I live in central Mexico in the state of Michoacan with a USDA zone of
9 or 10.

If you can get them to grow, they won't do well. They need a cold
winter rest period. I lived in LA for a few years, and missed the
maple trees.

I was lucky enough to spend two winters down in central Mexico, one of
which in Michoacan. Michoacan isn't the dry, dusty desert that a lot of us
Gringos think of when we think of Mexico. It's got some high, beautiful,
mountainous areas. Waterfalls, volcanos, lush vegitation, it's amazing!
And, in the higher areas, it can certainly get cold during the winter, but
it depends on where they're at. If they're in the "hot lands" (Apatzingan,
Nueva Italia, Infiernillo - "little hell"), that's one thing. On the other
hand, if they're in Uruapan, Patzcuaro, or Janitzio, then we're talking
about winters that get down to and a bit below freezing.

(The bit that makes winter "fun" down there is that houses aren't heated,
or even insulated - often, they're not even well sealed. While 30-35
degrees F doesn't sound that cold to a lot of us, you have to remember that
it's often not much warmer *inside* the house, if any. Of course, it
depends on the construction of the home, which can be anything from concrete
and brick to sticks and cardboard.)

steve