Desert Empire Palms Knows Drought Tolerant Palms

Palm trees are quintessential to the California aesthetic and inspire a relaxing moment in the shade while enjoying a cool breeze. Despite the Coachella Valley’s naturally hot and dry climate, palm trees comprise a diverse selection of landscaping opportunities that actually thrive in the Coachella Valley. Even as the persistent drought has induced water restriction measures, there are plenty of drought-resistant palm trees to incorporate into your landscape design. The experts at Desert Empire Palms in Coachella Valley can make your California dream possible by helping you select and design palm trees to create a beautiful personal oasis for your home, suited for difficult desert conditions.

Call the landscaping specialists at Desert Empire Palms to discuss how you can add drought-resistant palm trees to your home’s landscape design!

Understanding Palm Tree Landscaping and Drought

It is important to understand the basics of palm trees in order to landscape them successfully through drought conditions. Precipitation and water scheduling is not the only thing to consider when selecting a species of palm tree for landscaping. Humidity, sun exposure, and wind conditions must also be considered when designing your outdoor space.

Additionally, you must consider the soil the tree is planted in, how long it can and will retain moisture, and how the tree’s roots will grow. Maintenance such as trimming the palms, watering, and caring for the soil is also important. Mulching can also help the soil retain moisture, assist with drainage, and release nutrients into the tree’s roots—but this is not always an option, depending on your landscape design.

The Best Drought-Tolerant Trees from Desert Empire Palms

Drought tolerance is understood as the degree a plant has adapted to arid conditions, including its ability to survive long-standing droughts—in other words, periods of scarce precipitation. Because we are used to such conditions in the Coachella Valley desert, watering one’s landscape or garden is also necessary. However, drought-induced water restrictions and other issues have persuaded many to rethink the design of their desert oasis, turning to more drought-tolerant plants and trees to withstand difficult conditions.

There is also a difference between drought-resistant and drought-tolerant. Drought resistant can withstand long rainless periods; drought tolerant can remain healthy during shorter periods and may need watering throughout the week, depending on other factors such as humidity levels, sun exposure, and outside temperature. When designed smartly, your maintenance level should be minimal, but intentional.

Functional Ideas for Landscaping with Palm Trees in the Coachella Valley

As you’ve now learned, there are so many variations of drought-resistant palms that offer different functionalities in your landscape design. The key to drought-resistant (and desert, in general) landscaping is ensuring the plants you implement serve a functional value. This symbiotic relationship between the different elements in your landscape design can help the plants thrive without an over-dependence of water and maintenance.

• For shade: The Canary Island Date Palm is a shady favorite in desert landscapes, as it is drought tolerant, but gives off a more tropical vibe. These palm trees have larger, lower fronds that can provide dense covering to lounge under when designed to hang over patios and pool areas. Their definitive diamond-cut trunks are easy to design around in front yards as focal shade points, or even along back fences for added height.
• To add aesthetic value to your property: Curb appeal is important, for both property value and to set the tone for your own living space. Lining your driveway or framing your front windows with Medjool Date Palms offer the classic, resort-style look for a luxurious entrance to your home. Additionally, the shade provided can cool down the concrete of your driveway, and the interior of your home, saving you energy costs.
• For privacy: California Fan Palms are the go-to trees for privacy and accent features, because of the way the trunks literally fan out from a clustered growth point. These trees look great worked in with other shrubs, cacti, and foliage for use as a privacy hedge, or even all on their own. These are also excellent with an added water feature for privacy with a tropical touch around an ungated pool area.
• To add greenery to your xeriscape: With a taller crown yet a hefty frond spread, the Mexican Fan Palm is a great centerpiece for your xeriscaped front or back yard. These trees are known for their hardiness and can survive in harsher soil and sun exposure. This makes them a perfect option for a more natural desert landscaping design. The added green will beautifully compliment the desert color and texture palette!
• To complement a container garden: Container gardens are the popular favorite for green thumbs in the Coachella Valley, as you can control the soil and moisture retention of difficult greenery and produce. For added sun exposure control to help your container garden thrive, use the California Fan Palm. Shorter and stockier than the Mexican Fan Palm, the California Fan Palm is the perfect height to work in a container garden area to keep it cool, integrate green, and help sustain moisture levels.
• To show off your pool: Nothing says personal paradise more than the way a palm-tree-lined pool lights up in the cool, California night. Use Canary Island Palm trees to accentuate a luxurious pool area by adding lighted features underneath its expansive fronds.

Overall, the best palm trees for drought-resistant landscaping include Medjool Date Palm, the Canary Island Palm, the Mexican Fan Palm, and the California Fan Palm. However, it is not as simple as choosing one of these amazing palm trees from Desert Empire Palms at random! The most successful landscape designs consider both the basics of palm tree horticulture, as well as the functionality and intended use of your space.

Create a Desert Oasis with the Experts at Desert Empire Palms

For four generations, Desert Empire Palms holds dear a mission to grow, nurture, and produce the most beautiful palms in the Coachella Valley. We understand that the most sophisticated care—from the selection of plants, to premium soil, as well as the correct maintenance—are all key components to cultivating gorgeous, thriving palms in our picturesque desert landscape. We are committed to helping you flourish in your own slice of paradise with our palms for years to come, regardless of climate or drought.

Contact Desert Empire Palms in the Coachella Valley to begin building your drought-resistant landscaping dreams!