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palmtreeguy

Can you grow palm trees in Texas?

palmtreeguy
12 years ago

I was in Dallas and Fort Worth for a few days and I did not see one single palm tree while I was there.

Comments (5)

  • brooklyngreg
    12 years ago

    That is surprising because sabal palmettos and pindo butias can survive there. The winter was a really bad record breaker for them this year and that may be part of the blame. I would think there would be some in the suburbs that survived planted on the south side of structures. Dallas is a 8a and can host hardy palms, especially with all the summer heat.

  • jimhardy
    12 years ago

    Depends where you look,plenty of Trachys,Sabals,Butia,Washys
    (although quite a few lost this past winter)...even a very large
    Jubaea in the Dallas area.


  • tropicalzone7
    12 years ago

    There are lots of palms in dallas in the right places. The majority of the palms in dallas were Washingtonias, and the majority of them died after last winters record cold (It was even cold in Dallas by New York City's standards!). But despite the cold, most sabals survived, and all sabal minors and palmettos should of had no problem. Trachycarpus and needles are not planted too often in Dallas, but whatever ones were planted did survive (and Im sure they will be more common palms in dallas because they can handle the worst of Dallas winters). Some butias and mediterranean fan palms died, but others did make it. Im pretty sure all washingtonia filiferas where a bit defoliated, but did come back.
    So yes, palms can grow in Dallas and they are pretty common, but I guess a ton were removed after last winter. In a few years (weather permitting), people will be planting palms again quicker than before and Dallas will be covered in Palms again!
    -Alex

  • jacklord
    12 years ago

    As stated, the answer is yes.

    I did a year in Dallas and kept an eye out for palms. My apartment complex had a nice Trachy growing by the pool in a sheltered but sunny courtyard. A jazz club nearby had a nice palmetto. A Mexican restaurant had thick clumps of palms doing well. A very ritzy mansion nearby had two rows of date palms. Would love to know if those are still there.

    I even saw a blog once where a guy went to some large park around Dallas and took pictures of Sabal Minors naturalized and growing in the ravines.

    So yes, there are. They are not planted by the municipalities, but rather by private citizens.

  • subtropix
    12 years ago

    Dallas' climate is harsh (high heat & drought on the one hand and potential for occasional arctic cold. I would guess that the best palms for the area would be Chamaerops (Mediterranean fans), some Sabals, Needles, and the Afghan palm (Nannorhops--spelling?). Trachys might resent the excessive heat combined with dryness--but who knows, maybe in the right spot... Definitely was real bad Winter over a lot of the US--and not the greatest Springs either.

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