Tropical Garden in Imperial Valley

[veeman55]

3 hours ago, Desert Luke said:

Thank you 

 

I have a third acre lot I have purposely planted it with 8-10 around it they grow pretty quick here in our heat with a lot of water upwards of a foot a year I planted it last year this time and it had no trunk it’s now roughly 1 ft of trunk 

and yes I have gotten stabbed by the spines my reclinata is very spiny also not fun to trim but very fast growers with 115 degree heat and copious amounts of water all Phoenix species are bean stocks. 

 

If if you look up through the pictures I have a rupicola it’s the one next to the cement mixer

Disagree.

Mangoes and Delonix Regia shouldnt be a problem in your hot zone.

Try cherimoyas, papayas protected by south facing wall

Phoenix canarienses really is a useless palm unless for looks. 

Better off with a date palm that will give you dates. You may also want to test out the doum palm

[veeman55]

If Corona California can support a coconut palm so can your area

[Desert Luke]

12 minutes ago, veeman55 said:

If Corona California can support a coconut palm so can your area

I believe a coconut can make it through the summer in shade but our winter is to cold we get a few freezing nights 

[Desert Luke]

25 minutes ago, veeman55 said:

Disagree.

Mangoes and Delonix Regia shouldnt be a problem in your hot zone.

Try cherimoyas, papayas protected by south facing wall

Phoenix canarienses really is a useless palm unless for looks. 

Better off with a date palm that will give you dates. You may also want to test out the doum palm

I actually have two royal poincianas but they got hit really hard this winter they are getting a lot of new foliage I will post some pictures soon want them to look a little better they actually love the heat I planted them both full sun in the middle of August 

i agree about being useless but I feel that when trimmed correctly you can’t beat the sheer beauty 

this next fall I’m going to try a silk floss we will see

Edited May 6, 2019 by Desert Luke

[Desert Luke]

So I finally got my two mules in the ground. They are about 6’ apart so I can do a rock pathway between to the left I have a robellinni and a ficus rubignosa in the back you can see an Indian laurel and a lemon scent eucalyptus 

[Desert Luke]

Here’s another view the tree in the back right is a ghost gum eucalyptus 

[chinandega81]

Great yard. I know the soil in El Centro isn´t ideal. You put a lot of work into that, any updated pics?

[Moose]

On 5/5/2019 at 1:44 PM, Desert Luke said:

Here’s a clump of a med fan a Mexican fan and a Phoenix rupicola in the foreground (don’t mind the concrete mixer)

Bill (BS Man About Palms) started with a cement mixer, you should see his collection today 

[ahosey01]

On 5/20/2016 at 8:21 PM, chinandega81 said:

I recently purchased a home with a double lot in Brawley, CA...and the yard was a blank canvas. I have seen some tropicals here and there around Imperial County, so I thought I would give it a try.

 

I have planted two 6 foot Roystonea Borinquenas, several Royal Poincianas, an African Tulip tree, a Keitt Mango, two Biscmarckia palms, quite a few Sea Mahoe trees, a Black Olive (Bucidas bucera), Plumeria and some Ponytail palms. Oh, and a Tipu tipuana tree as well.

 

Does anyone have experience growing these types of trees in the lower desert heat/cold? I am in a solid 9B zone. There are regular light frosts here in the winter, however I have seen large fruiting Mangos and Royal Palm trees in the area....so I figure if I baby the trees through their first few winters they should do well.

 

I would love to hear others' stories and experience since most people that try tropicals are on the coast in cool zones.

Post updated photos!

Also - someone should try Adansonia digitata in the Imperial Valley.