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Location: Live:Downtown Phoenix, AZ/Work:Greater Los Angeles, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tom77falcons
I would think if they could grow there you would see many of them in tourist beach places like the southern end of South Padre Island. Why wouldn't the locals or the town plant loads of them for tourism brochures? It would go a long way because people see that on tv or in magazines, and immediately think tropical and warm in winter. Why on earth do you think Florida has so many growing around.
I think they are afraid to plant them cause they know how unstable the winter there is just like the rest of the South.
The reason that Brownsville/Padre Island doesn't have more coconut palms than they do, is because their is a law that they can't import seeds or trees from Florida due to lethal yellowing, so they have to get them from Mexico, which is much more expensive, and the Rio Grande Valley is just about the poorest area of Texas, so the money isn't really there
Obviously Bronwsville. Both are hellish temps wise, but at least Brnwv can have a decent cold snap from time to time in winter and you have the better chance to see a snow event in your lifetime there (see 2004) than in Miami, for sure. Also Brnwv has more moderate humidity troughout the year and perfect sunshine hours IMO (Miami's too sunny).
The reason that Brownsville/Padre Island doesn't have more coconut palms than they do, is because their is a law that they can't import seeds or trees from Florida due to lethal yellowing, so they have to get them from Mexico, which is much more expensive, and the Rio Grande Valley is just about the poorest area of Texas, so the money isn't really there
Brownsville has the same temps in the winter (January) as Tampa. There are few coconut palms there either, they can be planted and last a couple years but they usually die after 10 or so years without protection.
Padre Island is not Miami Beach but much much better than Galveston. Water is blue-green on a nice day.
What people don't realize is that when it is windy on the beach in Florida, the water isn't exactly beautiful clear blue. I've been there when it is windy, and it is all stirred up. That happens everywhere. The question is what does the water look like on a beach when it is a calm sunny day. Around here the water is pretty nice on days like that. One thing I've noticed in summer is that it seems South Padre Island is quite windy compared to the Florida coast. That could stir up a lot of sand.
The only beaches that have clear water on every single day are those without rivers nearby, and where the beaches are pebbly and rocky obviously. Sand particles get put right into suspension on any beach when the water is rough.
I think this video illustrates my point exactly. Look at the water color as the waves move thru. The sand gets all stirred up.
What is interesting about Galveston is that the water inshore looks bad, but out past the waves the water looks pretty decent. You can see that in these two videos.
These two are from Galveston, TX about 300 miles further north along the coast.
Brownsville has the same temps in the winter (January) as Tampa. There are few coconut palms there either, they can be planted and last a couple years but they usually die after 10 or so years without protection.
What is interesting about that is that many palms still exist on the east coast of FL all the way up to Cocoa Beach. I've heard not all were killed in 2010-11 winter.
Obviously Bronwsville. Both are hellish temps wise, but at least Brnwv can have a decent cold snap from time to time in winter and you have the better chance to see a snow event in your lifetime there (see 2004) than in Miami, for sure. Also Brnwv has more moderate humidity troughout the year and perfect sunshine hours IMO (Miami's too sunny).
More moderate humidity? What?? I've been to both places and Brownsville felt more oppressive. Same summer dew points (mid-upper 70s F) as Miami with slightly higher temperatures. It snowed in Brownsville in 1895 and 2004...that's less than once in a hundred years. It snowed in Miami in 1977.
What is interesting about that is that many palms still exist on the east coast of FL all the way up to Cocoa Beach. I've heard not all were killed in 2010-11 winter.
There are many coconuts that survived the 2010 freeze in the warmer parts of the Tampa Bay Area and the Space Coast. You will have no trouble finding them there. Cocoa Beach is actually a great microclimate, lower minimums than many places further south. Southern Pinellas county is also a warm spot. Some nice coconuts in Orlando too.
I think for Coconut palms, you need to consider soil temperature as well. If soil temperature drops to around 60 or below, it stresses the trees and begins to kill them off.
This is why a cold snap in Miami usually just does leaf damage... Yes, the 40s are brutal on them but because a typical severe cold snap here lasts 2-4 days, usually the soil temperature stays above 60 and they don't begin to die at the root.
There are many factors in soil temperature, but one is the daily mean of the place. In Miami, the daily mean is 68.15 degrees during the coldest month. In Cocoa Beach, it's 61 degrees. Already at the threshold where the roots of these trees begin to die. So when a cold snap does occur, it can very much drop the soil temperature a bit below 61 degrees.
Places like Santa Monica, in California almost never see freezes and their absolute lows are actually very similar to Miami. Some years the lowest temperature they see is a few degrees warmer than Miami, and other times Miami is only a few degrees warmer. But they can't grow coconut palm trees, why? Their daily mean is 57.5 degrees, the soil is already too cold on a average day to support them.
Miami for sure, better climate & can support long term Coconut palms...
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