The California Fan Palm is the only palm tree native to Western North America. It's also referred to as the Desert Fan Palm. When the leaves die they bend downwards and form a skirt around the trunk. The shelter that the skirt creates provides a microhabitat for many invertebrates. Washingtonia filifera can live from 80 to 250 years or more! The genus name honors George Washington, the first President of the United States

Fan palms provide a habitat for Bighorn Sheep, Hooded Oriole, Gambel's Quail, Coyotes, and the palm boring beetle Dinapate wrightii, and a rare bat species, Lasiurus xanthinus is especially fond of Washingtonia filifera groves. Hooded Orioles rely on the trees for food and places to build nests. Both Hooded Orioles and coyotes play an integral part in seed distribution.

The fruit of the fan palm was used by Native Americans. It was eaten raw, cooked, or ground into flour for cakes. The Cahuilla tribe used the leaves to make sandals, thatch roofs, and for making baskets. The fan palm was a valuable resource and the stems were used to make utensils for cooking. The Moapa band of Paiutes as well as other Southern Paiutes have stated memories of grandparents also using this palm's seed, fruit or leaves for various things. It should be noted that The Southern Paiutes are related linguistically and by ancient trade routes to the Cahuilla.

The photos below are of California Fan Palms. Our two Elite guests standing in front of them came all the way from Africa to see our magnificent desert!

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