What palms would work here?

[Palmfarmer]

There is a small town called El Salto on the highway to Mazatlan. I have not seen a single palm there and was thinking of donating maybe some Butias and other cold hardy stuff.

As you see there is a record of -14 however I think that is over 20 years ago. People in the area say it has gotton a lot warmer there and the cold spells are allways just a few hours max and it is really dry. 

I see a lot of agaves planted in the area, but no palms. I was thinking of buying a some Butias for a friend that lives there to try out. what do you guys think? Also do you think Filifera would do fine considering it is so dry in the winter.

[Collectorpalms]

What an interesting climate. Actually i see its record low was -17C, SO ONlY 6-7F. Pretty much what can grow in San Antonio, Texas should do alright. Maybe though the very wet summer might be the only issue after a record cold spell for Filifera.

Id say that Sabal Mexicana would do the best, look at all the summer rain! Nights are a little chilly, so maybe even Trachycarpus and Jubaea.

Edited December 18, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[Fusca]

Parajubaea sunkha and even perhaps Ceroxylon quindiuense might work with the cooler summer nights - if they could be found!  These are not going to grow long in San Antonio.  Butia should work fine and I would try W. filifera also.

[ahosey01]

3 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

What an interesting climate. Actually i see its record low was -17C, SO ONlY 6-7F. Pretty much what can grow in San Antonio, Texas should do alright. Maybe though the very wet summer might be the only issue after a record cold spell for Filifera.

Id say that Sabal Mexicana would do the best, look at all the summer rain! Nights are a little chilly, so maybe even Trachycarpus and Jubaea.

I bet filifera would eat that up.  They only grow in riparian areas here and like 80% of our rain falls in July and August.  Don’t know about water and lack of heat, though.

[Xerarch]

I might be less worried about the record cold than I am about that average low of 24 in January? You're looking at a hard freeze every single night for months on end yet it warms to over 60 all winter long, that is a very interesting climate indeed. Filifera are tanks for sure and wouldn't have a problem with 24 and have certainly recovered from single digits in desert climates, but those climates usually don't get so cold every night on average.

Compare St. George, Utah which is loaded with W. filifera, it is far drier, and far, far hotter in the summer, average Jan low is 30 with a high of 55. The daily mean in January is just about the exact same between the two places for what that's worth.

[awkonradi]

I think I see on Google Maps the elevation of El Salto is about 2500 meters (8200 feet).  So, even higher than Durango, yes?  I just took a drive through El Salto on Google Maps street view, and honestly, it does not look like palm country.

Edited December 18, 2021 by awkonradi

[Palmfarmer]

On 12/18/2021 at 12:29 PM, awkonradi said:

I think I see on Google Maps the elevation of El Salto is about 2500 meters (8200 feet).  So, even higher than Durango, yes?  I just took a drive through El Salto on Google Maps street view, and honestly, it does not look like palm country.

Yeah I can’t really find anything in Person either. People probably don’t care or know about hardy palms. I try out a Butia, put down some small trachies and perhaps camerops. On the southside of the house. 
anyone got any more suggestions? Filifera I want to try as well as S.minor and Mexicana. Pure filiferas are slightly hard to find here. 

[Palmfarmer]

Bump: Would Phoenix Canariensis and dactilfera have a good chance? 

[idontknowhatnametuse]

2 hours ago, Palmfarmer said:

Bump: Would Phoenix Canariensis and dactilfera have a good chance? 

Yes

[GottmitAlex]

20 hours ago, Palmfarmer said:

Bump: Would Phoenix Canariensis and dactilfera have a good chance? 

Yes. And roebelini.

 

[Palmfarmer]

12 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

Yes. And roebelini.

 

I think you confuse my climate with the place I was asking about. Highly doubt Roebelinis would survive in El Salto. 

In Durango however there is plenty of them everywhere I even have 4 in my garden. 

[ChrisA]

This is an intriguing post! I'm going through google street view and see some fairly amazing plants that, to me, would indicate that certain palms would do very well.  There is a full-grown Callistemon citrinus and what looks like and Eucalyptus cinerea at 364 and 370 C. Narciso Mendoza, El Salto, respectively. I would think that W. filifera would do very well, as would W. filibusta.  Also, I would think Phoenix canariensis would be worth a try as they are quite cold hardy.  I would say that El Salto could grow more than San Antonio as they don't seem to get those terrible freezes very often, and they are short-lived.  No Eucalyptus stands a chance in SA long-term. They will be cut down to the ground when the cold comes.  The more I look around El Salto there are TONS of beautiful, healthy E. cinerea. Here is the list I'd try there:

Brahea armata

Brahea clara

Butia capitata

Chamaerops humilis

Jubaea chilensis

Livistona chinensis

Phoenix canariensis

Phoenix dactylifera

Phoenix sylvestris

Rhapidophyllum hystrix

Sabal mexicana

Sabal minor

Sabal palmetto

Sabal uresana

Serenoa repens

Trachycarpus fortunei

Washingtonia filifera

Washingtonia filibusta

Washingtonia robusta - might lose fronds in the winter or show damage but would handle the wet summers

 

[awkonradi]

TJ (Palmfarmer), I am NOT an experienced palm grower.  But, I just "drove" on Google Maps again, east and west on highway 40, though El Salto, and I did not see a single Washingtonia, Syagrus, or Phoenix, and I think there is a reason for that.  I think the reason is, as pointed out by Ammon (Xerarch), the overnight low is well below freezing for half the year.  I think elevation 8200' and just north of the Tropic of Cancer is a very tough palm grow.

[SeanK]

On 12/17/2021 at 8:31 PM, Collectorpalms said:

What an interesting climate. Actually i see its record low was -17C, SO ONlY 6-7F. Pretty much what can grow in San Antonio, Texas should do alright. Maybe though the very wet summer might be the only issue after a record cold spell for Filifera.

Id say that Sabal Mexicana would do the best, look at all the summer rain! Nights are a little chilly, so maybe even Trachycarpus and Jubaea.

That's dead center of z7. San Antonio TX must be a 9a, I'm guessing.

Looking on maps, it says 8500 feet s.n.m. I don't know if the temps in the chart are correct, given that there's a water park in the area with Queen palms and Pigmy Dates.

[GottmitAlex]

5 hours ago, Palmfarmer said:

I think you confuse my climate with the place I was asking about. Highly doubt Roebelinis would survive in El Salto. 

In Durango however there is plenty of them everywhere I even have 4 in my garden. 

Sorry. I did confuse the area.

That's a very cold place when it gets cold.

Trachycarpus fortunei 

Jubaea chilensis

Sabal minor