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Local Arizona Thread


MKIVRYAN

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On 2/8/2020 at 3:35 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Variegated tree looks like a Ficus, imo.. Nice specimen though.

Ficus elastica I’ll bet

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On 1/8/2020 at 9:21 PM, aztropic said:

Here's my royal poinciana I grew from seed.Not very common in Phoenix but there are a couple dozen around anyway.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

20180519_162027.jpg

20180519_162014.jpg

Whoa

 

Bet there’s lots of obscenities screamed over there in AZ

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On 6/26/2019 at 10:19 AM, AZPalms said:

After a cold winter, Royals are in beast mode. Also, should I be worried about the small cracks? I thinks it’s liking the extra water and food this time of year. 

D017BA56-DDA0-448D-89BC-FDFAACB377B8.jpeg

Normal, no problem looks fantastic!

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Wow Arizonians, keep on posting!

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.

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14 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Whoa

 

Bet there’s lots of obscenities screamed over there in AZ

Yea.Mostly from the neighbor because it drops lots of flowers on her driveway in the spring, and a million tiny leaves for the whole month of February.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

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Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

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A new frond on a small Chambeyronia macrocarpa.Not a great grower in AZ but will hang on in a shady location.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

IMG_20200416_171439996.jpg

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Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

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My own little Caribbean "island"

 

Coccothrinax borhidiana

Coccothrinax montana

Coccothrinax argentata

Hemithrinax ekmaniana

Zombia antillarum

Copernicia cowellii

Pseudophoenix sargentii

Pseudophoenix ekmanii

Pseudophoenix vinifera

Thrinax radiata

Coccothrinax macroglossa

Copernicia baileyana

Leucothrinax morrisii         and Copernicia glabrescens are all crammed in there.Just one big happy family... :)

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

 

IMG_20200417_073217477.jpg

Edited by aztropic
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Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

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with tuscon,the palm choices fall off dramatically.  I think you can grow brahea armata, sabal uresana, washingtonia filifera, sabal riverside.  Even queens and bizzies dont make it there for 3 years.  I like tuscon better than phoenix mostly, except for palm growing/gardening and culture.  The mountains around tuscon are way nicer and wildlife is more diverse due to the wide range of nearby elevations from 2300' to 9000 ft Mt Lemmon.  In summer, there are some nice golf courses where the temps at 7000 feet will be 30 degrees cooler than down in the city of tuscon.  But for palms it gets kind of limited.

Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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11 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

with tuscon,the palm choices fall off dramatically.  I think you can grow brahea armata, sabal uresana, washingtonia filifera, sabal riverside.  Even queens and bizzies dont make it there for 3 years.  I like tuscon better than phoenix mostly, except for palm growing/gardening and culture.  The mountains around tuscon are way nicer and wildlife is more diverse due to the wide range of nearby elevations from 2300' to 9000 ft Mt Lemmon.  In summer, there are some nice golf courses where the temps at 7000 feet will be 30 degrees cooler than down in the city of tuscon.  But for palms it gets kind of limited.

I've been growing palms here in the NW part of the Tucson area (Casas Adobes) for almost 6 years. Here are some of my observations:

Queen palms are damaged by temperatures in the low 20s, but usually recover and look unscathed by summers end.

Bismarckia thrives here.

All Brahea species that I've tried do well here.

Both Washingtonia species (and Filibusta) are hardy here.

All Sabal species are hardy that I've tried (I have not tested S. mauritiiformis or S. yapa yet).

Although queen palms do show freeze damage occasionally, the 8 types of mule palms show little if any.

Other species I know are hardy here:

Coccothrinax hioramii

Ravenea xerophila

Copernicia alba

Trithrinax campestris

Jubaea chilensis (only 1 so far)

Jubaeopsis caffra

Livistona mariae

Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera

Phoenix dactylifera

Phoenix canariensis

Phoenix rupicola - only saw frost damage when seedlings

Butia odorata mutts

Beccariophoenix alfredii - the most surprising

Parajubaea sunkha

This winter I will test the following:

Medemia argun

Livistona alfredii

Livistona victoriae

Hi 86˚, Lo 54˚

 

 

Edited by Tom in Tucson
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Casas Adobes - NW of Tucson since July 2014

formerly in the San Carlos region of San Diego

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 Bizzie on the backyard lawn is loving this spring. Sargentii in the foreground is as well. In fact, the whole yard looks pretty gorgeous right now. 


Just goofing with the phone camera this evening. Liked this shot. Figured I’d share. I’ll toss up more pics soon. 

2F865EBC-928A-4706-AD2D-347596327283.jpeg

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Some of the crew.  The bulk of them to the west of my favorite backyard chair anyway. 
 I’m still out here everyone.  I check in here and there.  Just have other non-palm things goin on.  Although, I must admit, I spend far more time tending to my trees than other “more important” stuff.  

0AAC1561-DB6B-4910-89CF-57BB777C81C8.jpeg

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24 minutes ago, Tom in Tucson said:

I've been growing palms here in the NW part of the Tucson area (Casas Adobes) for almost 6 years. Here are some of my observations:

Queen palms are damaged by temperatures in the low 20s, but usually recover and look unscathed by summers end.

Bismarckia thrives here.

All Brahea species that I've tried do well here.

Both Washingtonia species (and Filibusta) are hardy here.

All Sabal species are hardy that I've tried (I have not tested S. mauritiiformis or S. yapa yet).

Although queen palms do show freeze damage occasionally, the 8 types of mule palms show little if any.

Other species I know are hardy here:

Coccothrinax hioramii

Ravenea xerophila

Copernicia alba

Trithrinax campestris

Jubaea chilensis (only 1 so far)

Jubaeopsis caffra

Livistona mariae

Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera

Phoenix dactylifera

Phoenix canariensis

Phoenix rupicola - only saw frost damage when seedlings

Butia odorata mutts

Beccariophoenix alfredii - the most surprising

Parajubaea sunkha

This winter I will test the following:

Medemia argun

Livistona alfredii

Livistona victoriae

Hi 86˚, Lo 54˚

 

 

Tom, if you're interested, Thinking i might let go of some of the Sabal mauritiiformis i'd started from seed  ( collected at Kopsick ). Really need to get stepped up, ( or planted ) and need to reduce the collection a little more before fall/ winter..  May also part with one of the two com pots i have of Sabal  " Lisoid " seedlings also. 

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2 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Tom, if you're interested, Thinking i might let go of some of the Sabal mauritiiformis i'd started from seed  ( collected at Kopsick ). Really need to get stepped up, ( or planted ) and need to reduce the collection a little more before fall/ winter..  May also part with one of the two com pots i have of Sabal  " Lisoid " seedlings also. 

Pics of the Mauri’s ? 

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1 minute ago, BillDaCat8 said:

Pics of the Mauri’s ? 

I'll take pics. tomorrow.. Still in the Strap/ entire juvenile leaf stage, but building heels.

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4 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Tom, if you're interested, Thinking i might let go of some of the Sabal mauritiiformis i'd started from seed  ( collected at Kopsick ). Really need to get stepped up, ( or planted ) and need to reduce the collection a little more before fall/ winter..  May also part with one of the two com pots i have of Sabal  " Lisoid " seedlings also. 

Maybe a trade for my surplus Livistona mariae or Sabal uresana?

Hi 86˚, Lo 54˚

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Casas Adobes - NW of Tucson since July 2014

formerly in the San Carlos region of San Diego

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1 minute ago, Tom in Tucson said:

Maybe a trade for my surplus Livistona mariae or Sabal uresana?

Hi 86˚, Lo 54˚

:greenthumb: Uresana would be great..

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We have had a warm last 9 years here.  Everyone has planted COCOS here since they were all killed off in Dec 2010, and they sure dont have any long term future in my neighborhood.  Small to medium sized bottle palms(10b) are very common here now, but they also were invariably killed off in 2010.  Show me a bizzie that survived 2007 in tuscon(15' trunk) and I might buy in to them being long term there.  Heck show me a queen that survived 2007 or any of the others.  What I saw that survived 2007 in tuscon I have listed above, not that many species. 

Tuscon, according to records hit lows of 17-18 degrees fahrenheit in 2011 and 2013.  That is definitely enough to kill bizzies, queens and many other palms you listed.  The last 6 years it has not dropped below 26F.  Good luck!

Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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On 4/16/2020 at 6:54 PM, DoomsDave said:

Normal, no problem looks fantastic!

Not quite a year later update, but eh close enough! She’s definitely grown!

EE97B6D9-2BF3-4739-9B40-C45DF09DE8E5.jpeg

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Livistona Chinensis also takes more sun than I expected. It burns/bronzes a bit in middle of summer. This is in near full day sun. Planted as a smaller palm blocked by the wall behind it. Last two summers it’s had direct western/southern exposure. 

A4DC1799-2684-4C87-81AE-20E6ECE97D9C.jpeg

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19 hours ago, Tom in Tucson said:

I've been growing palms here in the NW part of the Tucson area (Casas Adobes) for almost 6 years. Here are some of my observations:

Queen palms are damaged by temperatures in the low 20s, but usually recover and look unscathed by summers end.

Bismarckia thrives here.

All Brahea species that I've tried do well here.

Both Washingtonia species (and Filibusta) are hardy here.

All Sabal species are hardy that I've tried (I have not tested S. mauritiiformis or S. yapa yet).

Although queen palms do show freeze damage occasionally, the 8 types of mule palms show little if any.

Other species I know are hardy here:

Coccothrinax hioramii

Ravenea xerophila

Copernicia alba

Trithrinax campestris

Jubaea chilensis (only 1 so far)

Jubaeopsis caffra

Livistona mariae

Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera

Phoenix dactylifera

Phoenix canariensis

Phoenix rupicola - only saw frost damage when seedlings

Butia odorata mutts

Beccariophoenix alfredii - the most surprising

Parajubaea sunkha

This winter I will test the following:

Medemia argun

Livistona alfredii

Livistona victoriae

Hi 86˚, Lo 54˚

 

 

Thanks, what low temperature has your Alfredii experienced? I have a few seedlings, I’ve been told hardy to 23*F, but that could be different in a dry climate. Or inaccurate overall.

There seems to be a common belief on here that Bismarckia won’t survive much below 25*F. Specimen all over South Houston and elsewhere in the city/suburbs survived an icy wet 18-19*F in January 2018. They had a better survival rate than queen palms. 

How does your Jubaeaopsis Caffra fair? Full sun? I had been told they won’t survive high heat in the desert, but I believe that was the experience in Phoenix. Might be enough of a difference. 
 

How does your Jubaea Chilensis look? I have one in a 20 gallon container I plan on bringing wherever I move. It doesn’t like wet/humid Houston, that’s for sure. 
 

Thanks

-Daniel 

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4 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

Thanks, what low temperature has your Alfredii experienced? I have a few seedlings, I’ve been told hardy to 23*F, but that could be different in a dry climate. Or inaccurate overall.

There seems to be a common belief on here that Bismarckia won’t survive much below 25*F. Specimen all over South Houston and elsewhere in the city/suburbs survived an icy wet 18-19*F in January 2018. They had a better survival rate than queen palms. 

How does your Jubaeaopsis Caffra fair? Full sun? I had been told they won’t survive high heat in the desert, but I believe that was the experience in Phoenix. Might be enough of a difference. 
 

How does your Jubaea Chilensis look? I have one in a 20 gallon container I plan on bringing wherever I move. It doesn’t like wet/humid Houston, that’s for sure. 
 

Thanks

-Daniel 

The coldest temperatures I've had here have been between 22˚ - 25˚. Both of my oldest Beccariophoenix alfredii sailed threw with only slight leaf bronzing.

My Jubaeopsis caffra is getting about 50% sun.

I started with 2 5 gallon Jubaea. One died after 2 years, but the remaining one is persisting. It looks like the one at the UofA campus, but is much younger. I would not recommend them for this climate. They are much slower than the one I grew in California.

You're right about the hardiness of Bismarckia.

Hi 84˚, Lo 49˚

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Casas Adobes - NW of Tucson since July 2014

formerly in the San Carlos region of San Diego

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Thanks, that’s great information. I really appreciate it. Have you thought of trying or have tried any of the Attalea’s? I had a Butyracea and a Cohune, I think the Cohune just randomly bit the dust. It was small though.

Any photos of your yard/palms ? Thanks

Edited by Meangreen94z
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For Mr' Cat ( @BillDaCat8, and @Tom in Tucson,

A picture of the Sabal M's that need a good home..  As you can see, need to get them out of their pots ( Bad Nathan!, lol:mrlooney: ) Let me know, if interested..  Will be placing in more shade through the summer ahead / feeding again to green them up a little more.
DSC07718.JPG.6299421318f5b7c0338cc2ccac4e4256.JPG

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3 hours ago, Meangreen94z said:

Thanks, that’s great information. I really appreciate it. Have you thought of trying or have tried any of the Attalea’s? I had a Butyracea and a Cohune, I think the Cohune just randomly bit the dust. It was small though.

Any photos of your yard/palms ? Thanks

I just planted a Cohune about a month ago. I’ll update as time goes on. 

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I am amazed at aztropics “Carribean Island”! Your Pseudophoenix sargentii looks better than mine and it is indigenous to Florida!

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What you look for is what is looking

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It looks like over the last 50 years that 2013 tied for the 2nd lowest recorded temperature at 17*F. 1974 saw 16*F. Even going back 100 years the lowest low was 15*F, in 1937. Planning for off years like that,  I think most of what I want to grow would survive. 
https://www.currentresults.com/Yearly-Weather/USA/AZ/Tucson/extreme-annual-tucson-low-temperature.php

 

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Phoenix in comparison rarely sees 20’s in recent years, the average low seemed to drastically increase right around 1980. The 1970’s were a much colder decade with 1971 seeing 19*F.

https://www.currentresults.com/Yearly-Weather/USA/AZ/Phoenix/extreme-annual-phoenix-low-temperature.php

Edited by Meangreen94z
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1 hour ago, bubba said:

I am amazed at aztropics “Carribean Island”! Your Pseudophoenix sargentii looks better than mine and it is indigenous to Florida!

Pseudophoenix sargentii,loves the desert! Vinifera will grow if you start with a larger one,and ekmanii only puts out a frond every two years.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

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Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

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Pseudophoenix vinifera has grown quite a bit over the last 10 years.It went in as a 15 gallon tree from Florida.Base is now 14 inches wide.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

15873260950612048026890338588482.jpg

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Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

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20 minutes ago, Meangreen94z said:

Phoenix in comparison rarely sees 20’s in recent years, the average low seemed to drastically increase right around 1980. The 1970’s were a much colder decade with 1971 seeing 19*F.

https://www.currentresults.com/Yearly-Weather/USA/AZ/Phoenix/extreme-annual-phoenix-low-temperature.php

Would agree.  and there isn't much, that i can think of,  that will stop what trends ( low temps in winter/ summer highs ) are being seen here from continuing to move higher, over time, esp. as more and more of the out-lying communities, surrounding the heart of Phoenix, are completely built out ( Chandler is getting pretty close atm. Gilbert might be also. ) or continue expanding outward ( Queen Creek, San Tan Valley/ areas further south ..Communities on the North / west sides of town ).  Thinking would be the same for Tucson, also which has grown a lot in the last few decades/ is forecast to keep continue growing.

Barring those few winters you might have to protect certain things, especially any younger aged stuff, agree your plants should do fine in either area..  You,  your wife/ family?.. A few degrees cooler, thru the summer, and quicker access to the mountains / San Diego might be a more important factor, lol..

 

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Yeah, there’s a decent difference in average highs. June-103 vs. 106 , July- 100 vs. 107 , August- 99 vs. 106, September- 95 vs. 101

https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/Places/tucson-temperatures-by-month-average.php

https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/Places/phoenix-temperatures-by-month-average.php

Other than June it’s comparable to Austin:

94 , 98, 100, and 93 

https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Texas/Places/austin-temperatures-by-month-average.php

 

 

Edited by Meangreen94z
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I guess you have to be from Floriduh to understand the amazing Carribean palm collection that aztropic has assembled in Arizona! Sensational!

What you look for is what is looking

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6 minutes ago, bubba said:

I guess you have to be from Floriduh to understand the amazing Carribean palm collection that aztropic has assembled in Arizona! Sensational!

No, it is spectacular. That is definitely an advantage Phoenix has with its winter lows. A lot of the yards posted on here look closer to Southern California or South Florida than anything local to me can achieve.

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Slightly off topic, but I have found a list of recommended tree species suitable for verge plantings in Alice Springs ( Central Australia ). Climatically similar to Tuscon...
Mostly native species that are frost and drought tolerant.....an interesting list...
https://assets-astc.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/files/files/sites/default/files/forms/Verge Development Policy Attachment C and Tree Lists.pdf

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3 hours ago, greysrigging said:

Slightly off topic, but I have found a list of recommended tree species suitable for verge plantings in Alice Springs ( Central Australia ). Climatically similar to Tuscon...
Mostly native species that are frost and drought tolerant.....an interesting list...
https://assets-astc.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/files/files/sites/default/files/forms/Verge Development Policy Attachment C and Tree Lists.pdf

Interesting list.. Can't speak for Tucson but out of the Acacia listed, Mulga ( Acacia aneura) are the most commonly seen/ planted, at least here in Chandler. Beautiful trees, even when not in flower. Plenty of both Shoestring and Willow Acacia also though both have fallen out of favor somewhat. Of the two, seed of Shoestring ..i think.. can germinate aggressively in areas near water.  Acacia craspedocarpa is also sold in several nurseries, though i haven't seen many in local landscapes.  See lots of Eucs/Gums ( many sp. ) in older neighborhoods but  only a few ( Ghost, Spinning, Lemon Scented, Red Ironbark ) are sold regularly. Most are too big for a lot of the denser neighborhoods.  Brachychiton populneus is very common. Get seedlings popping up in all my potted stuff year round from trees in my neighborhood..

U of AZ's Campus Arboretum has a pretty good list of what Australian species are in their collection in T-town ( Tucson ) If it can be grown at their location,  Chances are X species will grow in most of town also. They had both a Delonix regia and Cassia fistula ( might still be there ) in the collection also for quite some time.  Think the Coffee plants they were growing - outdoors- are still alive as well..

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Hard to beat either Phoenix or Tucson. Two great spots!

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What you look for is what is looking

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On 4/17/2020 at 1:24 PM, sonoranfans said:

with tuscon,the palm choices fall off dramatically.  I think you can grow brahea armata, sabal uresana, washingtonia filifera, sabal riverside.  Even queens and bizzies dont make it there for 3 years.  I like tuscon better than phoenix mostly, except for palm growing/gardening and culture.  The mountains around tuscon are way nicer and wildlife is more diverse due to the wide range of nearby elevations from 2300' to 9000 ft Mt Lemmon.  In summer, there are some nice golf courses where the temps at 7000 feet will be 30 degrees cooler than down in the city of tuscon.  But for palms it gets kind of limited.

I am not from the west, but I visited both Phoenix in Tucson in February of this year. Every day was sunny and warm t-shirt/shorts weather within the greater Phoenix area, as well as areas closer to Yuma. Lake Havasu City had similarly warm weather for our three days there.  However, it was a bit chilly when we visited Tucson.  I would not have imagined that Tucson was so much colder than Phoenix, but I guess it is!????..... Surprising.  Tucson was possibly the farthest south we went in Arizona, but surprisingly, it was the coldest place too! (Obviously, we skipped the mountainous northern two-thirds of Arizona because we knew that region was not for winter travel... e.g. freezing Flagstaff) 

 

If you can't grow queen palms or Bismarck palms in Tucson long-term, then it has to be cold there.  Even here in northeastern Florida, we have no problem growing queen palms and Bismarck palms long-term. 

 

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48 minutes ago, Sandy Loam said:

 However, it was a bit chilly when we visited Tucson.  I would not have imagined that Tucson was so much colder than Phoenix, but I guess it is!????..... Surprising.  Tucson was possibly the farthest south we went in Arizona, but surprisingly, it was the coldest place too! (Obviously, we skipped the mountainous northern two-thirds of Arizona because we knew that region was not for winter travel... e.g. freezing Flagstaff) 

 

If you can't grow queen palms or Bismarck palms in Tucson long-term, then it has to be cold there.  Even here in northeastern Florida, we have no problem growing queen palms and Bismarck palms long-term. 

 

Not surprising at all.. just depends where your visit takes you while in the area.. Remember Tucson is roughly 1,000ft higher in elevation than most of the greater Phoenix area, and has a smaller urban footprint overall.. Been down there in late Jan/ mid Feb when it was cooler here and quite warm there, at least where i had been while in the area.. 

As far as Queens and Bismarcks.. can't pay me enough to grow a queen, here, there ( or anywhere, lol ). As Tom ( in Tucson ) had mentioned earlier, Bismarcks do fine there ..just aren't commonly seen in landscapes there yet.. 

As far as what @bubba mentioned.. pretty sure if you picked the right spot, say in a neighborhood located in the Tucson Mountains, ( just west of the I- 10 ), ..particularly a warm, south facing piece of land, with some hills blocking air coming from the north, i bet you could bet away with at least a few of the Caribbean species. Might have to grow them in a shade/ greenhouse for a few years until they have some size.. but, considering what some people i know have been growing there, certainly possible, especially since they get a lot more rain then we do during the summer, when water is most important.. It's all about location..

Edited by Silas_Sancona
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Saw this royal not too long ago, near Encanto in Phoenix.  He had some sabals and bismarka and they were hacked nearly to death so im not sure he planted these palms. 

20200326_141002(1).thumb.jpg.1d925ffa3059935485021178b1c01be2.jpg

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I lived in gilbert AZ and grew palms for 10 years and visited tuscon  often.  Tuscon is about 1300' higher in elevation than phoenix.  Winter cold there is 3-5 degrees cooler during the big cold events than Gilbert.  My queens were about 50% burned and my bizzies 6-14' overall were totally defoliated while I ran a propane heater nearby.  1/4 Bizzies died in the 2007 short radiational cold event at 21F, it was 55F by noon that day.  These are fast cold events, but anyone who knows palms knows that 3-5 degrees changes everything for the long term.  There is hope of the increasing heat island in phoenix area and center phoenix inside the 101 was up to 8-9 degrees warmer than my place in gilbert due to a massive heat island effect.   Arizona tropic (on this board) in mesa reported they hit 26F as I recall, Mesa having a notably better heat island effect than Gilbert at that time.  Casa Grande 41mi to the south of Phoenix but at the same elevation -without a heat island effect- hit 16F in 2007.  I looked at long term palms in Tuscon as being much less protected by the heat island than in the phoenix metro area.  During that time bismarckia were readily available at area nurseries, I bought 4(15 gallon/24" box) in 2001.  Tuscons palms I saw driving around did not include bismarckia, NONE.  And I dont recall ANY queens larger than 20' tall (overall),which outside washies were the most commonly pushed landscape palms by housing developers in phx at that time.  My conclusion about tuscon was that it was nicer than Phoenix in summer a good 5F+ cooler, but the choices in browing palms stopped at a cold 9a, possibly a warm 8b depending on location.  I pushed zones in both AZ and florida for 20 years with palms.  It can be fun to see unusual palms, but you really cant get past the 3-5F difference in winter cold when the cold of the decade comes down.  While population in PHX area doubled from 2.3 to 4.3 million from 1990 to 2010, it has been much slower, about a 25% increase since then.  Tuscon, with about 20% the population of phoenix, grows at about 1.1% a year, phoenix grows at 1.6-1.7% a year.  I really dont see tuscon as having a large enough population to give a serious heat island effect, it is about the size that phoenix was in 1970.  

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Formerly in Gilbert AZ, zone 9a/9b. Now in Palmetto, Florida Zone 9b/10a??

 

Tom Blank

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