Penticton or Okanagan type climates

[ronbruce]

Okay, you climate/weather buffs where is a city similar to mine that grows palms (and/or trunking yuccas)?

Gallup,NM is similar but the GDDs are not the same (among other things) and, of course, Oroville, WA is similar. Sante Fe is similar but...

I have a list of places with similar averages and lows but wondered if anyone else ever looked at other cities similar weatherwise to your own to learn what they grow and what you possibly could. We'll plant regardless but it's neat to look. Of course that is one reason there is a great site like this. Thanks Jay.

I found a Gallup plant list and was amazed at all they supposedly grow but can't imagine even their climate would be up to some of the plants listed.

[lucky1]

Nice research, rb, BUT the critical point is our damaging bitter northwest winds during winter.
And the duration of cold.

Figures seldom say how long it was that cold, just that it reached a certain temp, but maybe only for a couple of days.
We can easily have two weeks to a month of that crap (if not more).

We're all stretching to make comparisons work for us.
The reality is our latitude.
It sucks...big time.

Barb

[ronbruce]

Quite right, Barb, and like you said even if it's a similar latitude places are so very different, aren't they?

[Barrie]

Perhaps parts of interior Europe?

[Okanagan desert-palms]

In my opinion we can grow what Aaron does in Shoshone ID. His zone is comparable to ours and within near latitudes ,and desert conditions. Joshua trees Y. rostrata and many other Yuccas proven by Jay as well to grow here in the Okanagan. Larger Trachy Palms IMO will always need some form of protection for short durations here in the Okanagan during winter. They might survive our worst winter unprotected then defoliated and regrow their crowns only to look like crap in the spring. Sabal minor and Sabal Louisiana might be our best bet for no protection.

John

[Cowtown Palm Society]

Hi Ron,

Funny you should ask! I think one of the most compelling cases for trunking yuccas in the Okanagan is zone 6 Salt Lake City, Utah (in addition to the evidence of those on this forum already doing it). See the following link to one of my previous posts on this very topic:

viewtopic.php?t=2216&sid=b46f11665654d9 ... fc53a541ba

Duncan,

Calgary, Alberta

[ronbruce]

Yes, I've wondered about Bulgaria, Romania, etc but many seem to still have a lot more GDDs as they are further south perhaps.

I'll have to check out Shoshone and I've wondered about Twin Falls, Idaho too. Hmmmm.

Interesting anyway.

PS I saw some very nice Yucca recurvifolias at Cedar Rim Nursery in Langley today. I almost bought one but talked myself down though I did buy a one gallon Trachy and a three gallon Trachy at another store. As John said they will always need protection and when they get too big (if I can keep them alive) I guess I'll start again. Now when I get my Sabal minors going maybe things will change.