There are different aspects to caring for a Mexican fan palm. Attention must be given to the soil and fertilizers. Covered in this Gardenerdy article is the proper method of caring for this palm.
The Mexican fan palm, scientifically known as Washingtonia robusta, grows an approximate height of 80 feet. It has a slender shaggy trunk which looks as though the tree has grown scales, cream colored flowers, with green palmate leaves.
Instructions
If you have a Mexican fan palm tree growing in your garden, you need not do much to take care of it, as it will take care of itself. This fast growing tree sees its inclusion in many landscaping projects because it is easy to maintain. Some of the factors you need to look into are:
Soil
It flourishes on well-drained soil, and needs copious amount of sunlight. That is why you see many of these in Southern California, Arizona, Baja, and Mexico. It is very strong, salt resistant, and also has drought resistance qualities. When planting this palm, ensure that you frequently water the site, but take care that you don’t leave the soil too wet, as this might prove counter productive. When you dig the hole to plant the tree, make it big enough so that the root ball of the palm fits snugly in the ground, with the graft union just above the ground.
Fertilizer
Palm trees like soil rich with manganese, iron, and potassium. It will need fertilizers to support its growth in the growing season, and you can get specially formulated fertilizers, that addresses this need. There are some fertilizers in the market, which help in the maintenance of a grown palm, and you should add these to your shopping cart too.
Pruning
The pruning should be done carefully, because they have large hooked shaped thorn like projections, which can give you cuts. Use a good pair of clippers and wear gloves when pruning this tree. Contact your local arborist if you plan to trim a fully grown Mexican fan palm.
As you can see, caring for this tree is not a difficult task at all. If you have a backyard, and are contemplating planting it, go ahead, as it will surely enhance the beauty of your property.
