The Blue Latan Palm is a striking fan palm adapted to the seasonally dry climate of its native Mauritius, where it grows on cliffs and in canyons. This is a palm tree with potential for greater use in Arriyadh, where to date it has been seen only in private gardens. Slow-growing, L. loddigesii reaches a height of 10 metres and has coarse-textured, spirally arranged leaf blades up to 2 metres in diameter, held erect on long petioles. A white down on the surface of the leaves lends the tree a silvery appearance. The trunk has a thick, swollen base. Its cream-coloured flowers on stalks up to 1.8 metres long are not very showy, and the oval fruits up to 12 cm in size are green-brown. Blue Latan palms require full sun to partial shade. They prefer fertile soils but tolerate clayey, sandy and loam soils, which are slightly alkaline and well drained; drought tolerance is high, salt tolerance is moderate. This palm requires regular irrigation until established and deep watering in summer. Propagated by seed, it is sensitive to pests and diseases, and is particularly susceptible to lethal yellowing disease. The pruning requirement is very low, but fruit and leaves may cause a litter problem. Three other species of Latan Palm can be told apart only by their leaf colour. Latan Palm makes a very good specimen palm tree for attracting attention, and can be planted on decks or patios in large gardens, as a specimen in a park or in containers.