south mediterranean Coco Nucifera

[Xenon]

41 minutes ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

With those Cape Town, South Africa winter temps, they should be able to grow them there!  Those average winter temps are comparable to what the average winter temps are in Port Isabel and South Padre Island, Texas, and to much of coastal Central Florida, both areas of which have mature producing Coconut Palms!

John

Those figures for Cape Town are off, winter temps are more like Houston. However, much more stable so probably zone 10. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Town#Climate

Edited September 27, 2018 by Xenon

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Jonathan,

Then that makes a lot more sense why there aren't any Coconut Palms there.  If the area there had a winter time climate similar to South Padre and Port Isabel, then I am sure people would be planting them there.

John

[greysrigging]

1 hour ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

With those Cape Town, South Africa winter temps, they should be able to grow them there!  Those average winter temps are comparable to what the average winter temps are in Port Isabel and South Padre Island, Texas, and to much of coastal Central Florida, both areas of which have mature producing Coconut Palms!

John

Yeah, you would think so.... but these places have a Mediterranean climate meaning cool, cloudy wet winters. And while Sydney, for example, has a warm humid and sometimes wet summer, also some winters are cool and wet with many sunless cloudy days. Some Sydney soils are fairly heavy clay types and cool perpetually wet ground in winter makes coconut growth problematic. Weeks on end of cool wet ground.....mmmm not good. Tyrone and Sandgroper would know way better than me, but Perth for example, has sandy soil therefore perfect drainage during the wet winter months. And plenty of sunshine in winter in between the wet spells.

The other thing about weather station stats ( using Sydney as an example ) is that there are plenty of micro climates within the metropolitan area. Observatory Hill on the Harbour is close to the Botanical Gardens and is known as one of the milder BOM stations in the Sydney Basin. In a 150 years, never had a frost recorded there. But a mere 20 miles west is quite frosty in winter and much hotter in summer. Coastal Perth is the same far milder then inland Eastern Suburbs.

[greysrigging]

Cape Town Airport climatic averages 

https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/south-africa/cape-town/climate

Mascot Airport, Sydney

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mascot,_New_South_Wales

Penrith, Western Suburbs of Sydney

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penrith,_New_South_Wales

Coastal Perth ( Freemantle )

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremantle

Perth Airport

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perth

Tunis, Tunisia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunis

Scroll through the Wiki items until you find the climatic data.

[Alicante]

On 26/9/2018 10:30:52, Cluster said:

I believe so Adam.

Did you find any cocos there, though? Would be nice to see.

 

I didn't mate, since I didn't go to that city.

But considering their warmish winters and their warm sea, they can definetly grow them without a big deal (protecting the coconut from northern winds and not much else) but it wouldn't be a very big deal since they are at 31°N, but still, I mean that yes, southern Mediterranean (SE more properly) can be a possible place to grow coconuts without artificial help but just a bit of care and little tricks like the wall nearby. 

These 18-19°C winter high averages are a must in a Mediterranean climate.

Edited September 27, 2018 by Alicante

[Walt]

On 9/26/2018, 6:45:29, Tyrone said:

There is a coconut in Perth without extreme intervention. I know of one and there will be others where people who are not palm people have just jagged it right and without any special care have grown them for many years. Morley Drive in Dianella there is a large one in a front yard.

Looking at the stats you posted, Alexandria, Egypt's January average high is 65, low 49. My January average high is 73, low 49. So I have more overall heat. However, averages are just that -- averages. The problem with my climate is that I can get one, maybe two really cold nights that  could kill a coconut palm (without installing my protection methods). I suspect Alexandria, Egypt, probably doesn't get the occasional extreme low temperature that I can get. If I didn't get the occasional extremely cold night ever few winters, I would have no problem growing coconut palms long term. I know that because up in the town of Lake Placid, at a higher elevation,  the coldest nights run 7-8 degrees F warmer than at my place at lower altitude. I know of coconut palms up in town that have been there since I moved here 20+ years ago. I've seen them cold damaged about three times in the past 20 years, but it wasn't total defoliation type of damage. The last time that happened was in December of 2010.