Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm

The Brahea Armata, also known as the Mexican Blue Palm, is a beautiful and popular palm tree that is attracting more and more exotic plant lovers. With its special blue-gray and fan-shaped leaves, this palm tree offers a tropical atmosphere to any garden. The compact growth habit ensures that the Brahea Armata is a real eye-catcher and brings a bit of Mexico to your own outdoor space.

The Brahea Armata is a slow growing palm that can produce white flowers with a wonderful scent in the summer months, followed by small fruits. This palm originally comes from Mexico, where it can survive dry periods. It is a hardy palm and one of the most cold resistant of its kind, which makes it very suitable for the Dutch garden.

The leaves of the Brahea Armata grow outwards from the trunk and hang down somewhat in larger specimens, providing pleasant shade in the summer months. This palm tree thrives best in well-drained soil in a sunny, sheltered spot with good air circulation. With the right care and sufficient moisture and nutrition, the Brahea Armata can grow into a beautiful addition to your garden that you can enjoy for years to come.

The Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm likes a sip of water

The Brahea Armata has a moderate water requirement and should always be kept slightly moist. It is important that the soil in which the palm is planted is well-drained, so that the roots do not become too wet. The water requirement of the plant depends on the size of the tree and the weather. It is advisable to regularly stick your finger in the soil to feel whether the soil is too dry or too wet. If there is too little water, the leaves may droop, while if there is too much water, the leaves may change colour.

It is advisable to water the Brahea Armata regularly during the summer months, but the plant should not dry out completely during the winter months. Also make sure that the roots of the plant are kept moist at all times, without becoming too wet. It is important to place the palm in a sunny spot and to ensure good air circulation, so that the plant can grow optimally and stay healthy.

It is important not to overwater the Brahea Armata as this can damage the plant. By regularly checking the soil moisture and ensuring good drainage, you can ensure that the palm tree thrives and remains beautiful for years. By providing the right water care, you can enjoy a beautiful and healthy Brahea Armata in your garden.

Summer

During the summer it is very important that this plant, when it is outside, is kept well moist. Especially during the warm days it should be watered every day, so that the root ball is well moist. On the less warm days this can sometimes be skipped for a few days. This is so important because otherwise the plant 'drinks' moisture from its leaves, causing it to become dry and eventually die. This should of course be prevented.

Winter

When winter is just around the corner, the rules are reversed! If the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm is outside, it must remain dry so that the moisture does not freeze and damage the plant. The Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm does not suffer from a dry root ball during this period, it is in a kind of hibernation!
When the plant is kept indoors during the winter it should be kept slightly moist, so not soaking wet (as in summer), but just so that the root ball feels slightly damp.

General rules

In addition to the above guidelines, it is best to follow these rules:

First, give the plant a little water. If the soil is dry within 2 days, it means it needs a little more water. Adjust the amount of water until it still feels slightly moist between 2 and 5 days after watering, and almost dry after 5 days. If it feels very wet after 5 days, wait until it is almost dry and water again, but reduce the amount.

Spraying

We recommend that you spray the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm with water weekly. However, we do not recommend this during hot summer days, so that you do it either in the evening after sunset, or on days when the sun shines little, because the water droplets bundle the incoming sunlight into small points that become very hot. These cause the leaves to dry out, or even burn through.
Aside from the detrimental effect of bright sunlight on wet leaves, misting has beneficial effects for your Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm. Namely, it removes dust from the leaves, allowing them to better absorb sunlight and appear more beautiful, and it deters certain types of pests.

Where is the best place to place the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm?

The Brahea Armata is a palm tree that thrives in a sunny location. This plant loves a lot of natural light and is therefore best placed in a spot where the sun shines all day long. It is important to ensure that the palm gets enough sunlight, as this will benefit the growth and color of the leaves.

In terms of temperature, the Brahea Armata prefers warmer climates. Although this palm is hardy and can tolerate temperatures down to -8 degrees Celsius, it is important to protect the plant well in severe frost. This can be done by covering the palm tree with a winter cover or placing it in a sheltered spot.

In terms of humidity, the Brahea Armata prefers well-drained soil and good air circulation. It is important to ensure that the soil does not become too wet, as too much moisture can be disastrous for the palm. It is therefore advisable to regularly check the humidity of the soil and water it if necessary. In addition, it is important to keep the roots of the plant constantly moist, as dry roots can hinder the growth of the palm tree.

All in all, the Brahea Armata is a beautiful and special palm tree that thrives in a sunny location with sufficient light, warmth and good air circulation. By paying close attention to placement, sun/shade, and the plant's needs in terms of temperature and humidity, you can ensure that the Brahea Armata grows and blooms optimally in your garden.

Light

The Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm is a plant that likes a fair amount of sunlight. It likes to be in full sun or half shade, taking in all the light. Is it indoors? Then it wants a spot near a window or where there is some light. The Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm requires at least 1 to 3 hours of direct sunlight per day

Wind

Make sure that the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm experiences as little wind as possible. Wind can damage the leaves, causing them to die off more quickly. A little wind is not a problem.

Temperature requirements

Minimum temperature during the day: -7℃
At night minimum -10 ℃

Repotting, why and when?

Repotting the Brahea Armata is an important aspect of maintaining this palm tree. In general, the plant should be repotted every few years, depending on how fast the plant grows and when the roots start to grow to the edges of the pot. When the roots are clearly visible on the surface of the pot and start to curl, this is a sign that the plant is ready for a larger pot.

A good indication that the Brahea Armata needs a new pot is when the growth of the plant starts to slow down, the leaves look less healthy or when the plant starts to grow out of the pot. It is important to choose a pot that is at least 20% larger than the current pot, so that the roots have enough space to continue growing.

Repotting the Brahea Armata is best done in the spring, when the plant starts to grow and grows more actively. It is important to be careful when repotting, so as not to damage the roots. Make sure the new pot has good drainage holes to drain excess water and use a good quality potting soil specifically for palms.

After repotting, the plant needs time to adjust to its new environment. Keep a close eye on the plant in the days after repotting and give it some extra water if necessary. With the right care and attention, the Brahea Armata will quickly bloom again in its new pot and you can continue to enjoy this beautiful palm tree in your garden.

General rules

When the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm has taken root (often every 2-3 years) we recommend repotting it in the spring. If it is always indoors, it does not matter. If it is outdoors, it is not a problem to repot it in the summer, but we advise against it in the autumn and winter, because it will not grow and take root optimally then. This can make it somewhat weak, and possibly suffer damage from frost.

When you choose to repot your Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm, choose a nice pot that is twice the size of the root ball. Place a layer of hydro grains at the bottom of the new pot, for better moisture management. It will thank you for that. Fill this layer with some Mediterranean potting soil. This type of soil ensures that the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm roots optimally and is fed. Then you can place the root ball on the ground. Make sure that the top of the root ball is slightly below the edge of the pot. Aim for a difference of 2 to 6 cm. This difference ensures that the water does not run off the root ball when you water it.
Every year you should replace the top layer of soil, because it hardens and 'wears out' in nutrients, due to regular watering and because of the sunlight on the upper edge of the root ball.

Provide the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm with good nutrition

The Brahea Armata needs nutrition to grow well and keep its beautiful green leaves. Extra nutrition promotes the growth and health of the palm tree. It is advisable to give nutrition from March to October. For this you can use special palm nutrition that is available at garden centers. It is important to follow the recommended dosage on the packaging to prevent over-fertilization.

The nutrition is best administered once a month during the growth period of the Brahea Armata. You can simply mix the nutrition with water and then pour it into the soil around the palm tree. It is important to distribute the nutrition evenly over the root zone and not to pour it directly onto the trunk of the plant. Do not forget to give the plant enough water, so that the nutrition can be properly absorbed by the roots of the palm tree.

It is also advisable to keep an eye on the nutritional needs of the Brahea Armata and possibly check the leaves for signs of nutritional deficiencies. If you notice that the leaves of the palm tree are discoloured or look less healthy, this may indicate a nutritional deficiency. In that case, you can choose to give the palm tree some extra nutrition to improve the health of the plant.

In short, by regularly feeding the Brahea Armata and paying close attention to the plant's nutritional needs, you can ensure that your palm tree stays healthy and retains beautiful leaves. It is a simple and effective way to support the growth and vitality of your Brahea Armata and ensure that you can enjoy this beautiful Mexican Blue Palm in your garden for years to come.

When the leaves change color

The leaves can get black leaf tips. This can mean that too much water has been released. Brown or yellow leaves can mean that too little water is being released. We then recommend checking this and possibly adjusting the watering. We also recommend making the plant a bit more beautiful by simply cutting off the ugly tips with scissors.

It is also possible that the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm has been moved from a place with a lot/little light to a place with a different amount of light. This can also cause the leaves to discolour. The new leaves will be more resistant to direct sunlight.

How and when to prune the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm?

The leaves of the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm will eventually wither. If this is the case with a leaf, you can simply cut the stem near the trunk. It is not a problem to cut off an entire leaf with the stem of the plant. This is the way the plant forms its trunk.

How can I propagate the Brahea armata - Mexican Blue Fan Palm?

The Brahea Armata can be propagated by seed. However, the seed of this palm tree is erratic in terms of germination and can sometimes germinate within a few weeks, but also after a year or even longer. For the best chance of success, it is advisable to sow the seed in well-drained and fertile soil, preferably in the summer months. Make sure that the seeds remain moist and place them in a sunny spot with good air circulation. It can take a while for the seeds to germinate, so patience is important. Cuttings of the Brahea Armata are less common and propagation by seed is preferred.