The California fan palm is the only palm that is native to the southwestern United States.
They can live for as long as 250 years. The genus is named for George Washington.
Identification: Palms reach 59' (18 m) in height, with tall
thin gradually narrowing gray trunks up to 6' (1.8 m) around at the base. Leaf
fronds are up to 6' (1.8 m) long, composed of a rounded, fanlike spray of narrow, pointed leaves
at the end of each petiole (leaf stem). Fans are 3-6' (91-182 cm) around, and gray-green in color. Old leaves may
remain attached indefinitely, forming a "petticoat" that can reach all the way to the ground, held
together by threadlike fibers on and between the leaves. Small off-white flowers extend well beyond
the foliage. The fruit is black berries, about ¼" (6.3 mm) in diameter, in clusters of long strings.