Washingtonia filifera

American Cotton Palm · California Fan Palm · California Washingtonia

Family ArecaceaeGenus Washingtonia

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit: treePlants of the World Online
Habit: Perennial, TreePLANTS Database
Flower: WhiteFlora of Pakistan
Native range: Arizona, California, Mexico NorthwestGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Note: The seed coat slows germination rather than stopping it: 75% comes up without any help.Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed.

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; Flora of Pakistan — S. I. Ali and M. Qaiser (eds.); GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility; Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno.

The largest native palm of the continental United States, and the only western one. The genus honors George Washington. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Washingtonia filifera
Petticoat palm is for the shaggy skirt of dead leaves on the trunk. Native peoples ate the fruit fresh and dried, and ground the seeds into meal. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Washingtonia filifera

This source reports two treatments. Both are shown.

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 22, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

100% germination in 14 days.

Every seed, in a fortnight. Deno gives no temperature for either treatment.

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 21 days to germinate.

75% germination in 21 days.

75% with nothing done to it: the coat slows this palm rather than stopping it.

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials