What kind of climate can date palms thrive in?

Question

I'm trying to sprout date palms from seeds, but I'm wondering if its worth the effort because I'm not sure if they could grow here in New Mexico. The climate here is dry, getting up to 100 degrees in the summer and getting as cold as 20 degrees in the winter. Can a date palm tree survive in this kind of environment?

thanks

Answer 1

Here is a chart on the climatic preferences of a date palm..

http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/006/Y4360E/y4360e08.htm

here is another link on them..keep in mind..date palms are either male or female..to produce fruit ..you have to have them

Answer 2

Indio Ca. has a similar climate and is where most Ca. dates are grown. You do know that dates must be hand polinated right? When dates were first planted in Ca. they didn't produce because there were no fruit bats to polinate them. As an ornamental I think there are better looking palms. Kinda cool to see palm trees with snow on them.
Edit. Read the other answer. The paper cones are not for the sun. they are wrapped around the flowers to keep the pollen from the male flowers from being blown away in the wind.

Answer 3

I grew up in Palm Springs, California and 10 minutes away there were Date Palm Groves. When I was a kid I remember it being humid in the groves but the air in that area was dry at that time. Now days, with all the moisture from the golf courses, I don't see any difference in the amount of groves. Check to see what the climate is in Palm Desert or Indio. I know in Palm Springs it gets up in the 120'sin the heat of the summer.