Latan Palm

Latan Palms are striking tropical fan palms with a
distinctive mottled blue-gray color in the leaf stems
and veins when young. As they age this feature
becomes less distinguished and identification is aided
by the distinctive convoluted surface ornamentation of
the broader end of their seeds. Latan Palms are
adapted to the seasonally dry tropical climate of their
native Mauritius Island where they prosper in the hot
wet summers. In the wild they grow close to the shore
on cliffs and in canyons where they do not receive the
direct salt spray from the ocean. The Latans below
where photographed growing in the Mounts Botanical
Center in West Palm Beach. Of the tribe Borasseae,
and subfamily Coryphoideae it is also known by the
botanic name Latania loddigesii

Botanical Name: Latania loddigesii

Subfamily: Coryphoideae

Plant Type: Solitary Palm Tree

Origin: Mauritius Island

Zones: 10 - 11

Height: 30'

Rate of Growth: Slow

Salt Tolerance: Moderate

Soil Requirements: Widely adaptable

Water Requirements: High drought tolerance

Nutritional Requirements: Moderate

Light Requirements: High

Form: Solitary fan palm, canopy of 1-2 dozen leaves

Leaves: Costapalmate, stiffly folded, divided to 1/2 into about
30 stiff, unsplit segments with finely toothed margins becoming
smooth with age. Color: Blue-green, waxy, wooly below; red
veins when very young.

Inflorescence: 3-6' long, from among leaves

Fruits: Brownish-green

Pests or diseases: Palmetto weevils

Uses: Specimen plant

Bad Habits: Slightly susceptible to lethal yellowing