From this symbolism the palm has come to be a token of success and is 

 used in this sense by Shakespeare. "So get the start of the majestic world 

 and bear the palm alone." 



CALIFORNIA FAN PALM 



The California fan palm, which is named in honor of George Washington 

 (Washingtonia filifera), is the stateliest of all our palms. It inhabits the 

 interior dry region of southern California and often forms small groves along 

 alkaline streams on the margins of the Colorado Desert. The palm groves in 

 the canyons at Palm Springs in Riverside County are famous because of their 

 picturesque appearance and ancient lineage. 



In its native state the California fan palm reaches a height of seventy- 

 five feet and a diameter of three feet. The fan-shaped leaves, which are from 

 three to six feet long, with forty to sixty folds, were formerly used by the 

 Indians to thatch their huts. They also ate the soft bases of the young leaves 

 besides the fruit, which is borne in large clusters. 



This palm is extensively cultivated and does well in deep, well drained 

 soil and where there is a plentiful supply of water during the growing season. 

 It does not do well in cold, exposed situations but in the interior portions of Cali- 

 fornia as far north as Butte County, and on the south coast, it makes a vigorous 

 growth. It is customary to remove the dead leaves each year, but the ap- 

 pearance of the older trees is more striking when they are allowed to remain. 



There is great difficulty in restraining small boys from touching matches 

 to these masses of dead leaves on the famous palm lined avenues near San 

 Bernardino. Many of the fine palms have been badly injured in this way. 



CANARY ISLAND DATE PALM 



The Canary Island date palm (Phoenix canariensis) is an introduced 

 species from the Canary Islands which is the most widely planted palm in 

 California. The name Phoenix was given the date palm by Theophrastus, 

 probably because it was first seen by the Greeks in Phoenicia. 



It is valuable in landscape planting, but its ultimate great size should be 

 kept in mind so that room will be allowed it for development. It should not 

 be planted on narrow streets or parkings of average width, nor in yards too 

 small to accommodate it at maturity. 



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