Palms   Brahea aculeata

Common Names: Sinaloa Hesper Palm, Aculeata Fan Palm Conservation Status: Unknown Distribution & Habitat: Found in western Mexico (Sonora, Sinaloa, Durango) in the southern part of Sonora Desert on very dry, stony soils. Description: A small to medium sized solitary fan palm with a rough trunk (to 5m tall), an open crown of relatively large (up to 1 metre across), light green leaves, lightly armed petioles, and a long branched inflorescence which extends past the leaves. General: The leaves are used by the locals for thatching and for weaving. Culture: Sunny, very well drained position; drought and frost tolerant. Slow growing, but a good plant for desert gardens, and warm temperate climates. Rarely seen in cultivation.

Figure 1. A very old B. aculeata (@100 years old) in the Desert Garden at Huntington Botanical Gardens.

Figure 2. B. aculeata leaf close-up.

Figure 3. B. aculeata inflorescence.

Figure 4. B. aculeata infructescence.

Figure 5. B. aculeata with infructescence.

Note: all the images were taken in Huntington Botanical Gardens.
Contributed by:	Fred Zone 10A (Figure 1,2&3)
	Colin Wilson (Figure 4&5)

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