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Would love to grow one in my yard, but somewhat apprehensive about nursing one into growth and losing it to a cold winter.
Yep Sunseeker, particular desert / sun-heat loving palms that have a tolerance for colder overnight lows in the winter actually thrive in ABQ very well. People often forget that in the thermal zones of ABQ, the gardening climate zones are between 7, 7b, and even some 8a. That is much warmer than so many places, and more so than even long time ABQeans realize.
Sure, in the thermal zones, you'll still get some brutally cold overnight lows in the winter - a handful at the most - but a few single digits or teens - but heck, even places in zones 9, 10, etc., like SoCal, Florida, etc., certainly Phoenix, drop into the 20s occasionally almost every winter. Vegetation is more durable than folks realize. It is the prolonged, constant freezing that is the big harm to semi-tropicals, and fortunately, ABQ almost never has this.
Having said all of this, Sunseeker, if I remember correctly, you are in the east-of-Tramway (+6000 feet) area, correct? If so, then I would probably shy away from a palm tree...except for MAYBE a Windmill Palm (T. Fortunei) that was planted older (a larger specimen) against a west or south facing wall.
While the thermal zone of ABQ (which is the majority of the city proper) is in that semi-tropical 7, 7b, and 8a range, the foothills (east of Tramway and to a slightly lesser degree east of Juan Tabo) and the Valleys (North and South) are both in a more solid 6 or even 6a (foothills) zone which means significantly (gardening-wise) colder overnight lows. While a December overnight low of 25 in the Heights compared to 18 in the foothills might not *feel* that much different to a person, to your fledgling palm tree, it means all the difference in the world.
I thoroughly endorse liberal Windmill Palm and California Fan Palm planting in ABQ...but generally away from the foothills or the near-Valleys.
Warning: these pictures (at least some of them) from my trip a month ago totally suck. Nor is this intended to be a representation of what Albuquerque is about. I actually did see quite a bit of the town, but unfortunately I didn't take more pictures, stupid me. This is just the Tramway and pieces of Tramway Rd leading to and from there.
Nonsense, vegaspilgrim, your pictures are great. Such a beautiful day... and everything looks so green!
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Thanks for posting these great photos!
