A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Project Noah Nature School
Washingtonia filifera
The Washingtonia filifera palm grows to 18 metres (59 ft) in height (occasionally to 25 metres (82 ft)) in ideal moisture and microclimate conditions. " The leaf fronds are up to 6 feet (1.8 m) long, made up of a petiole up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) long, bearing a fan of leaflets 1.5–2 metres (4.9–6.6 ft) long. They have long thread-like white fibers, filifera-filaments, between the segments. When the fronds die they remain attached and drop down to cloak the trunk in a wide skirt. The shelter that the skirt creates provides a microhabitat for many small birds and 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. The plant is popularly honored by its common name and habitat used in naming communities and landforms, such as Palm Springs, California.
Fan palms provide a habitat for Desert Bighorn Sheep and the California endemic Peninsular Bighorn Sheep, Hooded Oriole, Gambel's Quail, Coyotes, and a rare bat species (Lasiurus xanthinus) that is especially fond of W. 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.
View from West Hollywood
Spotted on May 1, 2012
Submitted on May 1, 2012
No Comments