Assessing Suitability of Landscape Palm Trees in the Urban Environments of Southern Arizona

Abstract

Landscape architecture and design play a crucial role in addressing growing concerns over environmental sustainability. Palm trees (plants in the family Aracaceae) are an iconic and ubiquitous part of landscape design in the southwestern United States, but limited research has been conducted on the ecological and economic effects of these species. This research used a case study of the University of Arizona Campus Arboretum to examine the costs and benefits of six of the site’s most ubiquitous palm species: Brahea armata, Washingtonia filifera, Washingtonia robusta, Chamaerops humilis, Phoenix dactylifera, and Phoenix canariensis. The study found the greatest net benefits from Washingtonia robusta, with all other species exhibiting an annual net cost for the university site. However, there is still value inherent in the use of the other palm species; beyond net economic quantitative value, consideration must also be given to additional factors pertinent to the evaluation of plant suitability when selecting plants for a site, on a case-by-case basis.