Dypsis in the Sonoran Desert

November 11, 2020

I have often seen it mentioned that the only Dypsis reliable in the Sonoran desert is Dypsis decaryi, the Triangle Palm. I also saw a mention in another thread that D. leptocheilos (Teddy Bear) has been known to handle temps above 110F...that seems a little hard to swallow but I do have a few seedlings that made it through the baking summer in dappled shade, and will eventually test them in the ground as well. I also successfully tested (in shade) this past summer in our Rancho Mirage garden some small plants of D. 'lafa' and D. 'Mayotte Island'; and a couple of small D. onalihensis 'Weepy' form (in morning sun), none of which showed any noticeable stress. Of course sun + intense heat are the biggest issues so time will tell how these handle a less protected situation.

However, there is a very nice Dypsis lutescens in our neighborhood in Rancho Mirage, growing in full morning-to-mid-day sun, shaded only by a large Ficus tree to its west (just recently headed back rather severely, as you may notice). This does give it protection from the sizzling afternoon sun of July-August, but I wonder if it might even be able to handle such an exposure (though I'm sure at the cost of attractiveness). Here is a photo of the specimen a couple of blocks from our house, taken two days ago. Does anyone else have experiences, positive or negative, in the low deserts of California or Arizona, with various species of Dypsis?

November 11, 2020

I’m in the inland empire riverside . I grow alot Of different dypsis . Prestoniana , mananjarensis robusta few other ones . Last 2 years they have seen 120 degrees couple days in a row . Haven’t had any issues . I think for you . You would need some shade until they get good size to them . And loads of water during extreme heat .

November 11, 2020

That Lutescens looks great! I have one that is still very young and in shade. The two tallest palms in the clump are about 5 and a half feet tall the rest smaller. It has been a slow but steady grower that has split off at least two if not three new suckers in the 12 months in ground.

I am not as dry as you. In the San Gabriel foothills at 1600 ft elevation. Hot dry summers, I get on average 10-15 days of rain in winter sometimes as much as 18-20.

November 12, 2020

On 11/11/2020 at 12:46 AM, mnorell said:

I have often seen it mentioned that the only Dypsis reliable in the Sonoran desert is Dypsis decaryi, the Triangle Palm. I also saw a mention in another thread that D. leptocheilos (Teddy Bear) has been known to handle temps above 110F...that seems a little hard to swallow but I do have a few seedlings that made it through the baking summer in dappled shade, and will eventually test them in the ground as well. I also successfully tested (in shade) this past summer in our Rancho Mirage garden some small plants of D. 'lafa' and D. 'Mayotte Island'; and a couple of small D. onalihensis 'Weepy' form (in morning sun), none of which showed any noticeable stress. Of course sun + intense heat are the biggest issues so time will tell how these handle a less protected situation.

However, there is a very nice Dypsis lutescens in our neighborhood in Rancho Mirage, growing in full morning-to-mid-day sun, shaded only by a large Ficus tree to its west (just recently headed back rather severely, as you may notice). This does give it protection from the sizzling afternoon sun of July-August, but I wonder if it might even be able to handle such an exposure (though I'm sure at the cost of attractiveness). Here is a photo of the specimen a couple of blocks from our house, taken two days ago. Does anyone else have experiences, positive or negative, in the low deserts of California or Arizona, with various species of Dypsis?