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. 

[tmiller0421]

23 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

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. 

Thanks for the advice. I will research into those palms as well. I'll give these areas a try and look around next time I'm around there. I see some of my neighbors have some good sized ones here in new river. The specimens that inspired me to grow them were these ones at the Hassayampa river preserve in Wickenburg. Astronomically massive. Theres some people in one of the photos for size comparison. I didn't get a photo but one of them had their skirt/beards never trimed and was taller then all the rest. Looked stunning.

[Silas_Sancona]

16 minutes ago, tmiller0421 said:

Thanks for the advice. I will research into those palms as well. I'll give these areas a try and look around next time I'm around there. I see some of my neighbors have some good sized ones here in new river. The specimens that inspired me to grow them were these ones at the Hassayampa river preserve in Wickenburg. Astronomically massive. Theres some people in one of the photos for size comparison. I didn't get a photo but one of them had their skirt/beards never trimed and was taller then all the rest. Looked stunning.

Great shots  

Definitely a much nicer palm than the wayy over planted Mex Fan..  

Only see a few where i grew up but,  they caught my attention from an early age. 

Since you're on the north side of the Valley,  if ever in the Glendale area,  check out the Xeric Demo Garden at the Library there  ..Some of the other palms i mentioned are growing there as well.  

Also,  not too far south of there along 59th Ave. < Just north or Orangewood Ave > there's a ..roughly.. 7 house stretch of 59th < Right side if headed south.. Really can't miss seeing them, lol > with numerous, massive filifera lining the street..  

Can't say with 100% confidence they're pure filifera but their trunks are pretty chunky. 

Haven't been out that way in sometime but, always knew i was close to the demo garden when i passed these palms. 

[tmiller0421]

On 5/11/2026 at 8:19 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Great shots  

Definitely a much nicer palm than the wayy over planted Mex Fan..  

Only see a few where i grew up but,  they caught my attention from an early age. 

Since you're on the north side of the Valley,  if ever in the Glendale area,  check out the Xeric Demo Garden at the Library there  ..Some of the other palms i mentioned are growing there as well.  

Also,  not too far south of there along 59th Ave. < Just north or Orangewood Ave > there's a ..roughly.. 7 house stretch of 59th < Right side if headed south.. Really can't miss seeing them, lol > with numerous, massive filifera lining the street..  

Can't say with 100% confidence they're pure filifera but their trunks are pretty chunky. 

Haven't been out that way in sometime but, always knew i was close to the demo garden when i passed these palms. 

I will check out the Xeric Demo Garden when I get time. I have been down to that library a couple of times.

Another thought I had was to use small gravel instead of mulch, I had a couple of my coworkers recommend it to me to help prevent the top soil from eroding. Also saw some posts on here from 2021 of some of you guys saying to use it since it drains well and protects the top layer. Almost like pebbles, I did the same thing on my yuccas and they all grew huge but wonder if a palm is much the same.

[Silas_Sancona]

37 minutes ago, tmiller0421 said:

I will check out the Xeric Demo Garden when I get time. I have been down to that library a couple of times.

Another thought I had was to use small gravel instead of mulch, I had a couple of my coworkers recommend it to me to help prevent the top soil from eroding. Also saw some posts on here from 2021 of some of you guys saying to use it since it drains well and protects the top layer. Almost like pebbles, I did the same thing on my yuccas and they all grew huge but wonder if a palm is much the same.

Around the palms,  or to cover the yard?

You can put gravel around the palms, though it might not stay there, depending on how wide the rings they are planted in are / mound like vs. being more bowl like and the size of stone mulch used. 



If referring to the yard ..and/ or to cover planting beds?,  


I know there are a few who will try to give me grief about it but,  here at least,  Gravel is  the best " bare soil cover " option one can put down.

That said, laying it 1-2" deep will help, but not by a large amount..  3" ..or a little deeper..  is better,  if you can..  If you have burrowing yard menaces where you're located  ..Gophers, Ground or Antelope Squirrels,   you'd lay down a deeper layer for sure.. 

Laid it in both yards i've landscaped here and can say ..with plenty of evidence to support what i've noted.. that it helps keep moisture in the soil ..and helps drive more of it,  deeper into the soil,  when we get good rains    ..and cuts down on erosion. 

Adding to that,  just because you lay down gravel, that doesn't mean you have to leave it bare  ..the " sizzling gravel grave yards "  you probably see just as often in yards on your side of town as i do down here..    I made a point of throwing in everything from certain Cacti to  native grasses,  perennial and annual winter / summer flowering things in gravel covered areas ..below the larger things planted when i put each project together..  Why?   A:  so it doesn't look as bare,  and B,  because   ..if you ever walk the desert, ..or any habitat really..   you'll see how extensive areas of bare ground  ..gravely or not..  are pretty rare,  rather than the rule.. 

Unless it an extreme habitat type where something chemical in the native soil hinders much -if any- growth,  there is usually something leafy trying to cover that bare ground..   Soil,  rocky or not,  is supposed to have a living skin,  not be bare. 

Bigger plants,  like trees ..and/or palms..  benefit from having other plants around their feet both in those things helping keep the soil cooler ( ..than if the space between them were bare of -any- vegetation )  and because ..in the words of a famous plant geek " Plants aren't islands "  and the more diversity you have in a planting,  the more each thing benefits from the other..  Legumes fix nitrogen and attract certain soil microbe flora vs grasses or your Yuccas and Palms  yet they all work with each other to keep the whole " group " ..if you want to use such a term..   healthy..  

Another thing is if you have trees like Mesquite or Palo Verde anywhere nearby,  the duff they generate each year that may blow into gravel will filter thru it, decomposing as it reaches where the soil is, and release nutrients into the soil itself.   I get several types of mushrooms popping up in gravelly areas when we get enough rain  ..is a sign that organic material from the trees here and nearby / what debris from dead annual stuff stays in the soil is breaking down /filtering through the rock,  and releasing nutrients.

Slower process than occurs w/ organics obviously  but,  yes,  gravel,  of any type,  also releases pulses of nutrients as well.. 

Depending on the rock type,  that gravel could add stuff like Iron, Magnesium / Manganese, and Potassium  < = Granite and other volcanic origin type rock, >  ..or Calcium <  = Limestone / other Carbon -rich rock types >   to your soil,  over time. 


Chunky, hardwood mulches here are pretty useless, imo..  If they don't get blown around,  or washed out during a storm,  they take forever to break down.. (  It's a lot of work breaking down lignin, here esp. ) 

While the rumor that wood mulch attracts Scorpions is greatly exaggerated,  ....-any- thing that provides a cool moist spot to hang out / find an easy meal will attract bugs ..the ones you want, ..and those you might not want hanging out so close to a home..  honestly

Termites  ..they are more likely to show up in wood mulch covered areas rather than Scorps.   Another reason i myself stay away from them,  here ..or anywhere.. 

Gravel looks much nicer anyway..

[tmiller0421]

15 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Around the palms,  or to cover the yard?

You can put gravel around the palms, though it might not stay there, depending on how wide the rings they are planted in are / mound like vs. being more bowl like and the size of stone mulch used. 



If referring to the yard ..and/ or to cover planting beds?,  


I know there are a few who will try to give me grief about it but,  here at least,  Gravel is  the best " bare soil cover " option one can put down.

That said, laying it 1-2" deep will help, but not by a large amount..  3" ..or a little deeper..  is better,  if you can..  If you have burrowing yard menaces where you're located  ..Gophers, Ground or Antelope Squirrels,   you'd lay down a deeper layer for sure.. 

Laid it in both yards i've landscaped here and can say ..with plenty of evidence to support what i've noted.. that it helps keep moisture in the soil ..and helps drive more of it,  deeper into the soil,  when we get good rains    ..and cuts down on erosion. 

Adding to that,  just because you lay down gravel, that doesn't mean you have to leave it bare  ..the " sizzling gravel grave yards "  you probably see just as often in yards on your side of town as i do down here..    I made a point of throwing in everything from certain Cacti to  native grasses,  perennial and annual winter / summer flowering things in gravel covered areas ..below the larger things planted when i put each project together..  Why?   A:  so it doesn't look as bare,  and B,  because   ..if you ever walk the desert, ..or any habitat really..   you'll see how extensive areas of bare ground  ..gravely or not..  are pretty rare,  rather than the rule.. 

Unless it an extreme habitat type where something chemical in the native soil hinders much -if any- growth,  there is usually something leafy trying to cover that bare ground..   Soil,  rocky or not,  is supposed to have a living skin,  not be bare. 

Bigger plants,  like trees ..and/or palms..  benefit from having other plants around their feet both in those things helping keep the soil cooler ( ..than if the space between them were bare of -any- vegetation )  and because ..in the words of a famous plant geek " Plants aren't islands "  and the more diversity you have in a planting,  the more each thing benefits from the other..  Legumes fix nitrogen and attract certain soil microbe flora vs grasses or your Yuccas and Palms  yet they all work with each other to keep the whole " group " ..if you want to use such a term..   healthy..  

Another thing is if you have trees like Mesquite or Palo Verde anywhere nearby,  the duff they generate each year that may blow into gravel will filter thru it, decomposing as it reaches where the soil is, and release nutrients into the soil itself.   I get several types of mushrooms popping up in gravelly areas when we get enough rain  ..is a sign that organic material from the trees here and nearby / what debris from dead annual stuff stays in the soil is breaking down /filtering through the rock,  and releasing nutrients.

Slower process than occurs w/ organics obviously  but,  yes,  gravel,  of any type,  also releases pulses of nutrients as well.. 

Depending on the rock type,  that gravel could add stuff like Iron, Magnesium / Manganese, and Potassium  < = Granite and other volcanic origin type rock, >  ..or Calcium <  = Limestone / other Carbon -rich rock types >   to your soil,  over time. 


Chunky, hardwood mulches here are pretty useless, imo..  If they don't get blown around,  or washed out during a storm,  they take forever to break down.. (  It's a lot of work breaking down lignin, here esp. ) 

While the rumor that wood mulch attracts Scorpions is greatly exaggerated,  ....-any- thing that provides a cool moist spot to hang out / find an easy meal will attract bugs ..the ones you want, ..and those you might not want hanging out so close to a home..  honestly

Termites  ..they are more likely to show up in wood mulch covered areas rather than Scorps.   Another reason i myself stay away from them,  here ..or anywhere.. 

Gravel looks much nicer anyway..

Appreciate that, I was thinking the gravel would be a good way to go since it's seemed to work on all my other plants out here that need well draining soil. Everything you say about it is definitely true. Every desert plant I had that didn't have gravel died off while all of the ones that did grew huge and healthy over the years. Just finished putting gravel in all of them now. Thanks again for reaffirming I thought I was going crazy. Also went and marked them all with a marker to watch the growth.