Palm Identification

[Chipper]

I am a recent transplant to Las Cruces, New Mexico and am a palm tree novice. I see palm trees like the one in this photo all over Las Cruces. I like the form but I am not certain what type of palm it is. It looks like some type of date palm but I thought our winters were too cold for date palms and these make it through our winters with little or no cold damage. 

[Silas_Sancona]

Just now, Chipper said:

I am a recent transplant to Las Cruces, New Mexico and am a palm tree novice. I see palm trees like the one in this photo all over Las Cruces. I like the form but I am not certain what type of palm it is. It looks like some type of date palm but I thought our winters were too cold for date palms and these make it through our winters with little or no cold damage. 

Canary Island Date palm ( Phoenix canariensis )

[John2468]

This is a Phoenix canariensis or canary island date palm.

[Chipper]

2 hours ago, John2468 said:

This is a Phoenix canariensis or canary island date palm.

I’m actually surprised there are so many of them here as sometimes our low temperatures during the winter can get down to the mid or even low 20’s. They must be more cold tolerant than I realized but Las Cruces is the only location in New Mexico I have seen them as a landscape plant. 

[Silas_Sancona]

Just now, Chipper said:

I’m actually surprised there are so many of them here as sometimes our low temperatures during the winter can get down to the mid or even low 20’s. They must be more cold tolerant than I realized but Las Cruces is the only location in New Mexico I have seen them as a landscape plant. 

Pretty cold tolerant for sure.. You'll see them in similar places in both N.M. AZ, NV. and CA that can experience a hand full of days in the winter in the mid / lower 20s. Usually doesn't bother them much. 

Keep in mind, when it comes to cold tolerance, duration is a big factor. If it is really dry,  plants, inc. palms  can escape more severe cold damage than if the cold event is wet.

Origin plays a part too.. Any plant that can tolerate drought and heat has the capability of also having decent cold tolerance,  vs. something that came from an area where the climate doesn't vary much through an entire year / decade or whatever ...Say the true tropics = always warm / reasonably moist,  ..or the Arctic ( Chilly ) / cloud forest mountain tops in the tropics, = often moist and cool ..but typically not cold.  Plants from places like that are more likely to be damaged by cold  ..or heat..

Las Cruces is one of the warmer spots in N.M. so that is where you'd expect to see them growing.  Doesn't mean they can't be grown in some of the cooler spots, would be more of a challenge in those spots though, ..imo..

Since you are newer to the area,  great person to communicate with,  who knows that area pretty well,  is @Desert DAC 

Obviously, some other great folks out there who can share thoughts on things as well..

[awkonradi]

[Desert DAC]

On 6/17/2024 at 4:27 PM, Chipper said:

I’m actually surprised there are so many of them here as sometimes our low temperatures during the winter can get down to the mid or even low 20’s. They must be more cold tolerant than I realized but Las Cruces is the only location in New Mexico I have seen them as a landscape plant. 

Every winter I've been here in Las Cruces it has gotten to 16-18F at least once. A few years get to only the low 20's, as do a few years closer to 0F or even below. I posted something that compared to Tucson on this thread, somewhere.

Also, a daytime high below 50 is rare, but below 40F very rare. Combine that with all the warm sunshine here, even 65+ low temps each winter below 32F, and we can grow some nice, though limited varieties, of palms. Feb 2011 was the last generational freeze, where it stayed below 32F (day and night) for over 75 consecutive hours in town.  Like up in ABQ, terrain and elevation really can matter on low temperature nightly, as well as the growing season in Las Cruces.

Welcome to Las Cruces!