palms in Dubai

[Eric in Orlando]

Here are some photos of some palms growing in Dubai. I'm helping as a consultant for a massive project over there. One of the landscape architects went on the first trip over. They visited some other big resorts to see what is being done. I recieved a cd with hundreds of plant photos. Here are some of the palms that are being used. Everything is irrigated with desalinized water so it is much lusher and greener than I thought. Hopefully I will get to go over next year.

Cocos nucifera, Coconuts

Notice the grayish coloring, it is dust buildup. I was told that some of the resorts use pressure washers to clean the dust off. In the last photo, that is the Palm Jebel Ali island being constructed

[Eric in Orlando]

Dypsis decaryi- Triangle Palms

Dypsis lutescens, protected by a building

Wodyetia bifurcata

Caryota mitis

[Eric in Orlando]

Pritchardia pacifica

Bismarckia nobilis

Livistona chinensis

Washingtonia robusta

[Eric in Orlando]

Some Florida natives;

Roystonea regia- Royal Palm

Acoelorrhaphe wrightii- Paurotis Palm

Leucothrinax morrissii (on the far right side)

[Eric in Orlando]

Phoenix dactylifera

Pritchardia in a nursery

Copernicia alba in a nursery

[tropicalb]

nice eric...thanks! I'm really interested in this area.

[Eric in Orlando]

Musa x paradisiaca- Bananas

Ravenala madagascariensis- Traveler's Tree

Pandanus sp.- Screw-Pine

[cfkingfish]

Eric-

The recent past director of Fairchild took a job consulting in Dubai. Have you ever run across him?

[Eric in Orlando]

I have met him before but not from this. I heard about that, he's helping with a nature preserve? Sounds like a interesting job.

There are lots of people from this area working or consulting for Dubai projects. I guess all the theme parks, resorts, and golf courses around here is attracting the job offers.

[DoomsDave]

Eric!

Great pics!

Hmm. How'd you happen to end up in Saudi Arabia?

Just curious . . . .

[el-blanco]

ERIC, How do I apply. Imagine the cost of all those full grown trees! Very nice. Thanks for posting!

Jeff

[Ken Johnson]

Also there are a lot of people being held without thier consent to work as "laborers" (read this slaves) over there. It is a huge problem. There are also many very young people endentured into the sex trade as well and no rights for women.

Other than that the palms look great?????

[waykoolplantz]

There are also many very young people endentured into the sex trade as well and no rights for women.

Trade Palms for sex ??

[Eric in Orlando]

I haven't gone yet, hopefully next year.

I'm not sure where the palms came from but I was told a lot of plant material is being brought in from India and Pakistan.

Eric!

Great pics!

Hmm. How'd you happen to end up in Saudi Arabia?

Just curious . . . .

[Ken Johnson]

I haven't gone yet, hopefully next year.

I'm not sure where the palms came from but I was told a lot of plant material is being brought in from India and Pakistan.

Eric!

Great pics!

Hmm. How'd you happen to end up in Saudi Arabia?

Just curious . . . .

It makes sense that they come from India, that's were they get the "workers" too. There and Thailand.

[cfkingfish]

Dave, I think Eric is trying to say that Dubai is in UAE (United Arab Emirates). Mike Maunder was telling me how things were going over there, it is quite an interesting story. Palm island is eroding, and the private beaches for the houses have become perfect nesting areas for a certain shark species!

[Carlo Morici]

Palm island is eroding, and the private beaches for the houses have become perfect nesting areas for a certain shark species!

Isn't it the city of sin and hopelessness that will be blasted at the end of the days?

From Eric' pictures, it seems they are trying to grow green things in a grey area. The best palms shown are the gray bismarckias and date palms. The "green" ones are struggling. The best results can probably be achieved only by using plants from dry area. Think succulent!...

Also... unethical plantings are those we do with desalinized water... until we find a real way to desalinize water not by burning more oil.

Dubai no Polynesia, no, no.

Carlo

[Eric in Orlando]

Dave, Christian is right. It is actually in the UAE, east of Saudi Arabia, along the Persian/Arabian Gulf.

The project being constructed is Worlds of Discovery, the new Busch Entertainment theme parks. At the top of the Palm Jabel Island being constructed, an island in the shape of an orca is being built, also. It will house a Busch Gardens, Sea World, Aquatica, and Discovery Cove.

http://www.anheuser-busch.com/Press/BEC_022808.html

[Kris]

Dear Eric

Thanks for sharing lovely stills,and that place looks very beautiful too ! And here indians visit dubai & singapore purely for the duty free elec goods.mostly Aircons & refrigritors made for this region performs excellently & lasts long.

All passengers & tourists visiting dubai come back home with cameras,sony tv's,O General Aircons with invertor techenology & hitach frigde,panasonic microwave owen & braun or kenwood blender or mixie.

And iam very eager to see stills during your visit...of that place !

Lots of love to you,

Kris

[Walter John]

A work friend of mine was over in Dubai last August , here's some of his pics with palms in of course. He said it was a great place to experience.

The green palms do look rather heat and sand blasted don't they ? Not so pretty imo. 40c - 50c is common there I hear.

[Eric in Orlando]

Some do get dusty from the high winds they can get. I was told it gets 110-120F in summer and less than 5" of rain. But in summer there can be high humidity if the winds are onshore so it must be miserable with humidity and that hot. Seems as if the climate is kind of a mix of Phoenix, AZ and Key West, FL; very hot in summer, and cool to warm but frost free in winter.

[PalmGuyWC]

Eric,

Thanks for the great pictures from Dubai. I've been wondering what kind of palms grow there. It looks like all the desert palms should do good there. I have a friend who lives there now, but he's not a palm person, but he said it's mostly Phoenix and he's seen a few Bismarkias. I understand the sail shaped hotel is the only 7 star hotel on earth. Martinees at the bar on top go for $102 and rooms start at $2500 a night, and then WAY up.

I'm curious.........where do they get their palms? I understand they have 30 million date palms growing there. My friend bought some dates there recently, and guess where they were grown? Indio Calif.

Dick

[iamjv]

Hey Dick that doesn't surprise me as I have heard that there is a shortage of dates in the region, so they import upwards of 40% of the dates needed. Also understand they are heavily into tissue growing palms to develop clones of premium date palms. Jv