Mexican Fam Palm in Southern Washington(Tri-Cities) Zone 7a

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 5:08 pm

2 Mex Fan Palm and 2 Trachys are mine. The 15 ft Mex Fan Palm is one ive seen here areound town
My Robustas are tarped for winter. No Protection for the Trachys

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 5:31 pm

Hi Mario, welcome to PN

Lovely to have someone from Washington (state) aboard.
Near the ocean? or inland?

Nice looking Washies and Trachies...did you just plant them?

That 15-foot Washy is probably a filifera? robusta?
I can never tell them apart. (Aaron's nodding

)

Looking forward to hearing more about how you'll fill your house and yard

Barb

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 5:40 pm

Ya i live inland. About 4hrs East from Seattle and 20mins north of the Oregon border
Yes they are recently planted,I just bought the house last month and have started planting. My yard will be full of palms
That large one is a robusta u can tell by the slender trunk Cant wait for spring and summer. We have very warm and hor weather around here. Highs in the summer around 90-100 for most of july and august

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 5:53 pm

That large one is a robusta u can tell by the slender trunk

Again, Aaron's nodding

My yard will be full of palms

Yay!!!!! Good man!

What's your area's lowest winter temp?

Barb

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 5:57 pm

All time record low. -19 F. Average low is around 25-30. We are a Semi Arid Climate. Solid 6b. Microclimate is 7a for this part of the Columbia Basin Wine Country

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 6:12 pm

Those Trachies will be fine at 25-30 for lows.
But since their roots haven't yet grown down into the soil, maybe consider mulching heavily sometime in December.

The Washies may need a Plan B for a couple of years.

Barb

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 6:17 pm

Ya the Trachies should be ok. But i know theyre sensitive seen they just recently got planted. My neighbor has a 10 ft windmill palm so it should do fine.
Ya the Robustas might die. No big deal if they do. Ill just get new ones in spring. Right now theyre only protected by the tarp and heat tape with thermocube. Which would be fine except my heat tape keeps acting up for no reason. I dont believe theyve shorted. So i might just go
With an enclosure with a space heater

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 6:41 pm

and heat tape with thermocube

Might be your extension cord shorting?
...probably just too warm right now

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 6:49 pm

Maybe. The extension cord thermocube and heat tape are all brand new One was workin on one rubusta. Kept it nice and toasty and the other wasnt? Even when i take the thermocube off neither of them or coming on. Might try something else. Its 43f now and its supppose to get to 34f tonight so they should be fine for a while till i figure something out

RoboCaesar · Post by **RoboCaesar** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:01 pm

Someone from the other side of the state, neat! Very healthy looking palms. Where do you get your washies from? I've only seen them in one place here in Seattle (a small shop that specializes in tropical and subtropical plants).

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Wed Nov 14, 2012 9:07 pm

I get all my palm from local nurseries here in Tri-Cities. Theyre ordered from Monrovia. I brought a Mexican Fan Palm up from Redding,CA last year wen i made a trip to california

KrisK · Post by **KrisK** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 8:03 pm

The new Usda map has you at a 7a I think - I can't hardly tell. Either way, the washingtonia is pretty zone- defining. Looks like its suffered some damage when younger but pretty awesome nonetheless. There are some Filifera in Albuquerque that took negative temps in the 2010-11 winter and survived because it was a dry cold. I think ABQ is a 6B? Is that how your winters are? Dry and usually above freezing in the daytime? Looking at that washy you posted, if its unprotected thru winter, then I would venture yes. I bet you could grow a lot of out of zone palms that would only require protection a few nights of the year.
Good luck on your new house, and landscaping.

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 8:30 pm

We get less than 8 inches of rainfall a year.Our Winters are pretty wet tho with occasional snow.Our microclimate is 7a its a small sliver. 30miles away is 6b. My hometown Wenatchee,WA is a 5b and gets more snow.We mostly see lows in the 20s and 30s but sometimes it gets really cold in the single digits.That Large Mexican Fan Palm is protected in the winter by a large shelter ill see if i can take pix saturday it was planted from seed in 2003. Thanks you

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 10:12 pm

Welcome Mario,

Good luck with your palms. Your climate is very much like the weather in Boise Idaho, but just a bit warmer in the winter. Robustas have made it through mild winters in Boise for a year or two, so you might have many years with your palms.

Any trunking yuccas you see around there will make for great pics to share.

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Thu Nov 15, 2012 10:17 pm

Actually the winters here are quite mild. Cuz i knw idaho is COLDDD. Even spokane is pretty cold compared to here. I think one if my robustas died today. I went to go check on it after work and the top half literally fell over From the bottom of the fronds. Probably from rot. From a rain we had. Not yet my yuccas are new they are Spanish Daggers

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 6:27 am

Best to keep Washys above freezing during winter as the condensation in a plastic cover will
produce a constant supply of moisture that will find it's way into the crown and with
the combo of heat build up(accelerates fungal growth)on sunny days and freezing temps.....
it won't last long.

This is probably the issue with the heat tape-to much moisture inside.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 7:16 am

Mario509 wrote:Actually the winters here are quite mild. Cuz i knw idaho is COLDDD. Even spokane is pretty cold compared to here.

Yes you are, I belive you are like a zone 7/7b, Boise is a 6b/7, Spokane WA 6b/7, Lewiston Idaho same as you 7/7b.
http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/#

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 7:25 am

lucky1 wrote: That 15-foot Washy is probably a filifera? robusta?
I can never tell them apart. (Aaron's nodding )

Barb

Slender trunk, green leaves, leaves are close at the crown=robusta

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 7:29 am

Mario, It would be great if you could paste a weather sticker in your posts?

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 7:34 am

Yea i had heat tape on. And it hasnt been that cold. Its been usually 40f at night maybe 37f max. And i hat openings in the tarp to allow ventalation. But youre right it was condensation because even the my palms wer warm from the heat tale they were really moist. I guess ill have to find a new way. I think my other robusta is still alive. Ill have new pix tomorrow

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 7:41 am

How do i add a weather sticker?

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 8:18 am

Here is a better zone map (you can zoom in and out)
http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZM ... veMap.aspx

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 8:26 am

Mario509 wrote:How do i add a weather sticker?

Try and copy and past this in your signature part of your profile? Worth a try? The below weather sticker

<img src="http://weathersticker.wunderground.com/ ... newick.gif" alt="Click for Pearce, Arizona Forecast" border="0" height="50" width="150" /></a>

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 8:39 am

How do i add a weather sticker?

http://www.wunderground.com/stickers/

Aaron, you remember my inability to ID ... thanks again!

Barb

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 9:04 am

lucky1 wrote: Aaron, you remember my inability to ID ... thanks again!

Barb

I was j/k

I have a hard time with the ID's as well.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 9:29 am

Aaron,
no you don't, but you're very kind

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 9:37 am

Ok thanks. Here is a USDA Map. I am located in the bottom right where it is Lime Green Zone 7a

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:34 am

lucky1 wrote:Aaron,
no you don't, but you're very kind

Thanks!

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:35 am

Mario509 wrote:Ok thanks. Here is a USDA Map. I am located in the bottom right where it is Lime Green Zone 7a

I like the map, very easy too read.

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 1:36 pm

Here are some local Palme with winter protection. Thays the big Mexican Fan Palm from before

KrisK · Post by **KrisK** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 2:01 pm

Oh that's quite the protection! It must be colder there than I thought! Still, super impressive palm and protection scheme. Glad you posted them. It'll be time to wrap mine up before too long.

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 6:46 pm

that's the most protection I've ever seen! Too bad that Washy has trunk damage.

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 6:54 pm

Ya it doesnt get too bad over here tho i think he just likes to be extra cautious. He grew that tree from seed 10 years ago

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 8:33 pm

That is the kind of stuff I want to make-right after I get a house like that

I wonder if you could rent out one of those palm huts to live in.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 9:09 pm

hardyjim wrote:That is the kind of stuff I want to make-right after I get a house like that

I wonder if you could rent out one of those palm huts to live in.

I agree, that is the best looking palm huts I have ever seen.

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Fri Nov 16, 2012 9:41 pm

I might built my hut tomorrow instead of using a tarp and heating tape

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 6:28 am

The thing about the heating tape is that it can only heat a small area
and on pipes it warms the surface of the metal and that keeps the liquid warmer.

On a palm,you need to have a trapped layer of air between the palm and insulation
that can be warmed when it comes on if not the heat moves away from the palm.

BTW

If you are only getting down to 37ish why even cover it?

My philosophy is,you cover it for approaching cold,the only
reason you cover it earlier is if there is to much moisture ahead of the cold and
no drying time before you can cover it again.

If we had a typical rainy November(but temps are fine) I would at least put a rain shield over stuff.

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 7:42 am

The tarp was to keep rain out and to keep frost off it it ever got frosty

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 7:47 am

That guy's serious about protection, wow!

best looking palm huts I have ever seen

me too.
Will have to show that to my carpenter...

And look at that fat-trunked yucca beside the tall protection

The mailman will hang himself on those guy wires...

Barb

Mario509 · Post by **Mario509** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 7:55 am

Yea he had it on last winter idk how the hell he takes it down or moves it. Ive never met the guy

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Mexican Fam Palm in Southern Washington(Tri-Cities) Zone 7a

Mexican Fam Palm in Southern Washington(Tri-Cities) Zone 7a

Welcome!