I have some pics on photobucket.com, in the search box type in jaredtorre.

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This is a new street built with some cool landscpaing in Albuquerque,just thought I would post it.

Where's that first pic from? Second one looks like the road to the sunport.

the 1st pic is the Hilton right off of the Big I,and the 2nd is on University where they extended it out by the airport.

Those are Trachycarpus fortunei (Windmill palm), and not Mexican fan palms in the first pic. Wanted to clarify. Fortunei is very hardy here though. Will even grow a new fan in the winter here sometimes.

Back to the Mexican fan palm question. If your are dead set on Ca. type palm like this, look for Washingtonia filifera, instead. Beware of its sister species 'robusta' (the one you are actually talking about), which might survive a winter or two here but is probably not hardy longterm. There are some filifera that have overwintered well here. Maybe someone can post up?

flattie---I seen a house that had 3 or 4 large California fan Palms in their yard the past couple of years they looked great even in the winter with the snow they still looked descent, but I recently drove be their and saw that all the fronds were missing,it was just trunks on 3 of them,the other was green, did the others die over the winter because its already July now and they should of been sprouting new fronds, what do you think, seeing this might help me out in the long-run.

Was this house on Eubank near Paseo? If so, all those palms, which were robusta and not the hardier filifera, are dead. This brutal winter we had took them out. 2 feet of snow and a couple of weeks in the 30s did not help. The owner did not protect them at all. I saw a filifera seedling that made it through this winter outside (!), so there is a difference. Robusta is not hardy here and likely will be killed even in Las Cruces in some years. Filifera has been reported to withstand -11F (if dry), so it has a shot here. Remember filifera comes from the Mojave which can have cold lows even in the palm oases, whereas robusta is from the Sonoran desert which does not see as much cold.

flattie------The house I was talking about is on San Idlfanso in Taylor Ranch,All the California palms look like poles but one still has green fronds,I did see them in the winter with snow on them,I guess 1 survived,and I know which house you are talking about on Eubank,but I didnt know they lost their palms,what a shame, they were beautiful too,I guess I should take back my Robusta and go for another windmill.Those dead palms were about 8 feet tall and not sure how long they been there,I know 2 years for sure, but I would think they would have been used to our cold if they were planted years ago,dont you think.

I have seen it below zero F. a couple of times here in ABQ in my lifetime (I'm almost 30). I remember one day back in the early 90s where the high was in the lower single digits. I remember going outside that day just to feel what 0 degrees felt like. Little did I know that I would get to experience a lot of it in grad school in Michigan...

These are the events, where a filifera (if dry) might survive and the robusta probably won't. Until the next one of those occurs enjoy your robusta. If it made it through this winter, who knows how hardy that individual palm you have is. Maybe its a survivor. www.plantdelights.com has some filifera they claim are from Truth or Consequences and very hardy to cold. Seedlings though. This site has some real exotic stuff you will not find at our local nurseries.

Remember the alltime record low in ABQ is -17F in 1971 (that same month the record high for Jan. was set at 69F - go figure). I imagine some areas in the valley got lower than that. Maybe some of the older members have some memories of that event. Still its fun to try to grow the palms.

Guys see this link -

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/swest/msg0515265531027.html?14

You'll find TONS of descriptions of locales all over Albuquerque where palms are located.

I agree that Filiferas are much better choices for ABQ than Robustas, although Robustas can make it if the owners give them some good winter protection. Surely T. Fortunei are the best choice.

Addition to the list in the link above -

***There is a new building (office) built on I-25 and Alameda (just southwest corner) with about 7 or 8 mid-sized younger Trachy Fortunei planted throughout the landscaping. A couple are on the corner of Alameda and some are in the parking lot / by the building, etc. It really looks very beautiful.

The only amazing thing with these palms is that many seem to be being planted in the North VALLEY (Corrales area) or areas nearer the foothills / east of Eubank (house you guys are talking about above). These are the two worst places in ABQ to plant palms as they are the coldest. I would like to see more planted in landscaping in the more warm, thermal zone of the NE and SE Heights west of Eubank and east of the Valley...and the West Side west of the Valley. They REALLY do well in the UNM / Uptown area, some of the warmest places in the city.

flattie- are you growing any palms, if so do you have any pics.

I have one palm in the ground recently planted - a 5 gal. Med. Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) I bought at Lowes on Juan Tabo for $19 - nothing to lose. It is growing in a sunny spot and hopefully it will make it through this winter. I have a bunch in pots and aside from a few tropicals most will go in the ground when ready.

I have:
3 Trachycarpus princeps (10 inch pots - 1 lost a spear to wind may come back???)
2 Trachycarpus nanus (10 inch pots)
2 Trachycarpus 'Manipur' (1 almost dead - 10 inch pots)
1 Chamaerops humilis (in ground already - 5 gal.)
1 Chamaerops humilis var. cerifera (grown from seed - 3 leaves)
2 Sabal uresana (grown from seed - 2 leaves)
1 Sabal minor 'Blountstown dwarf' (couple strap leaves)
2 Washingtonia filifera (T or C sourced supposedly) really starting to produce fans

Summer only palms:

Howea forsteriana (15 gal. Kentia)
Phoenix roebelenii "Pygmy Date Palm" - suckering like mad - 10 gal.

I'll see if I can post some pictures...

Flattie- I know I'm a little late for this conversation, but what do you think of the Filifera seedlings from plantdelights.com? They have a sale on them right now and I'm thinking of trying a few in Lubbock.