I don't know of anyone in Albuquerque, but I would recommend trying, at least for those in Zone 7b Heights area. I have many planted at our place in the desert outside Las Cruces, some completely out in the open without protection -- for several years and have experienced NO leaf burn. The trick is to harden them off for the winter by stopping watering by early Nov and keeping them dry until March. Every year our Robustas get leaf burn (and revive quickly in early Spring), but the Braheas look good all year round. They are my favorite fan palm for Southern NM, and I think if you have a protected microclimate, you can have them in Albuquerque. Good luck. dl.

Thanks for the info! I have some seedlings of Sabal uresana which is supposedly very cold hardy, so it got me thinking that Brahea armata might also have some hardiness in it in Albuquerque's climate. I will definitely add this one to the list. If anyone has some pictures of armata in New Mexico please post them. All I ever see are the Tucson or Phoenix plants on the web.

Hi there- I have 2 brahea armatas at my house in Rio rancho. They are really small, however. They are doing well. They are really quite tough.

Thanks, James. Good to hear. Are they in the ground outside? Given that the metro area probably hit 10 F or less this year that's good news, especially if they are young.

where can I get one of these palms?

What a gorgeous species. I am excited to hear about people trying it in NM. To see mature B.armata growing wild in the canyons of Baja California is breathtaking. Very tasty fruit too!

I have one in a pot I grew from wild seed collected in Catavina, Baja, and at three years old it still looks like some broad, blue-bladed grass. The Washingtonia filifera that I germinated (in a pot also) at the same time has almost full-sized leaves, a trunk diameter of four inches, and a leaf spread of over 4 feet. Needless to say B.armata grows at an excruciatingly slow pace, at least while in a pot.

Anyway, good luck with the palms...

wineandlobos ----- closest place I know to buy them, in any considerable size, is Gonzalez Nursery in Las Cruces (on US Highway 70 near town of Organ). Good prices and lots of varieties of large, cold hardy species. Many choices if you 'road trip' to Tucson......

desertlve-thanks for the info,I am gonna have to go to Cruces and get me a couple.Do they have another name they go buy besides Brahea? Are they more cold hardy than the California Fans.

yes, the are called Mexican Blue palms. they are native to Baja and surprisingly a little more cold tolerant than W. filifera, the California fan. Will take 10 deg. (briefly) with little if any leaf burn. Slower growing than Cal. fan but worth it.