Royal palms in California!

[Sr1949]

I was Google mapping homes for sale in Huntington beach and I spotted royal palms I didn't know they grew here?

[EdInSanDiego]

Absolutely they grow here, there are plenty here and there around San Diego.

[Chris Chance]

Royals grow great in California except the areas that get frost Real bad like my area. I have even seen pictures of them in Phoenix so they don't mind dry heat just not too much cold.

[Jim in Los Altos]

Welcome to the board Sean! It's possible in the right microclimate to grow a royal even up here in the SF Bay Area. I have three in my garden. There are lots of big ones in Southern CA.

[Sr1949]

Very interesting, lately I been seeing a lot of "florida trees" around what I would like to see is more coconut impersonators since we can't grow them here unfortunately. Thanks for the welcome!

[Zeeth]

Very interesting, lately I been seeing a lot of "florida trees" around what I would like to see is more coconut impersonators since we can't grow them here unfortunately. Thanks for the welcome!

Check out this Beccariophoenix madagascariensis. The whole genus looks so much like coconuts!

[EdInSanDiego]

From what I've read, even Beccariophoenix is difficult, though not impossible, to grow well in California. I believe I read that they grow but tend to look ratty...?

[Ben in Norcal]

From what I've read, even Beccariophoenix is difficult, though not impossible, to grow well in California. I believe I read that they grow but tend to look ratty...?

Well that's not remotely true. Beccariophoenix look great even up here in the Bay Area. Don't believe everything you read I guess!

[Jim in Los Altos]

Sean, Beccariophoenix alfredii is an easy grower here and every one I've seen looks good. I have four of them and in sun or partial shade, they're fast growers.

[Zeeth]

From what I've read, even Beccariophoenix is difficult, though not impossible, to grow well in California. I believe I read that they grow but tend to look ratty...?

B. alfredii does great over there. B. madagascariensis grows well but slowly. B. fenestralis is a no-grow in most areas, but some people have had luck with it in select microclimates.

[Danilopez89]

Both Royals and B.alfreddi do real nice around here. They both love heat. The royal can only take a little bit under 30 degrees. They usually won't die at those temps but will burn pretty bad in most cases. I have 5 growing along both sides of my driveway and when we did have some low temps only one of them had cold damage. Im not too sure why since it was my biggest. The rest of them didn't get damaged not even my seedling.

[Chris Chance]

Beccariophoenix alfredii is great palm for socal and looks much like a coconut. I have one that is a 15 gallon size that made it through snow and and frost at 28 and it looks fine. It is at the point it needs to go into the ground but once they get some size they take cold and heat well. Actually has become one of my favorites since it looks so tropical and it handles they weather on my area like a champ. I would definitely recommend it.

[KennyRE317]

there's a good amount of decent sized royals planted in cerritos off South St. in the center median

[DoomsDave]

There's a rockin' bunch of Royals near South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa

[Panamajack]

There is a house here in Palos Verdes (coastal Southern California, 3 blocks from the Pacific), with two very large Royals with full, green crowns. They are magnificent. I will take a picture and post it.

[Geoff]

Here is a shot of Louie Hooper's royal in La Habra

[_Keith]

I sure saw a lot of them on my 9-yard, 1-boulevard, and 1-shopping mall PRA last year. Can't wait to get back there in April and see them all over again.

[DoomsDave]

Here is a shot of Louie Hooper's royal in La Habra

Roystonea regia Hooper.jpg

Geoff, what year is that?

Old, whatever it is . . .

The Allagoptera wasn't taking over like it later would.

[DoomsDave]

Here is a shot of two of my Royals. The one on the right is a monster. It says it loves me.

The one on the left is runtier, but gaining ground. It's more ambivalent.

And here's no. 3.

[DoomsDave]

Here's the big one on the right in the first picture in the previous post.

It was an 18" tall baby in October of 2004. about 36" (1 M) across the base.

Yessir, yes ma'm.

[DoomsDave]

I sure saw a lot of them on my 9-yard, 1-boulevard, and 1-shopping mall PRA last year. Can't wait to get back there in April and see them all over again.

Hope you can take a dee-tour or two . . .

[_Keith]

I sure saw a lot of them on my 9-yard, 1-boulevard, and 1-shopping mall PRA last year. Can't wait to get back there in April and see them all over again.

Hope you can take a dee-tour or two . . .

I will be making 3 separate trips to the OC April/May so yes there will be detours and one to the center of doom.

[DoomsDave]

I sure saw a lot of them on my 9-yard, 1-boulevard, and 1-shopping mall PRA last year. Can't wait to get back there in April and see them all over again.

Hope you can take a dee-tour or two . . .

I will be making 3 separate trips to the OC April/May so yes there will be detours and one to the center of doom.

URK!

[Jim in Los Altos]

Dave's royals can hardly be beat!

[Ben in Norcal]

Dave's royals can hardly be beat!

Your royal is still doing well, Jim? I started a regia seedling a couple of years back that is going to need to be planted out some day...wonder what my chances are over here.

[John Case]

A fast growing and inexpensive experiment seems to be in order!

[Ben in Norcal]

Indeed John. I have about 50 experiments going on!!!

[Jim in Los Altos]

Ben, my royals are doing great. Two small borinquena hardly slowed growth at all during this winter. My bigger, mostly shaded regia, always nearly stops growing until spring but it has remained as green as it is in summer.

I say, get yours in the ground in a warm spot this spring and keep it well watered. Royals LOVE water.

[Capnrey]

I'm not the best at ID'ing - but what are the palms growing next to the parking structure in Downtown Santa Ana for the Courthouse - I remember them as being Royals? Anyone know the palms I'm talking about?

[Capnrey]

Here's a pic of them . . .

Anyway . .I wish more cities would consider these rather than Queens or Date Palms.

[DoomsDave]

Here's my borquey

[Josh-O]

Nice PR Dave Love that form of royal. They are more upright

[Stelios]

Here's a pic of them . . .

screenshot_154.jpg

Anyway . .I wish more cities would consider these rather than Queens or Date Palms.

Some of these palms look like they have a damage on the lower trunk. Will that be an issue or they will keep growing without problems? The damage seems to be on the same side of the trunks.

[Kostas]

I think that is more likely a software problem, the image was not assembled perfectly. The second palm may(or may not) have real damage, the rest appear to be image reconstruction defects

Dave,

Your pampered Roystonea regia is a true beauty!!!

[howfam]

There's a rockin' bunch of Royals near South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa

DoomsDave;

I checked out the Royals at the plaza on Google Street View. Wow!! Looks like a Miami, Fl. street scene. Palms very healthy looking. Maybe these will encourage more plantings in So. Cal. area.

[DoomsDave]

There's a rockin' bunch of Royals near South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa

DoomsDave;

I checked out the Royals at the plaza on Google Street View. Wow!! Looks like a Miami, Fl. street scene. Palms very healthy looking. Maybe these will encourage more plantings in So. Cal. area.

You have, of course, a standing invitation to visit my palm garden including the royals whenever you're out here.

Keith did it, and he's none the worse for the excitement . . .

[howfam]

There's a rockin' bunch of Royals near South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa

DoomsDave;

I checked out the Royals at the plaza on Google Street View. Wow!! Looks like a Miami, Fl. street scene. Palms very healthy looking. Maybe these will encourage more plantings in So. Cal. area.

You have, of course, a standing invitation to visit my palm garden including the royals whenever you're out here.

Keith did it, and he's none the worse for the excitement . . .

DoomsDave:

That invitation is tempting. Maybe my big chance will come one day soon, as I have yet to visit California at all. Tell me, do you know of any other Roystonea species (oleracea, venezuelana) growing in So. Cal.; if so, where?

Edited June 19, 2015 by howfam

[howfam]

Welcome to the board Sean! It's possible in the right microclimate to grow a royal evsen up here in the SF Bay Area. I have three in my garden. There are lots of big ones in Southern CA.

Jim in Los Altos:

Yes Microclimate makes all the difference. Check out these royals here in Jacksonville , Fl. where we generally can't grow royals (North Florida) due to some freezing temps. They've been in the ground approximately 15 years at a house near the water on the south side of town.

[Ben in Norcal]

How are those growing all the way up in Jax? What temperatures have they seen?

[Pete in Paradise Hills]

There's a rockin' bunch of Royals near South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa

DoomsDave;

I checked out the Royals at the plaza on Google Street View. Wow!! Looks like a Miami, Fl. street scene. Palms very healthy looking. Maybe these will encourage more plantings in So. Cal. area.

Trust me, they look more impressive in person. Definitely PRA worthy when in Santa Ana...