Phoenix ID

[thyerr01]

Anyone have an ID on this Phoenix? Just P. sylvestris? It has a couple of offsets on the trunk. It grows in my neighbourhood and has survived our various megafreezes into the teens unprotected without issue. Its also survived (so far) whatever disease is killing off all the CIDP in the area.

[Fusca]

30 minutes ago, thyerr01 said:

Anyone have an ID on this Phoenix? Just P. sylvestris? It has a couple of offsets on the trunk. It grows in my neighbourhood and has survived our various megafreezes into the teens unprotected without issue. Its also survived (so far) whatever disease is killing off all the CIDP in the area.

Phoenix sylvestris is solitary so definitely not pure sylvestris.  Phoenix dactylifera often have offsets well up the trunk and is much more cold hardy.  My guess would be a hybrid with sylvestris and dactylifera.

[Ben G.]

I don't think sylvestris produce offshoots. So, I would guess you are looking at dactylifera or hybrid of some kind.

[thyerr01]

Interesting, I don't think I have seen any other Phoenix with the trunk offsets in Houston, so I assume P. dactylifera is less common here. I did not think they would handle our winters that well.

[Harry’s Palms]

Another clumping Phoenix is Reclinata but the trunks aren’t nearly that large. Harry

[Xenon]

There's a lot of Phoenix dactylifera plantings in areas where many people of South Asian descent live/do business in Houston (mostly towards Alief, Hilcroft, and Sugar Land). Most of them seem to be seed grown and for the most part are a lot more hardy than the Medjool dates you find installed in commerical areas. 

My favorite prominent planting is at a strip mall on HWY 6 near Bellaire Blvd. Almost all of the dates there survived all the freezes and made quick recoveries. That area is a actually a cold pocket too, being directly against the Barker reservoir.