Jump to content
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LOGGING IN ×
  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

Northernmost Native Washingtonia filifera Grove


Ryland

Recommended Posts

I should have put these pictures up months ago but I guess it just slipped my mind. Terry's post reminded me of my Moapa visit. Moapa, in Clark County, Nevada, has the northernmost native grove of Washingtonia filifera and I was able to actually go check it out over the summer. Here are the pics, finally.

Enjoy!

post-3172-12683572702331_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683572969143_thumb.jpg

The road into Moapa. This was an exciting moment!

post-3172-12683573410427_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683573553657_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683573715931_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683573910016_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683574062619_thumb.jpg

Some young filiferas near the water.

post-3172-12683574416249_thumb.jpg

The reason these palms are able to survive in the desert.

post-3172-12683574779839_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683574998848_thumb.jpg

post-3172-1268357519018_thumb.jpg

post-3172-126835754228_thumb.jpg

I really wanted to take one of these back to Oregon with me... one this size would cost about $100 at a Northern California nursery.

post-3172-12683576051549_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683576254026_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683576467661_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683576640398_thumb.jpg

Me in the palm grove.

post-3172-12683576907857_thumb.jpg

These skirts of dead fronds always remind me of Cousin It's hair from the Addams Family.

post-3172-12683577307893_thumb.jpg

post-3172-12683577504107_thumb.jpg

  • Upvote 4

Manchester, Lancashire, England

53.4ºN, 2.2ºW, 65m AMSL

Köppen climate Cfb | USDA hardiness zone 9a

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very cool. Did you collect any seed? Surely they would be pretty valuable (as far as washies go), as pure filfera are pretty hard to come by in these days of hybridization.

Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for sharing these Ryland.

looks like a nice little oasis retreat in the desert! I woulda had a hard time not popping out of of the smaller seedlings too! :unsure::mrlooney:

Luke

Tallahassee, FL - USDA zone 8b/9a

63" rain annually

January avg 65/40 - July avg 92/73

North Florida Palm Society - http://palmsociety.blogspot.com/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Indeed cool pics! Next time I get out to Vegas I'll have to plan a road trip... is that fence line only along the road way or does it entirely fence off the groves? Thanks, Jv

Jv in San Antonio Texas / Zone 8/extremes past 29 yrs: 117F (47.2C) / 8F (-13.3C)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jv, there are fences, so the only way I could get to the palms was by going onto the land of a Mormon retreat, but they were generous enough to allow me permission to enter and photograph the palm grove.

Alas, I did not collect any seeds because I was only a couple weeks from moving from Oregon to California, and I have nowhere to grow them here.

Manchester, Lancashire, England

53.4ºN, 2.2ºW, 65m AMSL

Köppen climate Cfb | USDA hardiness zone 9a

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those are great habitat shots..Right next to a water source, they're a lot happier than being surrounded by concrete. Thanks for sharing!

Bret

 

Coastal canyon area of San Diego

 

"In the shadow of the Cross"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I forgot to mention, it's only about an hour drive from Las Vegas (if you go with the traffic, which is about 90 mph), so it's a trip that could easily be made in half a day.

Manchester, Lancashire, England

53.4ºN, 2.2ºW, 65m AMSL

Köppen climate Cfb | USDA hardiness zone 9a

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice photos. I wonder if the locals know they have the northernmost native grove of Washingtonia filifera? Not a chance.

I had to look up Moapa on googlemap, and instantly found your grove.

post-662-12683613110756_thumb.jpg

Zone 9b/10a, Sunset Zone 22

7 miles inland. Elevation 120ft (37m)

Average annual low temp: 30F (-1C)

Average annual rainfall: 8" (20cm)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice visuals...:drool::yay:

By the way iam surprised to see that these W.Filiferas have not put out massive trunks.But those washy filifera's grown in ones garden or street planted trees in cities of cal,have massive trunks.For that matter a member who worked in Iraq posted stills of washy filifera's there,which had a trunk on par with the size of a chiliean wine palm..Why is this difference ?

Is it the soil,climate,the scarcity of water that makes these grow heavy trunk ? :hmm:

Love,

kris :)

love conquers all..

43278.gif

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ryland; thanks for posting the habitat shots!

Kris; I do not know the explanation for the smaller diameter trunks of the wild palms but this is typical. The wild W. filifera at Anza Borrego and 29 Palms in California are the same.

San Francisco, California

Link to comment
Share on other sites

rYLAND!

Great pictures.

I'd have taken some seed, and tried it up in Orgasmitron. Bet they might grow, especially if you're in a dry area.

dave

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the shots and your time in travel and posting. There is something very special about those beautiful Washingtonias with that natural oasis thing going.

What you look for is what is looking

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for sharing! I also like habitat photos!

W.filifera is certainly a majestic palm!

Carambeí, 2nd tableland of the State Paraná , south Brazil.

Alt:1030m. Native palms: Queen, B. eriospatha, B. microspadix, Allagoptera leucocalyx , A.campestris, Geonoma schottiana, Trithrinax acanthocoma. Subtr. climate, some frosty nights. No dry season. August: driest month. Rain:1700mm

 

I am seeking for cold hardy palms!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ryland; thanks for posting the habitat shots!

Kris; I do not know the explanation for the smaller diameter trunks of the wild palms but this is typical. The wild W. filifera at Anza Borrego and 29 Palms in California are the same.

Thanks for the info,but iam sure you have not seen those visuals of W.FIlifera grown in Iraq & Jordan...:) Since they were very massive trunked.

love conquers all..

43278.gif

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 years later...

Are those most notherly growing Washingtonia more coldhardy then those from other areas? Washingtonia is grown outside in the milder parts of the UK for example. And its fast growing also. Even in The Netherlands some have Washingtonia planted in their garden.

Alexander

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice visuals... :drool::yay:

By the way iam surprised to see that these W.Filiferas have not put out massive trunks.But those washy filifera's grown in ones garden or street planted trees in cities of cal,have massive trunks.For that matter a member who worked in Iraq posted stills of washy filifera's there,which had a trunk on par with the size of a chiliean wine palm..Why is this difference ?

Is it the soil,climate,the scarcity of water that makes these grow heavy trunk ? :hmm:

Love,

kris :)

I've often wondered the same thing. My thought has been that most (all?) California fan palms in cultivation might descend from a few very specific individuals. These might have been larger by chance or choice. My grandfather planted a baby Washingtonia filifera in his front yard in the 1950s, and it's huge now. I grew up in the same house, and I was used to the massive trunk. When I saw my first wild grove of Washingtonias outside of Palm Springs, I was surprised (as you were) to see that not one palm out of hundreds had a trunk of equal diameter. I've since paid special attention to any old photos from various parts of CA, especially when they provide evidence that extant palms were planted long ago. In Stockton, CA, the town where my grandfather planted his now-huge CA fan palm, there's an old street about two miles away from his house that is uniquely lined with Washingtonias, and they all have the same huge trunk. Here's a recent photo I found online: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tk-hF8kIOYw/UFuPIRzDs-I/AAAAAAAAAR0/cpkISKicLhI/s1600/DSCN0719%5B1%5D.jpgI've seen old black-and-white photos with the same trees at least 60 years ago.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...