature trees.  Not as long, to 4 ft.  Leaf: Bright-green, and usually not as wide as in Washington filifera.  Many long threads only in youth, disappearing with age.  Segments: Bright-green, instead of gray-green" (McCurrach, 1960; pp. 264-265).

Key to species of Washingtonia (from Oppenheimer & Bartlett, 2002; p. 3):
Trunk slender, tapered from a stout base; leaf blades bright green, hastula tawny beneath:  Washingtonia robusta.
Trunk stout without a broader base; leaf blades gray-green, lacking a tawny patch beneath the hastula:  Washingtonia filifera.

Habitat/ecology:  "Native to desert washes where underground water is continuously available, naturalized in disturbed areas with moderate rainfall" (Flora of North America online).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Northwest Mexico (McCarrach, 1960; pp. 264-265).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
Cook Islands
Cook Islands
Cook Islands cultivated
McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
San Cristóbal Group
San Cristóbal Island introduced
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands)
Santa Cruz Group
Santa Cruz Island introduced
cultivated
Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Guam
Guam Island
Guam Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 89)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
Maui Island introduced
invasive
Oppenheimer, Hank L./Bartlett, Randal T. (2002) (p. 3)
West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H79808 (BISH)
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands
O‘ahu Island introduced
invasive
cultivated
Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2010) (p. 5)
Voucher cited: D. Frohlich & A. Lau 2008072303 (BISH)
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Archipelago
Île Grande Terre introduced
cultivated
MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 112)
Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
China
China
Hong Kong introduced
cultivated
Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 296)
Ornamental.
Mexico
Mexico
Mexico (United Mexican States) native
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore
Singapore
Singapore (Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 90)
Cultivated only
United States (west coast)
United States (west coast states)
USA (California) introduced
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast)
United States (west coast states)
USA (California) introduced
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized
Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
La Réunion (France)
La Réunion Island
La Réunion Island introduced
invasive
Meyer, Jean-Yves/Lavergne, Christophe/Hodel, Donald R. (2008) (p. 76)
Locally naturalized.
Mauritius
Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)
Mauritius Island introduced
cultivated
Meyer, Jean-Yves/Lavergne, Christophe/Hodel, Donald R. (2008) (p. 76)
Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. &
Island group
Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction?
Reference &
Comments
United States (continental except west coast)
United States (other states)
USA (Florida) introduced
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast)
United States (other states)
USA (Florida) introduced
invasive
Meyer, Jean-Yves/Lavergne, Christophe/Hodel, Donald R. (2008) (p. 72)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Washingtonia robusta, please let us know.


Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

  [   PIER species lists  ]   [   PIER home  ]

This page was created on 31 DEC 2003 and was last updated on 11 FEB 2013.