Brahea armata var. clara - Mexican blue palm

Erythea clara is perhaps one of the most beautiful hardy palms, and undoubtedly the most ornamental of the blue palms of Mexico. This variety is capable of withstanding temperatures of around -10/-12°C (14/10.4 °F), or even more if the soil remains dry in winter. With its single trunk topped with a luxurious bouquet of gracefully trailing palm leaves that appear to be forged in steel, it is a rare gem for gardens with exotic or Mediterranean inspiration. Sometimes it takes a very long time to witness its flowering spectacle of large cream panicles, but a young specimen will already make a big impact in a large rockery or container. Native to dry areas of Mexico, it appreciates well-draining soils, tolerates water scarcity, and requires plenty of sun and heat to reach its full potential.

Erythea clara, syn Brahea clara, Brahea roezlii, Erythea elegans) belongs to the family of Arecaceae. It is native to the Northwest of Mexico (Baja California, Sonora), where it is found growing naturally in arid places, in gorges and humid canyons where water is available at depth. Clara is distinguished by its more abundant foliage, less blue but gracefully trailing like a Livistonia, a thinner trunk, longer petioles, and slightly faster growth.

This Mexican palm Clara, which can reach a height of 10 to 14m (32ft 10in to 45ft 11in), is carried by a single false trunk (stipe), thick, grey in colour, bearing the remains of dried old leaves. These dry leaves form a kind of grey 'skirt', just like in Washingtonia palms. Its foliage arranged in a terminal crown will not exceed 3 to 3.50m (9ft 10in to 11ft 6in) in width. The stipe, widened at the base, gives rise at its top to 25-30 slightly costapalmate leaves, meaning palmate leaves arranged in a fan around a central axis. On mature specimens, each leaf, 70cm (27.6in) to 1.20m (3ft 11in) wide, displays a magnificent almost metallic grey colour, due to the presence on their upper surface of a whitish waxy film that reflects light admirably. The lower surface is almond green with a slight glaucous hue. Each palm is divided into 40 to 60 slender, rigid segments, upright at the base but drooping at their tips, and carried by a long petiole reaching 1.30m (4ft 4in) to 1.70m (5ft 7in) in length. It is covered with brown fuzz on the front, silver on the back, and bordered by small light brown teeth, as in the classic Brahea armata.

The spectacular flowering takes place on specimens over 30 years old. It only occurs outdoors, in summer, in hot climates, in the form of long inflorescences (up to 6 metres (19 feet 8 inches) on large specimens), arched and dominating the leaf crown. The very numerous flowers, white to pale yellow in colour, are followed by the formation of countless small ovoid fruits, 2cm (0.8in) in size, brownish and glossy, each containing a smooth and shiny brown seed. These fresh seeds germinate several months after sowing.

The Mexican Blue Palm Clara deserves to be discovered and planted more in our regions that are not too harsh in winter, as it can withstand cold and water scarcity. It is a prestigious plant, one of the most beautiful to offer to an exotic garden or a large contemporary terrace. Planted near an entrance or on either side of a gate, or as a standalone near a swimming pool, it will be superb. Like Eucalyptus and tall Mimosas, in the background of a flowerbed, it forms a typical backdrop for gardens bordering the Mediterranean or the Atlantic coast of southern France. Enthusiasts of graphic and blue plants can plant Nolina siberica, Agave ovatifolia, Dasylirion wheeleri, Yucca rigida, and other spectacular succulent plants that are well adapted to arid conditions alongside it. More continental gardeners can adopt it in a large container, to be stored in a cool, bright, and ventilated space during winter.