By University of Arizona Campus Arboretum

#TreeofTheWeek

The Arizona "Winter" 2017 is in full swing!

As you re-acclimate to the new year's weather after a wet holiday season, you may have noticed the way the iconic palm trees lining the University of Arizona and, in some neighborhoods, Tucson streets welcome you back. These large palms can live for more than 150 years. The California Fan Palms, are members of the palm family, Arecaceae.

Growing up to 50 ft tall, these trees can form impressive trunks over 3 ft in diameter. The large, fan-shaped leaves or fronds can be over 6 ½ feet wide and can weigh over 20 lbs. The fronds will stay on the tree after they die and if they are not trimmed off will form what looks like a long beard known as the palm “skirt”. Leaving the skirts on these trees not only provides shade to protect the trunks but also protects against trigger-happy pruners. Over-pruning palms can damage living tissue, introduce infection and reduce the capacity of the trees to obtain energy from their leaves and thus, reduce plant health and longevity.

The California Fan Palms are native to southwest California and Arizona where they have a history of providing food, thatch and fiber for rope by the Native Americans. As such they are part of our state and campus heritage.

Want to learn more about how the UA campus has grown to be known as the oldest, continually maintained public green space in the state?

Join the Arboretum History Tour this Saturday Jan. 21 at 2pm.