Palm Suggestions?

[ahosey01]

Hello,

 

I am new to keeping palms, but not new to keeping plants.  I recently purchased a new home that was on an unfinished, dirt lot.  In the backyard, I went with a Baja California theme.  I planted a Cardon Cactus, an Ocotillo, two large Brahea armata, and have a spot reserved for a Boojum tree - which are typically best transplanted in the fall.  In the front yard, I went with a palm theme.  I have a large Phoenix dactylifera, and four small palms.  One is a Phoenix canariensis, one is a Bismarckia nobilis, and two are Mediterranean Fan Palms.  I also have two Alluaudia procera with all of the palms.

My area (Wickenburg, AZ) is 9a - low 9b.  It can get down into the low 20's occasionally (every couple years, and only briefly), although mostly we will hit 28-30 on the coldest night of the year in my part of town.  I acknowledge I am pushing the zone with the Bismarckia, but I know a guy with a large specimen in a similar growing climate near Fort Mohave who has kept his alive by stringing it with large incandescent lights and burying pipe heater cable under the ground near the root ball on the coldest nights.  To my knowledge it has survived to the high teens before.  I'm going to try it.  The Alluaudia procera will also be easy to protect - they don't seem to mind getting cold, just frosty.

I am looking for one more species of palm for the front.  My Phoenix dactylifera sits on one side of the house, away from the other palms, while the Bismarckia and the Canary sit on the other side.  I have room for one more (potentially large) tree in the middle of those two.  It is full sun and my soil is a strange mix of clay (which still manages to drain well), and sand.  I was thinking of a Jubaea x Butia cross.  However - as you may be able to tell from the Bismarckia and Alluaudia, I have a particular affinity for species from Madagascar.  I would buy a Triangle palm if I didn't think it would die in the winter.  Is there any cold-hardy hybrids with a Madagascan parent that might work for my situation?  I would love to keep the quasi-Madagascar theme going up there.  I even have some potted Euphorbia leucodendron on the back patio.

Let me know your suggestions, if anyone has any.  Thanks!

[kinzyjr]

@ahosey01

In desert climates, Nannorrhops ritchiana (green and silver) should perform well.  If you're looking to push the envelope a little and don't mind ponying up some dough for a relatively small plant, Medemia argun is a nice-looking desert dweller.  Hyphaene coriacea is relatively hardy here, so you might have some luck there as well.  The climate graph for your area from Weather.com is below for reference.

[ahosey01]

Hyphaene is the branching genus, isn’t it? I would die for one.  How would you even find one in cultivation?

[kinzyjr]

29 minutes ago, ahosey01 said:

Hyphaene is the branching genus, isn’t it? I would die for one.  How would you even find one in cultivation?

Yes, especially Hyphaene thebaica. 

I got Hyphaene coriacea seeds from @cfkingfish and there are tons of them around here growing in our public parks (like Lake Wire and Lake Hollingsworth).  Not sure if @TexasColdHardyPalms might have a few Hyphaene.  I do know Tex has Medemia because that's where I got mine.  I

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I just shipped a medemia and hyphaene to arizona this week.  I only have one more medemia left but plenty of hyphaene.  

[ahosey01]

@TexasColdHardyPalms I have never used an Internet forum before so how do I get a hold of you to purchase?

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

I just sent you a PM

[ahosey01]

Anyone on this thread with any idea about the cold hardiness of Phoenix reclinata?  I have read mixed reports and it seems that this is due to the fact that most are hybridized at some level.  One report I was reading seemed to indicate that they were even hardier than Phoenix canariensis.

[kinzyjr]

7 hours ago, ahosey01 said:

Anyone on this thread with any idea about the cold hardiness of Phoenix reclinata?  I have read mixed reports and it seems that this is due to the fact that most are hybridized at some level.  One report I was reading seemed to indicate that they were even hardier than Phoenix canariensis.

Not nearly as trunk hardy as Phoenix canariensis, but it is a clumper so it does have the possibility of coming back from the ground.

[Jubaea_James760]

13 hours ago, ahosey01 said:

Anyone on this thread with any idea about the cold hardiness of Phoenix reclinata?  I have read mixed reports and it seems that this is due to the fact that most are hybridized at some level.  One report I was reading seemed to indicate that they were even hardier than Phoenix canariensis.

Phoenix Reclinata is similar to Phoenix Robellini in cold hardiness more or less. Reclinata leaves will start to burn around 25f.

[Jubaea_James760]

Not much more you can grow as far as other palms from Madagascar. Dypsis Decipiens would be the only other opinion in a zone 9 but their difficult to grow. 

A few others that will love your heat;

All Sabal palms (Sabal Uresana)

Livistona Lanuginosa 

Livistona Alfredii 

Livistona Mariae & a bunch more.

Acoelorrhaphe Wrightii 

Copernicia Prunifera possibly?

Copernicia Glabrescens possibly?