Alamogordo NM Surprise

[Desert DAC]

I saw these palms returning home to Las Cruces NM, from a day hiking and cooling off at 8,700 ft elevation in Cloudcroft for my birthday. I'm glad I detoured.

Tall Washingtonia robusta on the east side thermal belt there. No microclimate, no jive, just a thermal belt that with intense winter sun and the Feb 2011 deep freeze thrown in. The Google Street view shows they got some damage this past winter, so given it was fairly mild in southern NM, they probably do this most winters, recovering each April or May.

Don't forget the winter solar intensity / insolation maps posted by someone else in the ABQ or other cold hardy palm posts.

1803 Juniper Dr, Alamogordo NM. Probably USDA Zone 8a-b. Early July 2024

[Desert DAC]

A block west, I did notice these younger but vigorous Sabal Mexicana, which show little freeze bronzing after this same past winter.

2338 Union Av, Alamogordo. Early July 2024

[Desert DAC]

And a couple more that resemble x filibusta types of Washingtonia, several blocks from the Sabal mex and Wash robusta, on that same thermal belt area.

Alamogordo NM, east side. Early July 2024

[jwitt]

Yes solar insolation! Those palm trunks can actually be warm to the touch even when the air is 12f.. Unfathomable to most others outside the "zone"!

Nice post!

[jwitt]

For reference on those world record robusta survivors.

[ChrisA]

Looking great in Alamogordo! Those robusta are epic!  It’s nice to see some sabal palms as well. They really should be used more in NM, they just would prefer to get regular supplemental water but are otherwise very hardy. There is one I had been watching in Las Cruces on the NMSU campus on Stewart St at the entrance to a parking lot I think to the softball complex.  This one had a ton of seedlings growing up last time I was there (6 years ago.. ish?). Also there is a very nice and getting large Sabal palm on the west end of Deming at the Comfort Inn & Suites on west Pine, just south of I-10.

[SailorBold]

I know there are other factors/microclimates/geographical.. but here's a comparison of weather averages between Alamogordo and Albuquerque..

[jwitt]

@SailorBoldI think the warmest, absolute warmest ABQ microclimate may be on the cusp(robusta).  There are other examples in Alamogordo of robusta(and surviving 2011.

I think with @Desert DAC clues on his report on his robusta location in Alamogordo and how he found them he is alluding to something more deeper. His knowledge of the SW and it's intricacies is probably unmatched.  

 All that said, could these robusta come from a strain that has an ability for extreme drought hardiness(hibernation) like say filifera? 

I will say the location in Alamogordo and the species are incredible. 

These robustas are more centrally located in Alamogordo and have been there since at least 2007. Still not as impressive as DAC's birthday find. 

[jwitt]

This morning's real-time example of solar insolation. Air temp=45f @945am

[SailorBold]

On 11/16/2024 at 8:09 AM, SailorBold said:

I know there are other factors/microclimates/geographical.. but here's a comparison of weather averages between Alamogordo and Albuquerque..

Heres Rio Rancho..

 

[ABQPalms]

@Desert DACVery nice find! Those probably have the same anomaly as the Robustas at the Ramada in Las Cruces. Maybe there is a layer of warmer, southerly air 25+ feet above ground surface in those areas? Just a thought as you mentioned termal belt. And being so tall, they do take advantage of the intense sun as well. Another thought of mine is, the heat released from the surface (asphalt, gravel or wall), it takes more time to reach the crowns. So by the time the coldest part of the day (sunrise) comes, the radiated heat is around crown level. Just in time for the sun to do is magic again. Happy belated birthday by the way!

[ABQPalms]

On 11/13/2024 at 8:52 PM, Desert DAC said:

And a couple more that resemble x filibusta types of Washingtonia, several blocks from the Sabal mex and Wash robusta, on that same thermal belt area.

Alamogordo NM, east side. Early July 2024

I really like the look of theses types of hybrids, with a bigger crown than a pure Robusta.

[jwitt]

I think @Desert DAC is toying with us as we know these Eastside thermals become the opposite during these big events. 

What makes NE and east Alamogordo Even more "special" are there were several stations reporting -20f in that event. 

Up against the mountains. From DAC's mexicana shot.

From the NWS.  Multiple stations(more than 1) reported -20f in east Alamogordo!

[Desert DAC]

3 hours ago, jwitt said:

I think @Desert DAC is toying with us as we know these Eastside thermals become the opposite during these big events. 

What makes NE and east Alamogordo Even more "special" are there were several stations reporting -20f in that event. 

Up against the mountains. From DAC's mexicana shot.

From the NWS.  Multiple stations(more than 1) reported -20f in east Alamogordo!

Great pics, and I drove by some other palms including your photo. But I first had to see this and the Sabal mexicana, plus two decent to nice saguaros before it got dark! 

As to the NWS El Paso statement, it sounds like the -20F temps were erroneous, so after getting more information they found it was "only" down to -10 to -15F. Which is crazy for those Washies, esp W. robusta, and then the saguaros. Thermal belt or not, I'm scratching my head., but they are there.

[jwitt]

@Desert DACThose robusta, up In the wind. 

Over a decade later, I am still bewildered.