Palms in Truth or Consequences, NM

[pin38]

I stopped in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico at the end of last week and took a couple photos (and a few filifera seeds).  This town is in the high desert at about 4,200 feet elevation and is in the northern reaches of zone 8a in New Mexico.  Truth or Consequences is a good 80 miles north of Las Cruces.  The two large filiferas that have been there for decades appear to be doing well and are fruiting.  There are also many more washingtonias around the town and Elephant Butte than I thought there were.

[pin38]

There were quite a few seedlings popping up around the parent trees, and I don't doubt that some of the young ones sprinkled around the hotel and spa property are offspring.

[pin38]

Next to those washies there is also a large cactus that looks like a saguaro with an arm.  I asked a woman at the front desk if it was, and she said a previous guest had claimed it was a related species.  It is right up against a large south-facing wall, and the building is on a gentle south-facing slope.

[pin38]

Here is a closer shot with a better view of the arm.

[pin38]

A couple blocks away I spotted this good-sized Phoenix species (silvestris?).

[pin38]

Nearby there is a small park where they have recently transplanted large Washies.  I thought it was an odd layout and plant choice, since there's not really anything else around them.  I don't know if these are considered bulletproof in this location or not, and they can't be cheap...

[pin38]

Here's a view from farther away...

[Silas_Sancona]

16 hours ago, pin38 said:

Here is a closer shot with a better view of the arm.

Possibly Pachycereus pringlei, aka Mexican Cardon.  More likely however is Argentine Saguaro/Cardon Grande (Trichocereus terscheckii) These generally tolerate more cold than Pachycereus. Both eventually get huge.

[PalmTreeDude]

Washintonia Filifera will survive fine there without a doubt, but a very rare cold snap could really hurt any Washintonia Robusta.

[Xerarch]

On September 12, 2016 at 3:49:06 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Possibly Pachycereus pringlei, aka Mexican Cardon.  More likely however is Argentine Saguaro/Cardon Grande (Trichocereus terscheckii) These generally tolerate more cold than Pachycereus. Both eventually get huge.

I agree with Trichocereus, Mexican cardon has larger ribs, is more bluish, doesn't have the golden spines, and wouldn't take the cold there anyway. Trichocereus is a little more hardy than saguaro. 

[pin38]

12 hours ago, Xerarch said:

I agree with Trichocereus, Mexican cardon has larger ribs, is more bluish, doesn't have the golden spines, and wouldn't take the cold there anyway. Trichocereus is a little more hardy than saguaro. 

Thanks for the ID!

Edited September 14, 2016 by pin38
I want to quote a reply to my previous post.

[pin38]

16 hours ago, PalmTreeDude said:

Washintonia Filifera will survive fine there without a doubt, but a very rare cold snap could really hurt any Washintonia Robusta.

Yeah that's why I thought that park planting was odd for a municipal project.  They appear to have at least some Robusta in them, and they planted 14 mature specimens. It seems like an expensive risk to take, just my opinion.

[PalmTreeDude]

8 hours ago, pin38 said:

Yeah that's why I thought that park planting was odd for a municipal project.  They appear to have at least some Robusta in them, and they planted 14 mature specimens. It seems like an expensive risk to take, just my opinion.

Yeah, if I were them I would simply plant Filifera.

[EBinABQ]

I stumbled across your post today when searching to ID the pretty acacia looking trees in front of TorC city hall . Happy to report the palms are in stellar condition in 2021 - full canopies, no signs of cold damage, even though an arctic blast came through in February and really hurt a lot of zone marginal plants in NM and TX. These all appear to be thriving and I make the trip down often enough to be sure none were replaced..

[kinzyjr]

8 hours ago, EBinABQ said:

I stumbled across your post today when searching to ID the pretty acacia looking trees in front of TorC city hall . Happy to report the palms are in stellar condition in 2021 - full canopies, no signs of cold damage, even though an arctic blast came through in February and really hurt a lot of zone marginal plants in NM and TX. These all appear to be thriving and I make the trip down often enough to be sure none were replaced..

Thank you for the report and welcome to PalmTalk!