Growing Washingtonia filifera in Phoenix.

[tmiller0421]

Out here in Phoenix Arizona. Had the pleasure of my coworker special ordering me my favorite species of palm Washingtonia filifera from my store. Got a great deal on them and planted them all for my parents for their house by the pool. I dug the hole twice the size like everyone says to do and used Kellogs palm soil, earth worm casting, and some of the natural soil mixed together after digging out all the caliche. It's only been a week since I planted them They are still green in the center and I have been watering it for them twice a week. but some of them have this yellowish leaves to them as now which I think may be shock. Havent used any fertilizer yet. (I have arizonas best but am going to wait to use it) Still a bit of a newbie when it comes to growing but let me know If I should do anything different or what could be wrong with them. Im willing to learn and love these palms! 

[Silas_Sancona]

7 hours ago, tmiller0421 said:

Out here in Phoenix Arizona. Had the pleasure of my coworker special ordering me my favorite species of palm Washingtonia filifera from my store. Got a great deal on them and planted them all for my parents for their house by the pool. I dug the hole twice the size like everyone says to do and used Kellogs palm soil, earth worm casting, and some of the natural soil mixed together after digging out all the caliche. It's only been a week since I planted them They are still green in the center and I have been watering it for them twice a week. but some of them have this yellowish leaves to them as now which I think may be shock. Havent used any fertilizer yet. (I have arizonas best but am going to wait to use it) Still a bit of a newbie when it comes to growing but let me know If I should do anything different or what could be wrong with them. Im willing to learn and love these palms! 

You're doing exactly as you should ...Keep moist, but not waterlogged..   ..Deep watering,  2x a week right now  ..Emphasize deep  ..which means putting the hose next to them and letting it trickle for 30+ mins. Morning or evening is better than mid - day. 

Yellowing you're seeing is perfectly natural right now as well, esp. if these came from a nursery where they were grown under some deg. of shade cloth. ..  Kept moist,  they'll start pushing out of that / push better looking fronds  once we reach Monsoon season and the heat isn't quite as brutal / air holds more humidity ...and they get some natural agua,  ..hopefully, lol.  

Regardless, it takes about a year for new roots to really start digging in. 

If you have access to any,  you can take leaf duff from below Mesquites and pile it around the bases  ..staying a few inches clear of the trunk(s).  ..Will help keep moisture in the soil,  and slowly release nutrients. 

Other than that?..  Since they don't have established root systems yet, no strong fertilizers.   A: they won't utilize any of it, so if you applied any now, it will be wasted effort and $$.. 

B: salts in non- natural fert sources  ..or improperly cured organics like Manure,   can burn root tips. 

Have a sharpie?  mark the base of newest spear poking out from the center of the crown and watch how quickly ..or not.. in moves.  That will provide good hints regarding how well they're settling in..

Good luck 

[tmiller0421]

51 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

You're doing exactly as you should ...Keep moist, but not waterlogged..   ..Deep watering,  2x a week right now  ..Emphasize deep  ..which means putting the hose next to them and letting it trickle for 30+ mins. Morning or evening is better than mid - day. 

Yellowing you're seeing is perfectly natural right now as well, esp. if these came from a nursery where they were grown under some deg. of shade cloth. ..  Kept moist,  they'll start pushing out of that / push better looking fronds  once we reach Monsoon season and the heat isn't quite as brutal / air holds more humidity ...and they get some natural agua,  ..hopefully, lol.  

Regardless, it takes about a year for new roots to really start digging in. 

If you have access to any,  you can take leaf duff from below Mesquites and pile it around the bases  ..staying a few inches clear of the trunk(s).  ..Will help keep moisture in the soil,  and slowly release nutrients. 

Other than that?..  Since they don't have established root systems yet, no strong fertilizers.   A: they won't utilize any of it, so if you applied any now, it will be wasted effort and $$.. 

B: salts in non- natural fert sources  ..or improperly cured organics like Manure,   can burn root tips. 

Have a sharpie?  mark the base of newest spear poking out from the center of the crown and watch how quickly ..or not.. in moves.  That will provide good hints regarding how well they're settling in..

Good luck 

Awesome appreciate the advice friend, I went out and marked with them sharpies and will keep doing what I am doing. 

Some other questions I have if you or anyone else can answer them:

Will they get thicker at the trunk first before getting taller? Or will they get taller before getting thicker at the trunk?

Anything I should know about growing them in Zone: 9b?

Will they still need the same amount of watering once they are established? Would having the same watering help them grow more?

How tall do they grow a year once established? I know these palms get huge, I saw them at the Hassayampa River Preserve in Wickenburg Arizona recently. 

[Silas_Sancona]

32 minutes ago, tmiller0421 said:

Some other questions I have if you or anyone else can answer them:

Will they get thicker at the trunk first before getting taller? Or will they get taller before getting thicker at the trunk?

Anything I should know about growing them in Zone: 9b?

Will they still need the same amount of watering once they are established? Would having the same watering help them grow more?

How tall do they grow a year once established? I know these palms get huge, I saw them at the Hassayampa River Preserve in Wickenburg Arizona recently. 

Can vary specimen to specimen,  but,  ..what i've noticed at least,  trunks thicken as they gain height..   Have many in my neighborhood here in Chandler and even the younger / smaller - sized specimens have a very obvious thick trunk compared to Mex Fans. 


Absolutely no issues in 9b.. Many people here on the forum from New Mexico ..and some cooler ..like 9a.. areas in other parts of the country grow them w/ out too much trouble. 



FYI, if looking at other palm options in addition to the filifera ..in the future?  Brahea sp. ...and Sabal uresana, our regionally native Palmetto sp.  laugh at any cold they might see in 9b areas of the valley /nearby. 

Boyce Thompson Arboretum, if you haven't been up there,   Tohono Chul Park, and the UofA Campus Arboretum in Tucson have plenty of those to check out in person, to get an idea of what they look like / size/ etc..  if they interest you. 



Like most things, given more water as they grow,  the faster they will grow..   That said, even the smaller specimens in my neighborhood grow at a decent pace w/ out any extra water ..and look good. 


Honestly, have never estimated how much height the ones in my neighborhood have grown in the 10 years here, but, ..definitely noticeable.

  As mentioned above, more water you provide, even after they're well established, quicker they'll gain height.  

..And yes, lol.. they can take a good amount of water, esp. this time of year. 

Some really nice specimens worth checking out whose roots are literally in water are located in a park, up near N/ Tempe / S.W. Scottsdale.  

..A couple shot of some of them.








...Another great place to check out, if you're ever in the area?  Agua Caliente Park, located in the Tanque Verde area east of downtown Tucson..  Lots of Mex Fans,  and crosses between it and filifera,  but some good looking, pure filifera there too.