Palm Trees (Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Carlsbad: hotel, houses, landscaping)
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Technically, palms aren't trees and have different cultural needs than trees do. Very few of the desert palms are hardy to much cold. Washingtonias are grown to some extent in the Abq. area, and there are a few Butias and Phoenix dactylifera in protected areas, but these are injured by the big freezes that come along every ten years or so.
Corrrect, palms (palmae) are more closely related to the grass family than to trees. Their cultural requirements are thus more like lawn grass - plenty of water, high organic soil content and fertilizer.
One of the more limiting factors around the ABQ area is the soil types as well as the single digit temps we experience just about every winter. Palms love soil high in organic content which we do not have in abundance in the ABQ area.
Washingtonia cultivation may prove to be an excercise in futility in the ABQ area.
Washingtonia roubusta is hardy to only around 18 degrees F - while washingtonia filifera might prove a better choice being it is hardy to around 10 degrees F and loves akaline soils. Some old established filifera's have survived 0 degrees F.
Very few palmae could survive in high desert conditions but worthy contenders would be:
Trachycarpus Fortunei (only in sheltered areas due to they really get tatered in high winds) hardy to around 0 degrees F.
Trachycarpus Takil - hardy to around -5 degrees F (although unproven in cultivation in ABQ)
Rhapidophyllum hystrix - most hardy of all true palms, at -20 degrees F (yet unproven in cultivation in ABQ)
There are actually many more palm trees (many old ones that have "survived" Albuquerque winters for over a decade) than many residents even realize. They typically are more used in landscaping (eg: aren't just on the side of the street like El Paso or Phoenix) due to a need for some winter protection of them, but they are there.
Having been in Albuquerque for nearly 3 years (and being somewhat of a amatuer palm enthusiast), I have on my "unofficial tally" probably seen approximately 200 (yes, two hundered) palms growing in Albuquerque...most looking very good, thriving, and despite some good burning in winters, coming back very strong always in spring.
As some good posts above stated, Washingtonia Filiferas (California Fan Palms) and Trachycarpus Fortunei (Windmill Palms) are the most common (and best to grow) palms in Albuquerque...especially the T.Fortuneis, which do very, very well here.
Washingtonia Robustas can do very okay here (I have one in my back yard that has been there for 2.5 years), but they do need some really nice protection in the winter unless they are in a super microclimate.
Here are a few links talking extensively about locations of palms in ABQ (some with good photos):
A few common areas offhand I am aware of with some good-looking palms in them are - a) the Zoo...tons of mid-sized palms scattered about, many of which look very good, b) the "Albuquerque Hilton" (large hotel by the Big I)...
Truthfully, you'll see many more impressive-looking palms in front of many residences (described in these links), but these are examples for common areas.
They do better in El Paso, but with the proper care and nurturing (and a good planting spot) particular species do pretty well in ABQ too.
I have two 2 year Washington Robusta's in my back yard as well. They are both doing well, even though I planted in my backyard on the north side of the house. With the proper care and maintenence they will do quite well here. The most impressive palms I have seen to date are on San Idelfonso NW right by Marie Hughes Elementary School, 15 to 20 feet and absolutely gorgeous!!! Drive through Entrada De Corrales behind the new Flying Star at Coors and Alameda (very upscale neighborhood) and you'll see at least 30 palms, plus the houses are absolutely gorgeous.
Not to squash anyones enthusiasm for palms in the ABQ area but as soon as the apical buds on those Washingtonia Robusta's clear the roof lines of those houses there will be alot of heartache.
Washingtonia Filifera's are much more suited to cultivation locally along with Trachycarpus Fortunei.
The Washingtonia Filiferas planted around the houses should do fine if they are true Filifera's and not a hybrid of the Robusta and the Filifera (which most store purchased Washingtonia's are).
The shorter of the species (Trachycarpus Fortunei) is much easier to protect if the need arises since it takes a long time for the apical bud to clear a buildings protection (if planted next to a building). One simply has to wrap a cotten blanket around the apical bud to protect the bud from freezing (in an extremely cold artic blast). Don't worry about the foliage as long as the bud does not freeze the foliage will grow back.
If you can climb like a monkey to wrap the apical bud on taller growing species, it might prove friutful to try some less hardy taller growing species.
While I do have hairy knuckles I still have the tendency to walk upright - so not many monkey genes in my blood...
I am seriously considering trying some Trachycarpus Takil which are hardy to -5 degrees F with no protection whatsoever. They resemble the Washingtonia Robusta in appearance when mature. My Trachycarpus planted in my courtyard is doing fine though.
I take the occasional vacation in ABQ and I would think that in addition to the Washingtonia filifera (in a protected location), that Nannorrhops ritchiana would be an excellent choice for that area.
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Palms are not trees...
Yes! Palms do grow in ABQ
