Why Are So Many Palm Trees in Arizona Trimmed? (Phoenix: train, climate)

[nitram]

Washintonia filifera is native to Southern California and Mexico. It was brought in from California by a grower and started here at that time. That is why it is commonly called the California Fan Palm
There are no native palms in AZ.
http://www.nsl.fs.fed.us/wpsm/Washingtonia.pdf
http://www.nsl.fs.fed.us/wpsm/Washingtonia.pdf
California Fan Palm - DesertUSA

[mortimer]

nitram incorrectly corrected me:

> There are no native palms in AZ.

I was prepared to concede, but your third link [California Fan Palm - DesertUSA] clearly states:

"Occur naturally in desert oases in isolated areas ... southwestern Arizona,"

Your other link also states: "This species is native to .... and in Yuma County, Arizona,"

Every other cite that I found also said that.

[Bill-]

Here's an article about native palms in AZ

Arizona Highways#

[nitram]

There are dozens of links on google about the washingtonia filifera. 95% say it's native to So.Cal and Mexico. That seems to be the general agreement. Others may want to dispute that. Stories start by someone claiming it to be true, when in fact it is the opposite.
But in all reality, and semantics aside, it is not even native to the Americas at all. It's origins are from either the Mediterranean or Africa. In Florida these palms flourish also. The University of Florida did a study of these palms, as other horticulturists have done, and you'll find that all palm trees are originally from overseas, the Mediterranean, Africa or the tropics.
People also claim the plants in Hawaii are native to Hawaii. Not true almost all of their plants came from China, since Hawaii consists of only volcanic eruptions.

[kdog]

Are you implying that not everything you read on the internet is true!?

[nitram]

kdog,lol. You know there are still people who believe Christopher Columbus discovered America, not knowing that the Vikings landed here long before him and it was the Chinese who actually discovered America many many years before that.

[mortimer]

Bill helpfully posted:

> Here's an article about native palms in AZ
>
> Arizona Highways#

Can you re-check that link again? It didn't work for me. Perhaps you
can include the full URL as a text string just in case it doesn't work again.

nitram added:

> ... semantics ... plants in Hawaii are native to Hawaii. Not true
> almost all of their plants came from China, since Hawaii consists
> of only volcanic eruptions.

Semantics, indeed. By that definition, no plant can be considered
native unless by a genetic mutation, it evolved at that location first.

Any spreading via wind, bird poop, etc does not count.

[Bill-]

Originally Posted by mortimer

Bill helpfully posted:

> Here's an article about native palms in AZ
>
> Arizona Highways#

Can you re-check that link again? It didn't work for me. Perhaps you
can include the full URL as a text string just in case it doesn't work again.

here's a new link about the same place.

Palm Canyon Trail at Kofa NWR

[nitram]

Follow the trail. As said previously, palms and especially the washingtonii filifera came from either the Mediterrainean or Africa and are generally acknowledeged as being brought to the Americas from Spain.
Here's an interesting related story.
Palms in Europe, the Palms of Elche, article from Principes, International Palm Society

Some growers believe if a plant is brought in, planted and survives for a 100 years or more, it can be considered a native. That is probably the case for the palms growing in the southwest and other aeas like Florida.

[jcs1956]

nitram,
Thank you for all the info.But are there any palms that we can use for shade.
We live in southern ,AZ Hereford.To much open space..
Thanks in advance.
Jennifer