Palms of the Lower Rio Grande Valley
by Thad Magyar
It is easy for the traveler to notice their arrival into the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The emergence of palms at the Willacy, Hidalgo, or Starr County line, transports the visitor into the most tropical setting in Texas. The valley is the land of palms. Hidalgo county would, most likely, have the highest palm count due to its large size, but palm density is higher in Cameron County since northern Hidalgo county is similar to Willacy County and lacks the large numbers of palms. Cameron County is the southernmost county in Texas. It includes the cities of Brownsville, Harlingen, and South Padre Island. This county has the least amount of winter chill of any county in Texas and many winters are without freezes or even a frost. Even across Cameron county, large differences in low readings occurs. Santa Rosa has the coldest readings and South Padre Island and Port Isabel have the least amount of freezing temperatures. The USDA temperature zone map shows the entire valley in Zone 9b. Just below Brownsville, however, Zone 10a begins. Zone 10a has an average winter low of 30 to 35 degrees. Prior to the 1983 and 1989 freezes, Brownsville was included in zone 10 but the heavy freezes dropped the average, placing Brownsville in the 9b zone.
Prior to the 1983 freeze, the valley skyline was awesome. The major roads were lined with Mexican fan palms (Washingtonia robusta) from one end of the valley to the other. Many yards and businesses were showplaces of various species of palms, cycads, and other tropical plants. The Gladys Porter Zoo was a botanical delight. But this grandeur came to a brief halt on Christmas day of 1983. The freeze destroyed virtually all of the 80 to 90 foot tall, skirtless, Mexican fan palms. Yards with more exotic, tropical palms were devastated. Dead citrus and avocado groves were lined with dead palms. The removal of these palms was considerably more expensive than the original purchase and planting, and many of the homeowners vowed to never again replant these tender varieties. The following freeze of 1989 brought more converts. To add insult to injury, the hardy Canary Island Date palm (Phoenix canariensis), which had survived the freeze, was being devastated by lethal yellowing. Native was in. Foreign palms and exotic flowering plants were out. Nurseries rarely had a decent selection of non-domestic plants. The most popular palm was the native Texas sabal (Sabal mexicana). The highway department replanted Mexican fan palms but these were interspersed with the slower growing, smaller Sabal.
So, in this unique portion of the state where palms of various species can normally be grown, the planting of exotic species came to a halt. This valley was the area of the state which was the most devastated by the freezes and was one of the slowest areas to rebound due to the massive losses. As time continues, however, the winter weather has modified. Light frosts or no frosts have been the norm. Many new people have arrived in the valley and many of the original residents are forgetting the devastation of the big freezes. A larger variety of palms is again in demand and nurseries are beginning to restock on the more tender palms of far away places. Fields of triangle and miniature date palms are now commonly seen throughout Cameron County. Queen palms are seen in many gardens and it is difficult to find locations within Cameron County where palms are not seen when viewing the horizon. The following information includes a small trip that you can take which shows some of the highlights of the Harlingen area. Following that, is a journey Alice and I took through east and south Cameron County recently, now just 10 years after the second big freeze. This area encompass both the Bayview and north Brownsville area.
The Harlingen Tour
We begin our trip in the small town of Palm Valley. This appropriately named community lies just west of the city of Harlingen. The town surrounds a golf course and many of the occupants are transplanted Northerners who have come to the valley to retire. The yards are most attractive with many varieties of plants. It contains several royal (Roystonea species) and a few small triangular palms (Dypsis decaryi formerly Neodypsis). There are also nice specimens of Mediterranean Fans (Chamaerops humilis) and various date palm species. To find Palm Valley, drive west of Harlingen and exit at Stuart Place Road. Drive north on Stuart Place Road and you will notice the country club to your right. Palm Valley Drive makes a complete loop through the neighborhood so when you enter the area, either direction will bring you back to the point of beginning. Be sure to observe the massive royal palm interspersed with queen palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana) on North Palm Valley Drive near the intersection with Tangelo Drive.
After leaving Palm Valley return to the expressway. On Expressway 83, just a short drive west of Palm Valley, see a field of triangle palms. It is located on the south side of the road between Bass Blvd and Altas Palmas Road, and is best observed from the adjacent frontage road. This has one way traffic with traffic flowing off of the expressway at high speeds, so be careful. Harlingen is the next stop. Stay on the expressway and exit at the Harlingen downtown exit. The visitors center is a great place to get out of the car, pick up a few brochures and maps which may make many of the following sites easier to find, and check out the gardens near the flag poles. This area has a lovely clustering fishtail (Caryota mitis) in close proximity to a bamboo palm (Chamaedorea species). Relax for a while near the water display and enjoy the plants.
When you return to the car, head into the center of town on Tyler. At Commerce Street, a new Harlingen National Bank drive-through has many varieties of palms and desert plants. As you get back on Tyler, quickly move to the left hand lane. At Second Street turn left and proceed two blocks north to Van Buren. This area again has one way streets so be careful. To your left (west) is the main office of Harlingen National Bank. It is best to drive straight at Van Buren and then turn into the bank parking lot. Get out of the car and walk around the bank where there are some good sized Arenga engleri's, Sabal mexicanas, and other palms. From here, head to Sixth street, and go north. After crossing the railroad tracks, you will see the library on your right and the raised banks of Lake Harlingen to the left. There is a jogging trail that wraps around the lake. Get out and jog around the lake and get back into your car. (Just joking.)
Just north of the lake is an old grande subdivision where wild parrots can often be seen. It is easiest to get into the subdivision by driving up to Austin, turn left and then south at the first intersection. It is best at around 5 o'clock in the afternoon to see the parrots when they have returned from their escapades of the day to roost in the nearby trees. Roll your windows down and listen for them. They are much easier to find by their shrieks than by sight since the green birds blend into the trees with perfect camouflage. Good Luck!
Get back onto Sixth Avenue heading north and proceed to Business 77 (77 Sunshine Strip). Turn left and proceed northwest. Just as Business 77 takes a curve further north pull over to the right hand side and observe the coconut palms (Cocos nucifera) at a car lot. There are several to see so take your time driving slowly on the shoulder. Drive north on Business 77 to Expressway 77. At this point, Business 77 proceeds under the expressway to the town of Combes. Veer to the right and remain on the frontage road. Do not get onto the freeway. Do not stay on Business 77. Remain on the frontage road. In a short distance, you will see the tall palms of Sunshine Country Club and RV Resort. They have some huge Washingtonia's which have been shaved to the point of ridiculous. Continue on past the resort and soon you will come to a small house just to the right of the frontage road. A few outbuildings follow the house and finally there is a prickly gru gru (Acrocomia mexicana) palm hanging over the fence. This palm has a good sized trunk, and obviously, it has survived the freeze of 1989. This basically concludes the drive through tour.
Another attractive area is the restored downtown Harlingen. This area is commonly known as the Jackson Street area and includes many curios and antiques. It is a great place for browsing. The parking meters have been given the ax, and parking is free everywhere in the area. The streets have been lined with trees including our native sabal and there are several places to stop to have a sandwich and a cup of cappacino. Many festivities are held here each year and you may be fortunate enough to partake in the fun. A final area within Harlingen that you should see are the islands which have been planted along the crazy intersections on 77 Sunshine Strip. These traffic islands have been landscaped to the hilt and although it is difficult to leave the car to properly inspect them, they do provide optical pleasure while waiting at the hectic traffic lights on this busy road. This concludes the information on the Harlingen area. Although there are many palms to see in various neighborhoods, they are mostly scattered and difficult to compile into a tour. The roads throughout the county are a labyrinth of areas to explore. Try some freelancing and let me know what you find.
The Coast and
Brownsville
From the northern area of Cameron County, we now discuss the area near the coast and the city of Brownsville. Again, there are many areas in which palms can be readily observed. The interesting ones are scattered over large areas and a simple driving tour is about impossible. This article will relate Alice's and my travels on a lazy Sunday afternoon in mid-December. Traveling in the coastal area and Brownsville provides many varieties due to the warmer winter climate. When I refer to the warmer winter climate, I am referring to the average winter night temperatures and temperatures during northers. McAllen and Laredo often have the high temperature for the nation in the winter but these areas are more prone to freezes than the areas in close proximity to the gulf. Brownsville and other coastal areas seldom have the high or low for south Texas since the gulf waters prevent a large range in variance. As stated previously, the more tropical the area, the harder it becomes to recover from a massive freeze. The area which encompasses South Padre Island, Port Isabel, Los Fresnos, and Brownsville can normally avoid the typical annual frost seen in other portions of the valley, but when the freeze in 1983 arrived, it hit this area like a hammer. Commercial fields of tropical palms were destroyed. Yards were decimated. This area is still recovering from the impact of that freeze. People are more reluctant here to replant their tropical gardens than in McAllen or Edinburg far to the north and west. In southern and eastern Cameron County, there are beautiful resacas or oxbow lakes. These meandering river- type lakes loaded with vegetation have the appearance of far off lands such as India or Madagascar rather than Texas.
One of the most beautiful areas is Bayview. If you have not driven the streets in this small community, I highly recommend that you travel the various roads through this area and see the beautiful and lovely houses, groves, and palms. This area is on the way to South Padre Island off of Highway 510. When Alice and I arrived in the valley, the Bayview resacas were surrounded with Canary Island date palms. These palms had reseeded themselves into a lushness that would be an envy to the residents of the Canary Islands, themselves. After the freeze of 1983, these palms had survived, and due to their remote location, appeared to be immune to the devastation of the lethal yellowing which prevailed elsewhere around the valley. It appeared that these palms near the coast would be spared from the disease since the dominant southeast winds off of the Gulf of Mexico prevented contact from infected palms which were inland. Alas, this area now has the disease and dead trunks are apparent in various locations. Many of the dead palms and even some of the live palms have been removed. Ted Hunt road, just east of Bayview, is one of the areas in which you can view these palms and the current destruction from the lethal yellowing.
Private Tour
From here, we go to Brownsville and the homes of Dawn and Ray Rodriguez, and Peter Heinz. Peter has been the design engineer for the plants for both of these yards. He has been growing palms in this area for years and was one of the victims of the 1983 freeze. He was affiliated with the I.P.S. and is currently growing several acres of palms of various genera which include but are not limited to miniature date palms, triangle palms, and queen palms. His fields are bordered by large Mexican fan palms. The gardens surrounding the house include other treasures including the lovely Archontophoenix alexandrae species "Beatrix" which are identified by the "steps" on the trunk. Also included is a large Carpentaria acuminata which incidentally Peter was growing in his fields when the massive freeze occurred. This lone palm in his gardens was protected by the surrounding heavy foliage and this palm escaped the ravages of the cold. This is living proof that we need to pay attention to micro-climates. Another attractive palm is the Wodyetia bifurcata or foxtail palm which is most likely, the largest foxtail in the ground in the state of Texas. Most of these palms are surrounded by other plants, and photos are difficult to take due to the many shadows and blockage. Alice is planning on arranging a visit through these gardens during a future meeting in the valley.*
At the adjacent Rodriguez residence, several attractive palms grace the yard. On either side of the driveway as you enter the property, there are Borrassus flabellifer or Palmyra Palm. These first appear to be Brahea armata since the leaves have a powdery gray cast, but a closer look at the trunk shows this palm is different. We rarely ever see this palm in the United States although it is one of the most numerous palms in the world. The palm grows tall to about 100 to 120 feet. The leaves are huge. According to Peter, the large seeds of these palms send down a taproot two to three feet into the soil before any growth emerges from the ground. Don't expect to order a conetainer seedling from a mail order house for this palm. Plant it where you want it and good luck. Dawn Rodriguez said that these palms have had frozen leaves from light frosts but new fronds returned quickly in the spring. The have little thatch protection and I'm sure a heavy freeze would eliminate these palms altogether. The Rodriguez yard also includes a large date palm which may be a Canary Island date but the fronds appeared somewhat more gray than the fronds on the palms at Bayview. It has a solitary trunk and a large crown mostly concealing the trunk. Guessing, I would say it may be a cross between Phoenix canariensis and Phoenix sylvestris, both of which have solitary trunks.
A final palm worth noting is one of the largest Mediterranean fan palms of which I have ever seen. This is growing on the banks sloping down to the resaca. Alice and I appreciate the Rodriguez' and the Heinz' for their invitation to view their yards. Peter sets a good example in perseverance for his replanting of palms in the south Texas area. Field grown palms are an attractive but risky venture. This is just a sprinkling of the palms that are undoubtedly grown throughout the county. I often come across unknown palms in back yards when doing appraisals. I am most fortunate since I obtain access into rear yards where many of the palms are planted. A good number of these palms have grown from seeds which were brought back from tropical countries either by the homeowners or friends and relatives. Most of the homeowners have no idea what the various palms are. I have little time to study their characteristics, and most likely, I could not identify them even with my textbooks. My background is not botany and I mostly learn by observing and listening. Palms which I have seen in several places which I have recognized are:
- King palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae)
- Bangalow palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana)
- Bismark Palm (Bismarckia nobilis)
- Braheas of various species
- Pindo palm (Butia capitata)
- Fishtail palms (Caryota mitus and urens)
- Bamboo palms (Chamadorea species)
- Golden cane palm (Chrysalidocarpus lutescens)
- Silver palm (Coccothrinax argentea)
- Old man palm (Coccothrinax crinata)
- Bottle and the spindle palms (Hyophorbe lagenicaulis and H.verschaffeltii)
- A ruffled fan palm (Licuala grandis) which was enclosed in a sheet plastic house during the freeze on 1989
- Australian fan palm (Livistona australis)
- Chinese fan palm in large numbers (Livistona chinensis)
- Weeping cabbage palm and the Taraw Palm (Livistona decipiens, L. saribus), along with Livistona drudei and L. mariae
- Phoenix palms are difficult to identify in many cases since they cross pollinate, but the dactylifera and roebelenii are common.
- Majesty palm (Ravenea rivularis) is now common as are the lady palms (Rhapis excelsa and R. humilis)
- Sabals are seen throughout the valley. Most are the native sabal (Sabal mexicana) and the palmetto palm (Sabal palmetto). A few saw palmettos (Serenoa repens) can be seen, and the Thrinax parviflora, the thatch palm is becoming increasingly popular.
- Windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) is rather rare since our heat is generally too much for them.
- Christmas palm (Veitchia merrillii) will often survive in protected places.
PSST member Richard Travis has a house in Olmito near Brownsville which will be a real attraction in a few years since he is planting some exotics. I have many of the palms mentioned above in my own yard, but most are diminutive in size, since my access to the various plants originated with the formation of the palm society. With a little luck, prayer, and stack heaters, these too may grow into a spectacle in the years to come. In wrapping this all up, I would like to recommend that you visit Bayview if you have not done so. Members of PSST, who are not from the valley often spend the night in local hotels when attending the meetings. If you are spending the night, have some spare time and want to take trips to see various varieties of plants, give me a call and I will try to assist you on a good local tour. I am much more familiar with Cameron County than Hidalgo but the appraisal business sometimes takes us to Hidalgo and the other valley counties, and I may be able to help there also. Happy touring!!!!
* PSST members enjoyed the opportunity of touring the Heinz' and Rodriguez' gardens at the February 1999 meeting. Private tours such as these are one of the benefits of being a PSST member. We have a membership form at http://www.raingardens.com/psst/pssttshr.htm if you'd like to join.