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Olive trees in NM?
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Posted by cactus_dude Albuquerque (My Page) on Thu, Aug 11, 05 at 15:23
| I was wondering if anyone has olive trees here in NM, especially Albuquerque. Are they cold hardy enough for ABQ? I would think Las Cruces or Deming, etc. would be a better place. Thanks.
CD |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| Better down south. I think there are a few trees in town. Cold has been the deciding factor since they are not happy with subfreezing temperatures. Of course, now we have to consider the pollen police......olives would not be permitted within the city. |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| Sure. New Mexico Olive. They're all over town :) |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| The New Mexico Olive is Forestiera neomexicana, a true member of the Olive Family, but it is not the plant that produces our eating olives, olive oil, etc. That is Olea europaea, the so-called true olive from the Mediterranean, which can barely stand two or three degrees of frost. I've read there are a few specimens of true olive that have managed to hang on down in El Paso, so maybe there are some in that New Mexican neck of the woods, too. As far as I know, the fruit of the New Mexican Olive is eaten by birds, but Cornucopia II mentions a suggestion that it may also be eaten like the true olive (news to me). |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| Thanks everyone. I knew about F. neomexicana, but was curious about O. europaea. Thanks for your help. CD |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| You seem to like all the plants that would do well in El Paso/Las Cruces, but not here. Must be kind of frustrating. Ha! |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| adp-- You're so right. I guess I have "zone denial". But I'm just sooo tired of the average to boring landscaping in ABQ, especially the ubiquitous juniper. I've noticed some interesting plants around town though, like oleander, fig trees, various palms (including a true date palm), pomegranate, etc. I've also seen some interesting cacti, such as Opuntia ficus-indica and Echinocactus grusonii (golden barrel) and even a saguaro. I think there are a lot of interesting plants that would do better here than most people realize. Granted, date palms and saguaros are really pushing the limits, but other palms like Trachycarpus fortunei really thrive here. I'm glad that more people are embracing xeriscaping here in town, but some people really think it's "zeroscaping", and plant accordingly, i.e., gravel and maybe a tiny little shrub or two. Xeriscapes can be beautiful and waterwise with creosote, cacti, acacia/mesquite, yucca, ocotillo, as well as drought hardy perennials. Well, that's my two cents worth. CD |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| Cactusdude: I'm here in the NEH in Albuq.and I agree ... some of the xeriscape is pretty but some seem to be done by an 'engineer': spacing done by a ruler ... a rock here, another exactly the same size in the opposite corner, one Russian sage here and another JUST exactly the same distance apart there, etc.!! Mine is 'au natural' and gets lots of compliments. |
Olives will grow in Albuquerque
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| I heard of a very old tree growing in downtown Albuquerque. I have never seen it before (I had looked for it) but heard from someone on another forum- The Hardy Palm and Subtropical Board- who has. The tree is supposedly pretty big and doing well. I agree that people should push plants here- it is worth it. I really like palms alot, and think that they would definatly beautify our city- Here is a palm on the westside of Albuquerque-
 Hope this helps-
James |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| The olive in downtown is at the SE corner of 4th and silver (or Gold)in the courtyard of a church. It is easier to distinguish in winter as it is evergreen. Must be 15'-20' feet high. i know it has been there since 1990. You can see it from silver and or fourth. Better to park and walk. |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| Good for you Vieja! I'm glad you're going with the natural look. That's the best way to go. James- that is an amazing palm pic. Is that your yard? I'm guessing Washingtonia robusta? That also kind of looks like oleander in the foreground. I've seen more palms around town, so that's encouraging. There's a W. robusta and 3 Trachycarpus fortunei just a few blocks from my house. jwitt- thanks for the heads up on the olive tree. I can't wait to go take a look. cd |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| No, That is a pic of a house a few miles from me. Here are some photos of my back yard- it isnt finished- so I dont like showing alot of pics of it but here you go. That palm I think is a hybrid between the two- the filibusta. It has been there for maybe 5+ years? Im not too sure. The house was for sale, and alot of the palms were neglected there(no water) but the new tenant loves them and waters them well. They are becoming well established.
ANywho- here are some pics of my yard-Sorry if this takes a while to load-
 THats all I have at the moment- I need to take some new photos- there is alot that isnt seen.
Hope you enjoy- JAmes |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| Not to hijack the thread but I notice that there are a few fans here of using oleanders in abq. However, there is another shrub that looks alot like it and doesn't burn badly in winter. It's called arizona rosewood and another similar one called nuevo leon rosewood. They are native to sw (az, not here) and are hardy to ~0 degrees and drought tolerant etc. |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| James- Those are very impressive palms. Where did you get them? Did you just plant them this spring/summer or have they been in the ground longer? Your yard will look great when you're done. I so wish I owned instead of rented, that way I could really go to town on the landscaping. adp- I've seen the rosewood you're talking about. It's a nice looking plant. I wonder what kind of blooms it has. Regards-
cd |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| cd: They look like mexican elder ones. There is a row of them (arizona rosewood) against the west/south wall of circuit city at the san mateo exit of I-40. |
Cactus Dude and James!
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| Cactus Dude - You've actually seen a date palm and a saguaro growing around Albuquerque?? That is awesome...I would be thrilled to see especially a saguaro here! Do you by chance have any photos of either the date palm or the saguaro you could post? If not, do you have an idea roughly of where they are in the city? Do you think they just have outstanding microclimates? I know saguaros can die with even a few hours of temps at freezing...I wonder if the owner covers the saguaro in the winter months at nighttime? James - Just wanted to compliment you on those palm trees. They look outstanding. Why can't more Albuquerqueans plant those beautiful trees? |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| ABQ- Yes believe it or not. The saguaro is planted against a south-facing wall. It appears to have large x-mas lights strung around it, presumably for those frosty nights. The date palm is in a fairly protected location, planted close to a house. The date palm took a terrible beating over the past winter, and I thought it was dead. Lo and behold, it's been putting out green fronds all summer long. I'll email you soon with the locations (feel free to email me and remind me). cd |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| Sorry about the delay in my reply- I just started school and have been a little busy- I am at work now and just realized that my old name is on here- cool- I thought I lost it! Anyhow- I am James and Albuquerque palm guy- Thanks for the encouragement. I have been working slowly but surely at it-it takes alot of time, something that is scarce nowadays.
The palms have been in the ground for a year and 4 months- so they are in their establishment period. They are doing pretty well. I planted 4 large ones in the back- I got them in Southern NM- La Union. one is a weekling though- i cant figure out why- it seems a little stunted. When I purchased it the guy said if it dies to give him a call- so Im not sure if it is going to make it or not. The trunk seems to be a little sturdier (Im guessing root growth is stablizing it) than when I planted it. I sure hope it isn't weevils. The others are good- I have 2(3) filiferas and a filibusta. The filibusta thus far has been the fastest of them all. The crown is pretty open and the leaves are on really long stalks- its pretty cool looking. The center spear is pretty thick too- its gotta be 4 foot long. It has really grown fast. I cant wait to see how fast it will do next season. I dont know if I will protect them or not this winter- maybe just keep an eye on the weather and if it goes below 15- throw a tarp on them.
Have you gone to check out the Olive? I should go snap a picture of it. James |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| James- Good luck with your palms over the winter. I'm sure they'll be fine. Have you seen the spectacular W. filifera near San Mateo/Central? Have you experimented with other species like Trachycarpus fortunei, Chamaerops humilis, Nanorrhops ritchiana, etc? cd |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| Cactus Dude - Sorry to keep buggin' you, but I just might have to take you up on your kind offer to email me the locales of the saguaro / date palm. Especially with the saguaro, I would actually be very excited to see one growing and thriving here in ABQ...how cool! Also, there is an impressive Filifera on Central and San Mateo?? Where is that exactly....I'm trying to think of that area, but if I remember correctly, it is pretty much commercial...isn't that where the fairly large white bank building is located? (I've gone past this intersection so many times but I've never seen it!).... |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| ABQ- No worries. The W. filifera is on a side street, a few blocks northeast of the tall white bank building. Sorry, but I don't remember the name of the street it's on, but the palm is right in front of a business that faces west. It's a beauty. I'll be happy to email you the location of the saguaro and date palm (I didn't see your email address on your member page). cd |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| CD - Alright, I think on my lunch break today, I am going to have to swing by and see the palm tree off of San Mateo!! (Speaking of nice palms on San Mateo, there are a couple of really nice TFs/Windmills growing in front of a house on San Mateo and Commanche - just a few blocks south of SM on the north side of Commanche)...not quite as exciting as a Filifera, but these guys are both between 10-18 feet. My email address is:
hbkkoeller@aol.com Thanks so VERY much for the info!! |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| The true, fruiting Olive (Olea europaea) in Abq is in the courtyard of the St John's Episcopal Cathedral downtown. I was told it was planted in the 70's or 80's under the direction of the late gardener Rosalie Doolittle, and in the brutal Dec 1990 freeze, it froze back severely, as would be expected. But that happens in Las Cruces, just less often. But even that record freeze does not hold a candle to the hours below freezing that Dallas TX has had. Abq is lucky in that it is mostly a natural thermal belt (great air drainage) and protected from up and down temperature extremes by large mountains on the east, as are Las Cruces and El Paso, but not CLovis, Okla City, etc. (as far as actual climate and vegetation that grows successfully, one is far closer to working with what grows well in Las Cruces than what grows in Taos---just a comment on some earlier posts---think data, not perceptions) Fun Forum! |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| Another thought: fruiting olives, date palms, and most fan palms do not like extended freezing. They do like a long, warm to hot growing season. That is probably a big reason EP and even Las Cruces, with 40-60 more days each year of 90F plus (and 50 days less of <32F nights than Abq), can pull those off and not us. That is one of the main differences, other than their 5-10F warmer winters / all-time lows than up here in 'Burque. There are better choices than real olives, except to say "I have an Olea europae." But what the heck? Many plants that grow well in Las Cruces and EP struggle or cannot even live here, but many more do well in both places, in cultivation. There are even many native plants that occur in natural stands in both places to still be found in Abq, mostly in the few natural open space areas left locally. Just keep having fun and push plants within reason---then you will have success. And you will teach everyone in the process. (even the naysayers!) |
RE: Olive trees in NM?
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| quercus_abq wrote: "Another thought: fruiting olives, date palms, and most fan palms do not like extended freezing. They do like a long, warm to hot growing season. That is probably a big reason EP and even Las Cruces, with 40-60 more days each year of 90F plus (and 50 days less of <32F nights than Abq), can pull those off and not us. That is one of the main differences, other than their 5-10F warmer winters / all-time lows than up here in 'Burque." That is actually an excellent point from a direction that I had not necessarily thought of. Great insight...much appreciated! |
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