Options to Live and Grow Palms

[Briank]

I’m sure this Topic has been discussed endlessly and many times.   I just to lazy to go find an old thread. 
 

 

I currently life in San Diego.   Love it here.  However,  I am either going sell soon or just flat out buy another property outside of CA. 
 

Obviously I want to be able to grow and plant Palm Trees, be nice to be able to get a larger piece of property being out of CA vs my 11k sq ft here.  
 

ive been checking all the obvious places like FL, TX, Coastal Georgia, AZ.    Trying to stay in US be ideal, I know there’s islands and places in Mexico I could go but I’m not gonna do that. 
 

It’s gonna serve as just a second home, maybe move my parents, maybe a vacation home, rental who knows.   But I want to get people experiences around the country who might know first hand other spots I should check into.  
 

 

ideally I just buy another house in So Cal,  however CA prices make that impossible. And it be cool to have another place elsewhere.   

[96720]

I love Phoenix true we can’t grow what you can grow in California but it’s much cheaper to buy here than in California I could never afford to buy 21/2 acres in California but here not a problem 

[PalmatierMeg]

If you can do what we did: pick potential area(s) then visit them when the weather is at its harshest. Stay a few days to check it out to see if you can stand to live there through the best/worst.

In 1992 we visited Cape Coral, FL for a week in July. I had spent hours in the library (pre-internet when people read books) researching possible places to move (with less traffic, reasonably close to water, mild winters). Winters in FL are glorious but summers are brutally hot and humid and can last 6-7 months. And, of course, hurricanes. Did you know the chances of a direct hit from a major hurricane in Cape Coral/Ft. Myers in any given year is 4%? Between Donna (1960) and Charley (2004) was 44 years. In the Panhandle chances are 33% every year. But we don't have earthquakes. I am a born & raised Middle Atlantic brat who thrived in hot, humid summers. So is my husband. We decided we could handle FL summers too and in 1993 moved here. We own a modest house on a freshwater canal and 0.61 acres of property loaded with palms and tropical trees.

 

[sonoranfans]

If you are from san diego and are interested in florida, come stay in august, early august as that is as sweltering as it gets.   NEar the coast is cooler in summer, inland hotter.  I think florida will be a tough adjustment after coastal california having lived for 7 years in coastal Socal and SF bay area california.  Some palms may prefer it here with our natural rainfall and heat, but people mostly would rather have that warm relatively dry mediterranean climate.   Texas along the coast/rio grande9b/10a)would be another area you can grow lots of palms, but I have never experienced the worst summer heat there.  

[ahosey01]

Yuma and Lake Havasu, AZ are great if desert-compatible palms are your interest.  Washingtonia, Hyphaene, Medemia, Livistona, Phoenix, Bismarckia, Ravenea, Sabal, Nannorrhops, Chamaerops, Serenoa, etc. will do well there and it doesn’t freeze most years.  Almost no humidity to speak of.  No meaningful natural disasters of consequence.  If you’re near irrigated fields or rivers in Yuma, it can get sticky in the summer during an active monsoon season.  In my neighborhood in Wickenburg we’re regularly in the 100s with 60-70% humidity during July and August, but we’re near permanent water and loaded with giant, old, mature trees.

[WaianaeCrider]

If you really LOVE palms come to Hawai`i.  Of course you gotta have MONEY.   Ever;y;thing here is EXPENSIVE.  Homes on O`ahu are approaching 1 Million $ for what you could buy in Az for probably a few hundred T.  But the weather is GREAT! No earthquakes on O`ahu, pretty much no hurricanes.  Lucky the wife and I bought our 2 acres before things got CRAZY and it's been paid for for about 10 years or so.  Land on the Big Island is much cheaper but then depending where you do have to worry about the volcano's.  Yea two are active and one just sleeping.  I think. 

ON the BRIGHT SIDE   think how close you'll be to FloraBunda.   LOL

[Brad52]

In my area of the Big Island you can still find an acre and decent house for <$350,000 but as with all places there are trade offs for that.

[necturus]

Personally, I think the answer is Big Island. It's my dream anyways. More affordable than people realize. All those places you list are plane ride away - why not take a flight to paradise? Go big or go home. 

I live in coastal Texas and must say the summer heat is oppressive. In my opinion, it's worse than Florida. At least South Florida gets frequent brief afternoon showers that cool things a bit. Here it's not uncommon for us to go weeks without rain while the humidity remains super high. This year has been an exception. But you can learn to tolerate anything. I just pretend I'm in Hawaii, lol. People say dry heat is better, but I can't imagine 110-120.

[ahosey01]

26 minutes ago, necturus said:

Personally, I think the answer is Big Island. It's my dream anyways. More affordable than people realize. All those places you list are plane ride away - why not take a flight to paradise? Go big or go home. 

I live in coastal Texas and must say the summer heat is oppressive. In my opinion, it's worse than Florida. At least South Florida gets frequent brief afternoon showers that cool things a bit. Here it's not uncommon for us to go weeks without rain while the humidity remains super high. This year has been an exception. But you can learn to tolerate anything. I just pretend I'm in Hawaii, lol. People say dry heat is better, but I can't imagine 110-120.

110-120 is definitely a bummer.  Was in Havasu once when it hit 123.  Definitely an experience!

[Kim]

I've been bouncing back and forth from San Diego to Hawaii Island for 11 years now. Palms have grown overhead in the garden, and there are many palm-obsessed friends on the island. Homes are reasonable if you don't need ocean views. Do some homework, visit the island, then you'll know whether it fits your dream. Make it happen.

[96720]

I work outside and I’ll take 110-123 with low humidity any day 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

I moved from SoCal to South East Texas. I work outside everyday and honestly I can't take a dry heat. Yes sweating can get old especially right out of the shower haha. If you can pull off Hawaii there really isn't a better place to grow palms. Next would be South Florida for sure. I left Cali and haven't looked back =) 

T J 

[ahosey01]

4 hours ago, 96720 said:

I work outside and I’ll take 110-123 with low humidity any day 

In fairness when it’s 123 I would generally prefer 110, but I’ll take it over 95 and 100% humidity like you get in coastal Texas.

[waykoolplantz]

Hollywood fla works great for me...but Hawaii may be best as youre already on west coast

[Scott W]

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, though some family started moving to Florida in the late 70s.  Found my way here thanks to the US Navy in 1995 and never left.  The heat is really not that bad, it's the humidity that gets you .  Seriously though, it's not all that bad.  Live near the water (or on the water, like the St John's River) and you'll open up plenty of options that will allow you to enjoy a palm paradise while still having some semblance of seasons.

[D Palm]

I was stationed in San Diego for the first couple of years and I really enjoyed the weather. The barracks I resided in did not have heat or AC (didn’t need it). I spent the next 8 based out of Florida where AC is the only escape for many months.  I grew up in NC frequently visiting the deep parts of the south so it wasn’t a shock to me, actually felt like home so I stayed after my service was over. It can be an adjustment for west coast or anyone not use to subtropical temps w/ high humidity levels. 

[WaianaeCrider]

19 hours ago, waykoolplantz said:

Hollywood fla works great for me...but Hawaii may be best as youre already on west coast

Nuttin like that in Hawai`i unless maybe you're a billionaire.

 

[Briank]

18 hours ago, WaianaeCrider said:

Nuttin like that in Hawai`i unless maybe you're a billionaire.

 

Yeah.   Hawaii is not really an option, I don’t have a remote job and I’m only 38.  I need to still have a job.  Not quit there where I can just live off what I have now.   
 

 

I still want to have a life, this isn’t a retirement decision for me.   It’s a Transitional type thing onto something new.   But want to have the best of all the things I love.   Can sacrifice some things but I really want decent weather, growing palms, and job options.  
 

there’s a place out there I’m sure I’ll find something.   Even if I stay in SD, and just buy a second home.  Which is probably the case.  

[RedRabbit]

Since your career is a consideration, what industry are you in?

[96720]

SD is a place with great weather but very expensive my son lives over there and flips houses a house that would cost 300-400 thousand here goes for over a million over there 

[WaianaeCrider]

3 hours ago, Briank said:

Yeah.   Hawaii is not really an option, I don’t have a remote job and I’m only 38.  I need to still have a job.  Not quit there where I can just live off what I have now.   
 

 

I still want to have a life, this isn’t a retirement decision for me.   It’s a Transitional type thing onto something new.   But want to have the best of all the things I love.   Can sacrifice some things but I really want decent weather, growing palms, and job options.  
 

there’s a place out there I’m sure I’ll find something.   Even if I stay in SD, and just buy a second home.  Which is probably the case.  

I got lucky in many ways.

1-Joined the Navy in 1962 and in 63 got sent to Hawai`i.

2-Fell in love w/the islands (Grew up in Brooklyn) and a school teacher from upstate N.Y.

3-Got married in 67 after discharge( spent 3 years here on shore duty) never went on a ship.  LOL

4-We got lucky and bought the 2 acres around  73. Got it really cheap.  Owner's wife died 2 years earlier and his new wife didn't want to live in "old" wife'w house.  We got it for 72,000.  It was run DOWN, weeds 5 feet tall, house stripped of everything including toilets, and electric outlets. LOL

5-After working for DoD for a few years after discharge I went to U of H and became a teacher.  We both taught for 30 years and retired here.

6-Live is a bitch and sometimes you get lucky more than once.  LOL

[sonoranfans]

Brian, If you want a little of everything and don't want california, st petersburg FL area(pinellas county) is mostly 10a and you can grow many crownshafted palms.  Its cooler in summer than inland florida and beach access/traffic is much better here than Socal.  St Pete area also has a pretty vibrant nightlife, and arts community where there are art museums and broadway plays to see.  Restaurant and ethnic food is best in CA, best I've ever had.  Florida asian food is mediocre but there is cuban food and fresh seafood.  You can probably afford st pete if you can afford san diego.  Job wise, the area is spotty profession wise.  I work here remotely, but locl job opportunities have been pretty good.  In florida, tampa/st pete, orlando, miami, are all getting better in terms of diversity of types of job offerings.  CA had lots of potential jobs for me but housing is about triple the cost and state taxes are 10% vs none in florida.  My 1br apt rent in california was double my mortgage here.

[RedRabbit]

6 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

Brian, If you want a little of everything and don't want california, st petersburg FL area(pinellas county) is mostly 10a and you can grow many crownshafted palms.  Its cooler in summer than inland florida and beach access/traffic is much better here than Socal.  St Pete area also has a pretty vibrant nightlife, and arts community where there are art museums and broadway plays to see.  Restaurant and ethnic food is best in CA, best I've ever had.  Florida asian food is mediocre but there is cuban food and fresh seafood.  You can probably afford st pete if you can afford san diego.  Job wise, the area is spotty profession wise.  I work here remotely, but locl job opportunities have been pretty good.  In florida, tampa/st pete, orlando, miami, are all getting better in terms of diversity of types of job offerings.  CA had lots of potential jobs for me but housing is about triple the cost and state taxes are 10% vs none in florida.  My 1br apt rent in california was double my mortgage here.

St. Pete is always a solid recommendation! 

[waykoolplantz]

or Sarasota..or a bit inland...like Parrish

[sonoranfans]

1 hour ago, waykoolplantz said:

or Sarasota..or a bit inland...like Parrish

Parrish is definitely 9B, used to be the homebuilders wouldn't plant royals, foxtails there as they were killed off.  We have a few dozen pre 2010 royal in my development but they did get burned pretty good(30-50% burn) in 2010, 2018.  I looked in west parrish initially, I ended up down the road 5 miles west towards the gulf near the 75, its 2-3 degrees warmer in winter lows.  The bizzies near the 75 are starting to look nice, at least 3 dozen trunking ones planted in mass, putting on nice crowns just outside our development.  Sarasota has lots of nice zone 10 palms, but as usual they do better if not far east of the 75, better west of it in the sarasota area.  I would recommend approximately west of the yellow line, I think royals do fine there.  East of the yellow line is probably not a long term palm.

[sonoranfans]

I look at how much land does a cold front have to cover after leaving the water.  Cold fronts come from the N or NW, almost never NE, E or W.  The water proximity is more important here than latitude.  So being within 3-5 miles of the gulf in palm harbor is notably warmer than parrish which is ~50 miles south of palm harbor.  If they were to recalculate zones, zone 10 would be ~ in the yellow area.

  

[RedRabbit]

17 minutes ago, sonoranfans said:

Parrish is definitely 9B, used to be the homebuilders wouldn't plant royals, foxtails there as they were killed off.  We have a few dozen pre 2010 royal in my development but they did get burned pretty good(30-50% burn) in 2010, 2018.  I looked in west parrish initially, I ended up down the road 5 miles west towards the gulf near the 75, its 2-3 degrees warmer in winter lows.  The bizzies near the 75 are starting to look nice, at least 3 dozen trunking ones planted in mass, putting on nice crowns just outside our development.  Sarasota has lots of nice zone 10 palms, but as usual they do better if not far east of the 75, better west of it in the sarasota area.  I would recommend approximately west of the yellow line, I think royals do fine there.  East of the yellow line is probably not a long term palm.

Once when I was on my way to Nokomis I got detoured off I-75 around Fruitville and had to go through a few neighborhoods just east of the interstate. I was surprised how much zone 10 stuff was there, it actually looked consistent with South Tampa. I’m with you that the further west the better, and ideally on a barrier island, but I’ve repeatedly been surprised by how well tropicals have done in inland Sarasota County. Sarasota has mature pre-2010 coconuts and veitchia several miles east of 41. I think it’s a combination of the gulf, latitude, and some urban heating.

[Briank]

23 hours ago, RedRabbit said:

Since your career is a consideration, what industry are you in?

I been an outside Salesman for a Steel Distributor for 14 yrs.   Also Teach Golf some. 

[NorCalWill]

So many things to consider when choosing the ideal place to grow palms...

I think it comes down to what palms and other plants you want to grow and what challenges you are willing to deal with.

California has chronic drought issues, wildfire risks, and continually rising land/housing costs, along with its list of economic issues.  Yeah, there's an occasional earthquake, but I don't see that as a big threat to growing palms unless you're property goes sliding down a hillside, which isn't very likely.

Florida is great unless you are a person who believes in climate change. It's estimated that in our lifetime, much of coastal Florida will be uninhabitable due to flooding. So, find the highest land you can so your palms can live a long happy life.

I have little knowledge of Texas and Arizona, but they both seem like good spots; many palms like heat. Hawaii, although remote, is paradise if you can afford it.

[Brad52]

On 7/20/2021 at 2:25 PM, Briank said:

Yeah.   Hawaii is not really an option, I don’t have a remote job and I’m only 38.  I need to still have a job.  Not quit there where I can just live off what I have now.   
 

 

I still want to have a life, this isn’t a retirement decision for me.   It’s a Transitional type thing onto something new.   But want to have the best of all the things I love.   Can sacrifice some things but I really want decent weather, growing palms, and job options.  
 

there’s a place out there I’m sure I’ll find something.   Even if I stay in SD, and just buy a second home.  Which is probably the case.  

Yep, I wouldn’t have made it back to Hawai’i without being able to remote work.