OK, palm experts!! What kind of palm is this?!? (neighborhood, living in)

[Cathy4017]

This is in the neighborhood. Can one of you tell me what it is?

It's one of the better-looking ones in town. The ones by the bank are SO ugly right now, with brown all around the bottom. Yuck!!!

[desert sun]

looks like a California Fan Palm(washingtonia filifera)--- nice palm by the way

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by desert sun

looks like a California Fan Palm(washingtonia filifera)--- nice palm by the way

Does it stay short like that, or get tall and leggy?

It really bugs me when they get really tall...and have all of this brown growth on the bottom that is never trimmed off!

It looks nice right now!

I'll get some pics of the ones by the bank later!!

[desert sun]

I agree they look better when shorter but they grow fairly fast and can reach up to 50ft. It will form a fatter trunk over time and be more of a tree if it is a California Fan Palm.

I think you are thinking of the Mexican Fan Palm when you mentioned tall and leggy, those grow up to 80 feet or higher and have skinny telephone pole like trunks, they both look very similar.

Im looking forward to seeing your pics.

[Eric Graham]

This palm is without a doubt a windmill palm (trachycarpus fortuneii). Thank you I joined city-data just to answer this question. It is the most cold-hardy tree form palm in the world. Native to China. Also known as the Chusan palm.

[domino]

Cathy,
The brown growth at the bottom (old foliage) will be there for most varieties of palms. Some people choose to trim it off, others like the natural look.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by domino

Cathy,
The brown growth at the bottom (old foliage) will be there for most varieties of palms. Some people choose to trim it off, others like the natural look.

Since I have been here a little over a year--I see that you're right! If I had one in my yard, I couldn't stand the old growth. I'd HAVE to trim it off!!

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Eric Graham

This palm is without a doubt a windmill palm (trachycarpus fortuneii). Thank you I joined city-data just to answer this question. It is the most cold-hardy tree form palm in the world. Native to China. Also known as the Chusan palm.

So you like palms, too! LOL!! I must be the only one in either the TX or NM forums who doesn't like them. They (to me) just don't belong in NM at all, and only in the very southern part of TX!

They look out of place here (or anywhere in NM) and in El Paso.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

If you let the old growth stay you will be very surprised of the ecosystem that will develop in it. We have around 20 birds of varied types living in some of ours here in SD. Just trim it about 12 feet or so up to make sure rats can't reach it as they will live in it too.

[desert sun]

Cathy-as Eric Graham answered, it might be a windmill, I looked at the pic again and it just might be but its kinda hard to really tell from that pic.