Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thanks Convict. It was ultra-painful to leave. I was looking for you at the Frontier!!
Now, check out those palms for yourself and let me know that you found them...and how they look!!
Desert - GREAT pic. That's a house near Coors and Irving? I love those palms. Hopefully those will survive the next winter or two...that is always the key to Mexican or California Fan Palms in ABQ...their first winter or two.
But as you say, those things grow very fast. That's why you see them in El Paso or Tucson being 25 or 35 or 50 feet in the air...they are fast growers.
---
I have a list of like 50 places in ABQ with healthy palms...
Those look great Desert Sun! I've seen hundreds of Palms throughout ABQ as well, just have to look for them, most are small, but they are doing well it seems. If any of you drive down Unser frequently, there is a house on the East side of Unser, between Dellyne and Montano that has numerous palms. In fact he planted about 10 more this summer out back. Not sure those will make it as they'll be in the shade most of the year, but the ones out front have been doing well for 3 years now. There is another house near Marie Hughes that had four large California or Mexican Fan Palms that had been growing for 8+ years, the last big snowstorm in 2006 killed 3 of them.
That neighborhood near Alameda and Corrales road has a bunch of palms for those who miss seeing them.
Thanks Convict. It was ultra-painful to leave. I was looking for you at the Frontier!!
Now, check out those palms for yourself and let me know that you found them...and how they look!!
Desert - GREAT pic. That's a house near Coors and Irving? I love those palms. Hopefully those will survive the next winter or two...that is always the key to Mexican or California Fan Palms in ABQ...their first winter or two.
But as you say, those things grow very fast. That's why you see them in El Paso or Tucson being 25 or 35 or 50 feet in the air...they are fast growers.
---
I have a list of like 50 places in ABQ with healthy palms...
yeah, hopefully they make it through the next few winters ok and have time to really harden up to our winters, they seemed to make it through last winter easily, the date palm that is near Carlisle and Central is growing pretty good for never having any protection.
I dont know if you seen the palm at Rudys when you were down but that thing is growing like a beast too, I will snap a pic sometime if you havent seen it. There is a house just off of Montano and Edith that has 2 windmills that grow really well, not much trunk yet, but lots of fronds.
I will map the house(in the pics) for you on street maps- Google Maps
In fact he planted about 10 more this summer out back. Not sure those will make it as they'll be in the shade most of the year, but the ones out front have been doing well for 3 years now.
That's the biggest problem with palm growers in Albuquerque; palms grow in ABQ...well in fact, and thrive, but people often plant them / grow them erroneously.
The one type of palm that you can primarily get away with growing in ABQ in any spot (north, south, east, west facing exposures alike) and at any stage of development is the Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus Fortunei); these are the 10, 12, 14 foot varieties found near the old ABQ Hilton at the Big-I, the Zoo, and the ones I am referencing at UNM. They are found very commonly elsewhere as well all throughout the city and tend to look quite tropical / great!
You'll also find them (although not as commonly) in the Las Cruces / El Paso corridor, and even in Phoenix, Tucson, etc.
The California Fan Palm is an okay choice for Albuquerque, and the Mexican Fan too (although Mexican Fans are even less cold hardy than California Fans) - these are the two varieties found most commonly in El Paso / Las Cruces - but for these, except for some awesome exceptions and great micro climates - it is absolutely extremely helpful, if not essential, to plant them (preferably somewhat sized already) in as sunny as possible spots, west or south facing, and ideally near a west/south facing wall.
Furthermore, sadly, people often have planted the Mexican / California fan palms either in Corrales / the North Valley, or, in far Northeast ABQ (northeast of Wyoming and Paseo). These are about two of the WORST spots in ABQ to plant these trees, as they are two of the colder spots for overnight winter lows.
Ideal spots, instead, would be in the "banana belt", west of Eubank (or better yet, Wyoming), south of Alameda, and certainly east of the West Mesa. The closer you get to 4900 or 5000 feet in elevation, the better, but not too close to the river / valley either.
The UNM area is probably the absolute prime area for things like Mexican / California fans, as well as the Uptown area and much of the Heights.
There are Mexican / California fan palms that thrive and do great in many spots in ABQ (offhand, the Westside Rudy's has had one for years, there is an architectural firm near San Mateo and Central that's had a big one that does great for years, etc.), but people need to use better knowledge and common sense when planting them.
To me, to put in 10 more as you reference finmqa1, but then to throw them in the shade, is just disappointing. They are going to be very hard pressed to thrive through some cold winter nights with little daytime sun. That warming winter sun of 50, 55, 60 degrees is so pivotal to their winter survival of the chillier nights.
Some people that should even know better still don't. Osuna Nursery once had a couple of beautiful Mexican Fan palms planted in the median on Osuna which looked great for quite some time, however, again, they were right out there, getting down closer to the valley, with absolutely no wall protection, etc. They were just guaranteed to die eventually, and they did.
Transversely, even as high of Motgomery and Tramway, at one of the old nurseries that has since shut down (a few years back...can't remember their name offhand), they had a 15 foot Windmill Palm that did AWESOME...well over 6000 feet I believe.
It is all about knowing the tree kind, the altitude, the exposure.
Quote:
Originally Posted by finmqa1
That neighborhood near Alameda and Corrales road has a bunch of palms for those who miss seeing them.
I love that neighborhood. There are so many palm-laden beautiful landscapes there, that you might almost in a few spots picture yourself more in 'Cruces or Tucson - beautiful!
There have been many palms lost in that neighborhood though, too, and again, I can't believe the foolishness and callousness that was used in planting some. While much of ABQ is in a zone 7b, there they are, right down by the Rio Grande (almost on top of it), more at a 6b or a 7a at best. They threw a ton of 30 foot Mexican Fans out in front of a house or two - totally east-facing and non-protected by a wall, etc. - of course they were doomed to die. It looked awesome while it lasted - totally Tucson-esque - but of course they died and had to be removed.
Heck, there was a mariscos place on Central Ave, just west of San Mateo, that had planted two huge DATE palm trees out, totally unprotected! Again, looked great when they were put in, but the varieties the used struggle through some PHOENIX winters, much less ABQ's. They had no chance.
Palms work magnificently well in most of ABQ, people just have to use some better judgment in how they used them. I hate it when people remove dead palms and state that "yep, palms just don't work in ABQ"...bs, the examples abound...they work, just with some common sense. Its a town of 5000 feet, not under 2000 like Phoenix.
the date palm that is near Carlisle and Central is growing pretty good for never having any protection.
That thing is a freak of nature...how a date palm survives in ABQ with no protection is beyond me, but I have seen it and it continues to chug along incredibly.
ABQ's climate is goofy like that. It is generally a classic 7b (6, 6b, and 7a in the Valley and the Footills), but it has some sporadic microclimes that are more akin to an 8.
I still am boggled by the 15 foot saguaro that has grown for years at the house near the South Valley on 2nd and Rio Bravo. That thing has looked great for years and has survived winters for years in ABQ.
You'd be hard-pressed for things like date palms and saguaros to survive most anywhere in ABQ, but occasionally they do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by desert sun
I dont know if you seen the palm at Rudys when you were down but that thing is growing like a beast too, I will snap a pic sometime if you havent seen it.
Yep, I have admired that Rudy's palm for years. It always looks kind of battered in early March or so after winter, but it always then comes back and looks great most of the year. A classic California Fan palm that thrives in ABQ's climate. I love that palm.
Quote:
Originally Posted by desert sun
There is a house just off of Montano and Edith that has 2 windmills that grow really well, not much trunk yet, but lots of fronds.
Actually never have seen that one!! Will hopefully be able to check it out again, should I be able to again soon get to ABQ.
That thing is a freak of nature...how a date palm survives in ABQ with no protection is beyond me, but I have seen it and it continues to chug along incredibly.
ABQ's climate is goofy like that. It is generally a classic 7b (6, 6b, and 7a in the Valley and the Footills), but it has some sporadic microclimes that are more akin to an 8.
I still am boggled by the 15 foot saguaro that has grown for years at the house near the South Valley on 2nd and Rio Bravo. That thing has looked great for years and has survived winters for years in ABQ.
You'd be hard-pressed for things like date palms and saguaros to survive most anywhere in ABQ, but occasionally they do.
Yep, I have admired that Rudy's palm for years. It always looks kind of battered in early March or so after winter, but it always then comes back and looks great most of the year. A classic California Fan palm that thrives in ABQ's climate. I love that palm.
Actually never have seen that one!! Will hopefully be able to check it out again, should I be able to again soon get to ABQ.
the house on Montano and Edith has 2 great healthy looking windmill palms,maybe 4-5 years old. I noticed them last year, they are kind of hard to spot though cause of the fence but you can still see, they also have a huge agave in front, here it is-
ABQ's climate can support a great amount of these. Not quite to El Paso's caliber, where you will see a boggling amount of outrageously huge agaves (I have seen many there that get near rooftop levels), but a great share of them all the same.
Next time I am on the UNM campus I need to find these elusive palm trees myself. I am quite intrigued.
In addition, I remember the first time I saw the palm tree adjacent to the Hilton. It was the first palm I ever saw in Albuquerque. However, being the first palm that I had noticed I brushed it off and just figured it must have been some deformed yucca plant.
Next time I am on the UNM campus I need to find these elusive palm trees myself. I am quite intrigued.
I have photos. I just need to download them finally and get them uploaded here!
Quote:
Originally Posted by santafe400
In addition, I remember the first time I saw the palm tree adjacent to the Hilton. It was the first palm I ever saw in Albuquerque. However, being the first palm that I had noticed I brushed it off and just figured it must have been some deformed yucca plant.
Too funny, although its not just one palm, its actually several as you walk all the way around the complex. Yes, I am a palm nut (aka weirdo).
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
