Looking for pure Washingtonia filifera, no hybrids.

[Marcia]

Located in Tucson, AZ, will travel up to a day's drive. Prefer plants 5 gallon size. I need to be assured they are not hybridized with W. robusta. 

[Darold Petty]

Marcia,  Welcome to Palmtalk !   

[Arizona transplant]

Coachella valley is your best bet probably. 6hr drive from Tucson but theres access to amazing assortment of palms for sale. Theres reasonably decent access in Phoenix but nothing like Palm Desert area. You can get whatever size filifera you want.

If youre talking about palms sold for use in landscaping in the desert southwest- a huge amount of them originate there. Theres still a lot of land dedicated to raising nursery stock.

Yuma is another place to look for nursery stock.

[Marcia]

4 minutes ago, Arizona transplant said:

Coachella valley is your best bet probably. 6hr drive from Tucson but theres access to amazing assortment of palms for sale. Theres reasonably decent access in Phoenix but nothing like Palm Desert area. You can get whatever size filifera you want.

If youre talking about palms sold for use in landscaping in the desert southwest- a huge amount of them originate there. Theres still a lot of land dedicated to raising nursery stock.

Yuma is another place to look for nursery stock.

Thanks. A lot of the places are wholesale only.  In any case, I gave up and made a road trip to Joshua Tree NP and collected some seed from 2 different groves and have those seeds planted in pots now. Yes it will take longer but at least I know where they came from

[Silas_Sancona]

1 hour ago, Marcia said:

Thanks. A lot of the places are wholesale only.  In any case, I gave up and made a road trip to Joshua Tree NP and collected some seed from 2 different groves and have those seeds planted in pots now. Yes it will take longer but at least I know where they came from

  Sometimes the best way to get the seeds you want is a trip into habitat, vs. purchasing from somewhere.  Do this quite often w/ certain uncommon / more unique natives that are hardly grown ..even by the good nurseries down there, or in CA. / elsewhere. 

Collecting a handful of seed from somewhere also makes for a good back story later.

The good thing w/ Washingtonia, even filifera is  ..compared to some other palms, they're fairly fast growers  ...so you won't have to wait a long time to see results of starting out from seed.

Another great palm you might seek out, if you have room: Sabal uresana, our regionally native Palmetto sp. ( from Sonora )  Numerous specimens down there that seed each year.

Beautiful, esp the blue / silvery - toned form, and just as tough as Cali. Fans ( Washingtonia filifera )

[Marcia]

13 hours ago, Silas_Sancona said:

  Sometimes the best way to get the seeds you want is a trip into habitat, vs. purchasing from somewhere.  Do this quite often w/ certain uncommon / more unique natives that are hardly grown ..even by the good nurseries down there, or in CA. / elsewhere. 

Collecting a handful of seed from somewhere also makes for a good back story later.

The good thing w/ Washingtonia, even filifera is  ..compared to some other palms, they're fairly fast growers  ...so you won't have to wait a long time to see results of starting out from seed.

Another great palm you might seek out, if you have room: Sabal uresana, our regionally native Palmetto sp. ( from Sonora )  Numerous specimens down there that seed each year.

Beautiful, esp the blue / silvery - toned form, and just as tough as Cali. Fans ( Washingtonia filifera )

Thanks! That sounds like a good one. I love palms. I have really bad soil though, clay, lots of rocks, caliche. Where I will be planting the W. filifera is down in a wash where it is more sandy.

[Silas_Sancona]

5 minutes ago, Marcia said:

Thanks! That sounds like a good one. I love palms. I have really bad soil though, clay, lots of rocks, caliche. Where I will be planting the W. filifera is down in a wash where it is more sandy.

Believe it or not but our local species ( Washingtonia, Brahea sps, and the above mentioned Sabal sp from Sonora ) thrive in our soils.. Lucky you that you have access to a wash where you can plant too ..As far from a wash as is possible where i'm at here in Chandler, haha..

Depending on what side of town your on down there, all sorts of interesting non palmy " tropical " things like the same rocky, well drained soil as well.. 

If you're relatively new to the area, ..or just haven't visited, The palm collection at Tohono Chul Park in Casas Adobes is a great place to see how the Genera listed above do in relatively un-touched native soil w/ minimal extra care..

Some other non native palm options also don't mind our soil as well..
 

[Marcia]

1 hour ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Believe it or not but our local species ( Washingtonia, Brahea sps, and the above mentioned Sabal sp from Sonora ) thrive in our soils.. Lucky you that you have access to a wash where you can plant too ..As far from a wash as is possible where i'm at here in Chandler, haha..

Depending on what side of town your on down there, all sorts of interesting non palmy " tropical " things like the same rocky, well drained soil as well.. 

If you're relatively new to the area, ..or just haven't visited, The palm collection at Tohono Chul Park in Casas Adobes is a great place to see how the Genera listed above do in relatively un-touched native soil w/ minimal extra care..

Some other non native palm options also don't mind our soil as well..
 

Hi, thanks for mentioning Tohono Chul, it's only about 15-20 minutes east of me. I haven't been there in a long time (I've been in Tucson for 45 years!) and I guess I didn't pay much attention to their palm collection. I'll have to go see. I wouldn't call my soil well draining in most places.

[Silas_Sancona]

22 minutes ago, Marcia said:

Hi, thanks for mentioning Tohono Chul, it's only about 15-20 minutes east of me. I haven't been there in a long time (I've been in Tucson for 45 years!) and I guess I didn't pay much attention to their palm collection. I'll have to go see. I wouldn't call my soil well draining in most places.

Here's a few shots from the " main " palm collection there ( Nacapule Canyon " Oasis " area, which, if my memory is correct i believe was added about a decade / little over a decade ago ), and some others in other parts of the garden..

My go- to garden whenever i'm passing thru town.



Sabal uresana ..Blue-ish / silver colored " Inland / higher elevation " form






S. uresana.  Blue form ( Left ) Green " coastal " form ( Right )  Green form is slightly more cold sensitive than the blue -er  Inland / higher elevation form. 



A couple of many Brahea armata specimens planted around the garden. Near the Nacapule Canyon section of the garden, there is a big, super blue colored specimen of B. armata as well that is impossible to miss.





 

[Marcia]

Nice! I will definitely make it over there soon! I wonder if they sell any palms.

 

[Silas_Sancona]

47 minutes ago, Marcia said:

Nice! I will definitely make it over there soon! I wonder if they sell any palms.

 

Their nursery does ..occasionally... but you'll likely have to start small.  Have mentioned propagating their palms  a few times to their nursery manager when picking up other stuff / during their plant sales..

Would check Desert Survivors and Spadefoot Nursery as well..  Spadefoot has offered B. armata specimens / Desert Survivors a couple of the other regionally native Brahea sps.   Been tying to get both places to start growing S. uresana since there are plenty of local specimens for seed sources.

As much as i respect him / share very similar views on plants and overall local ecology, owner of Spadefoot has an assumption that people down there aren't huge fans of palms.. Guarantee seeing S. uresana specimens would change that assumption, and the anti -palm thoughts others down there might hold onto.


Not sure where he's been hiding lately but, fellow Palm Talk member @Tom in Tucson is an avid, long time collector of palms down there who can guide you regarding both the desert tough native ...and non - native... palm options you could research.

Worst case scenario, both the Brahea and S. uresana specimens at the garden  ..and those growing on the U of A campus..  seed each year.  Both are easy to germinate, though can be slow growers when younger, B. armata esp. 



Can also find  5+gal armata at various nurseries up this way too, if ever brave enough to venture up this way ( I avoid Phoenix myself as much as possible,  )..

Not sure which " main stream " nurseries might offer / sell them down there but might inquire w/ Civano Growers.

Where ever you look, stay far away from Moon Valley, lol.. Charge wayyyy too much for their plants.

Hope this helps

-Nathan

Edited March 25, 2024 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Arizona transplant]

If you're looking for palms in Indio or Coachella try starting on CL, fb marketplace, or Offer. Theres tons of sellers and you can get just about anything the farms or wholesalers have. Make some calls to those ads and ask what else they can get you.
 

Theres thousands of laborers out there. Lots of them can buy stuff at their work that they will resell to you. Lots of them live on those farms and will be glad to make a cash sale for stuff thats taking over their yard.

 

I was there this weekend came back with a bed full. Got a windmill, 2 canariensis, a 4’ filifera, and a deglet. Every time I drive thru I end up with stuff I don't have room for. But I cant help myself.

[Arizona transplant]

Another good spot to gather few good seeds in that area is at the Living Desert Zoo Gardens. Theres some beautiful plants there. I rarely see the animals. I get too caught up in the plant specimens.

[Marcia]

Follow-up: 10 of 10 W. filifera seeds from 49 Palms Oasis are up, it's just a month now since I planted them. Whereas only 1 of 5 of the Mara Oasis seeds are up: I do not think those seeds were as fresh. 5 of the 49 Palms seeds came out of some scat, I was curious if they would germinate better but it didn't make a difference in this small sample size. Only a couple of the 49 Palms seeds in a batch that is not on a heating mat are up but it's getting warmer now so I expect they will all emerge soon!

[Marcia]

On 3/25/2024 at 4:41 PM, Silas_Sancona said:

Their nursery does ..occasionally... but you'll likely have to start small.  Have mentioned propagating their palms  a few times to their nursery manager when picking up other stuff / during their plant sales..

Would check Desert Survivors and Spadefoot Nursery as well..  Spadefoot has offered B. armata specimens / Desert Survivors a couple of the other regionally native Brahea sps.   Been tying to get both places to start growing S. uresana since there are plenty of local specimens for seed sources.

As much as i respect him / share very similar views on plants and overall local ecology, owner of Spadefoot has an assumption that people down there aren't huge fans of palms.. Guarantee seeing S. uresana specimens would change that assumption, and the anti -palm thoughts others down there might hold onto.


Not sure where he's been hiding lately but, fellow Palm Talk member @Tom in Tucson is an avid, long time collector of palms down there who can guide you regarding both the desert tough native ...and non - native... palm options you could research.

Worst case scenario, both the Brahea and S. uresana specimens at the garden  ..and those growing on the U of A campus..  seed each year.  Both are easy to germinate, though can be slow growers when younger, B. armata esp. 



Can also find  5+gal armata at various nurseries up this way too, if ever brave enough to venture up this way ( I avoid Phoenix myself as much as possible,  )..

Not sure which " main stream " nurseries might offer / sell them down there but might inquire w/ Civano Growers.

Where ever you look, stay far away from Moon Valley, lol.. Charge wayyyy too much for their plants.

Hope this helps

-Nathan

We visited Tohono Chul Tuesday. I really liked their palm oasis. Now I want the blue/higher elevation S. uresana! They had zero palms in their nursery for sale  I spoke with a docent and asked why no palms for sale? She couldn't really anser but did mention that many HOAs forbid palms, so maybe that is why. I told her it was frustrating I had to go to Phoenix or California to find palms! Or start my own seeds!

[Silas_Sancona]

3 hours ago, Marcia said:

We visited Tohono Chul Tuesday. I really liked their palm oasis. Now I want the blue/higher elevation S. uresana! They had zero palms in their nursery for sale  I spoke with a docent and asked why no palms for sale? She couldn't really anser but did mention that many HOAs forbid palms, so maybe that is why. I told her it was frustrating I had to go to Phoenix or California to find palms! Or start my own seeds!

Nice.. wish i could get down there right now..  Good too that you put a little bug in their ear to hopefully start germinating some of the see off their specimens.. Not hard to germinate at all ..Seed i've started were up and growing a month or two after sowing. 

Is on the endangered list in Sonora, so it should be grown as much as is possible.

If you follow their research, there are a few pictures of both Brahea ( nitida or brandegeei ) and S. uresana specimens in habitat on the Northern Jaguar Project's website.  ..Aside from maybe seeing Jaguar and Military Macaw, would love to spend a week or two down there to see both palms  -and everything else-  documented within and just outside the reserve.

As for HOA's ..Can't say what i think of them on here, LOL. 😁   Know they'd HATE me for sure.  A good thing

[Marcia]

6 minutes ago, Silas_Sancona said:

Nice.. wish i could get down there right now..  Good too that you put a little bug in their ear to hopefully start germinating some of the see off their specimens.. Not hard to germinate at all ..Seed i've started were up and growing a month or two after sowing. 

Is on the endangered list in Sonora, so it should be grown as much as is possible.

If you follow their research, there are a few pictures of both Brahea ( nitida or brandegeei ) and S. uresana specimens in habitat on the Northern Jaguar Project's website.  ..Aside from maybe seeing Jaguar and Military Macaw, would love to spend a week or two down there to see both palms  -and everything else-  documented within and just outside the reserve.

As for HOA's ..Can't say what i think of them on here, LOL. 😁   Know they'd HATE me for sure.  A good thing

Is S. usesana as fast growing as W. filifera? If so, where can I get some seed of the blue form? Or plants? I can't handle 15 gallon size. Yes it would be fun to go there. I was in a palm canyon in Mexico with friends decades ago, I don't even know what species of palms they were.  If memory serves, it was near Magdalena de Kino. Lots of boulder scrambling.