Answer: Palms compete for light by growing tall and fast. In this case, they overreach the (ordinary) deciduous trees by growing up and through the canopy to reach the pure sunlight above the shade cover of the deciduous trees.

Washingtonia filifera, also known as desert fan palm or California fan palm or California palm, is a flowering plant in the palm family (Arecaceae), and native to the southwestern U. S. and Baja California.

California fan palm
The only palm tree native to the Los Angeles area is the California fan palm (Washingtonia filifera). However, L.A. has an abundance of non-native palms, the most Popular being Mexican fan palms and Canary Island date palms. California fan palms typically grow far from Los Angeles in the oases of the Colorado Desert.

Washingtonia robusta (Mexican fan palm) is a single-trunked palm tree (family Arecaceae) found in the San Francisco Bay area, southern Sacramento Valley and on California’s south coast. Mexican fan palm is a common landscape ornamental that has become invasive in riparian areas, orchards and landscaped areas.

Both have large, dangerously sharp, strong hooks or teeth along the petioles but the Mexican Fan Palms have a reddish brown coloration at the base of the petioles that extends down most of the length of the petiole, while California Fan Palms have completely green petioles.

The California fan palm is also known as the desert fan palm, American cotton palm, and Arizona fan palm. They have long, thread-like, white fibers, and the petioles are pure green with yellow edges and filifera-filaments, between the segments. The trunk is gray and tan, and the leaves are gray green.

What is the tallest palm tree in California? The California fan palm is slightly stiffer than the Mexican fan palm, with an average trunk of 23 feet in diameter compared to the 12-foot trunk of the Mexican fan palm. The Mexican fan palm is the tallest palm and can reach 100 meters in height.

The Washingtonia filifera, commonly known as the California palm or the California fan palm, is native to areas within the Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert. The palm trees sprout up in deep ravines and hidden oases where the trees can draw water from natural springs and be protected from the harsher temperatures.

Scientists said it’s from a weevil infestation. “It’s estimated that 10,000 palms have been killed by the South American palm weevil,” said Mark Hoddle. Hoddle is with UC Riverside.

A Mexican Fan Palm can grow to over 100 feet tall, adding 2 to 3 feet per year when young and slowing to about 1 foot or less per year near maturity. Research on native stands shows that they can live up to 500 years.

So, if you have the California or Mexican fan palms then all of them are “messy”. But date palms are different. Male date palms are less messy around pools than female date palms. Date palms may be started from seed or suckers.

Most palms are native to tropical and subtropical climates. Palms thrive in moist and hot climates but can be found in a variety of different habitats. Their diversity is highest in wet, lowland forests. South America, the Caribbean, and areas of the south Pacific and southern Asia are regions of concentration.

Although the palm tree has come to be symbolic of Southern California, the only truly native palm is the California fan palm or Washington palm ( Washingtonia filifera ). All other varieties were originally imported.

Palm trees found in California include the California fan palm, blue hesper palm and the date palm. The California fan palm, also known as the California Washingtonia or the desert fan palm, is native to Palm Springs and south to the Mexican border. This palm grows to a height of 75 feet.

Washingtonia filifera, also known as desert fan palm, California fan palm or California palm, is a flowering plant in the palm family (Arecaceae) native to the far southwestern United States and Baja California. Growing to 15–20 m (49–66 ft) tall by 3–6 m (10–20 ft) broad, it is an evergreen monocot with a tree-like growth habit.

California has designated two distinct species Sequoia, (Taxodiaceae Sequoia sempervirens ,) and the Redwood, (Sequoia sempervirens,) as its state trees.