Just moved to Katy from Miami, am I alone?

[tstone]

Originally Posted by rstrstx

If you own a home there are a number of suitable palms and subtropical plants for your yard, I know people from horribly cold areas (like North Carolina) that would kill to be able to grow all the subtropical plants you can get away with in Houston. Sure it'll look more like Orlando than Miami, but still

South of I-10 has the south Texas and south-central FL "hardiness zone" climate-type, but the clay soil we have may be an issue here. I see a decent amount of citrus out here in Clear Lake, but I think special care may be needed with young trees.

There's a place on I-45 around Monroe called "His Soils" (Jesus Christ, crown of thorns logo), which is a dump of different mountains of soil for sale. A place like that might have some insight.

I've also had good backyard-Houston papaya.

[EasilyAmused]

My mother had huge pots with Lemon, Mandarin, and Tangelo trees. When the freezes were on the way she had them dollied under the porch overhang. It can be done, but you just have to move them when the weather gets bad.
Friends of mine have inground grapefruit trees( hate those) that they throw freeze tarps over.

[rstrstx]

Actually a lot of palms that grow in Houston (palmettos, Chinese fans, washingtonia) tolerate or even thrive in heavy dark soils. A few though, like pindos, are happier in sandy soil