Parajubaeas in the Presidio of San Francisco

[thallo]

I’ve been watching these trees grow the past few years and thought I would share a couple of photos. they are located in the Presidio of San Francisco. I think they are all torallyi except for the one with me in vest - I think that’s sunkha. I’m 6’1” for reference. The one at 58 Presidio could be cocoides? It’s smaller in stature than the surrounding torallyis. 
 

 I’m soooo glad I didn’t plant P. torallyi in my small garden after watching them grow in open spaces!

Edited May 11, 2022 by thallo

[James B]

Wow! Looks like 2 were fruiting. Keeping fingers crossed 10 years from now…

[Firepalm]

Great pics! Love these palms.

[Little Tex]

Its funny how they look almost like mules

[awkonradi]

Are the P. torallyi at this location fruiting?

[thallo]

1 hour ago, awkonradi said:

Are the P. torallyi at this location fruiting?

Yes, but not currently. I’ve seen mature seeds on the largest palm in the past and new flowers are emerging now. 

[awkonradi]

1 hour ago, thallo said:

Yes, but not currently. I’ve seen mature seeds on the largest palm in the past and new flowers are emerging now. 

Appreciate that.

[thallo]

5 hours ago, Little Tex said:

Its funny how they look almost like mules

Yep! I saw this mule on Cannery Row in Monterey CA and I thought it might be a Parajubaea until folks on here confirmed otherwise.  

[Tyrone]

11 hours ago, thallo said:

I’ve been watching these trees grow the past few years and thought I would share a couple of photos. they are located in the Presidio of San Francisco. I think they are all torallyi except for the one with me in vest - I think that’s sunkha. I’m 6’1” for reference. The one at 58 Presidio could be cocoides? It’s smaller in stature than the surrounding torallyis. 
 

 I’m soooo glad I didn’t plant P. torallyi in my small garden after watching them grow in open spaces!

Any idea how long they've been in the ground for?

[thallo]

22 hours ago, Tyrone said:

Any idea how long they've been in the ground for?

I’m not sure. I only noticed them in 2019 when I became more interested in palms (and also began hiking different routes through the Presidio). 

[thallo]

Stopped by to check on the largest of the Parajubaeas in the Presidio yesterday. It seems more massive than ever after our epic winter rains. Two active inflorescences right now. I’m 6’1 for reference 

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by thallo
Update photo

[awkonradi]

I stopped by that palm a week ago, and I also took pictures.  I think I may see a fruit and a seed, marked in the picture below.

[Butch]

I was in the US Army and stationed  at the Presidio in 1968... It is such a beautiful area... It was probably one of the prettiest military bases around, back then... Of course it's not military now.. It was an interesting place to be stationed, for sure... Much better than where I went from there... Also interesting, but not in a good way (Viet Nam)...

Butch

[Robert Cade Ross]

Will they grow in zone 9B Alvin Tx? 
 

35 minutes south of Houston Tx 

[Foggy Paul]

I considered putting one in the planting strip on our narrow street but decided it was too big even for that. Apparently they grow pretty fast here, possibly the fastest palm in the fog belt.

[Hillizard]

2 hours ago, Foggy Paul said:

I considered putting one in the planting strip on our narrow street but decided it was too big even for that. Apparently they grow pretty fast here, possibly the fastest palm in the fog belt.

I spoke with garden staff last month at the Strybing Arboretum in GG Park and he said their Parajubaea palms seem to grow much faster when given abundant water, even in the summer. Sizes there in the garden were similar to the pictures here in The Presidio.

[Jim in Los Altos]

12 hours ago, Cade said:

Will they grow in zone 9B Alvin Tx? 
 

35 minutes south of Houston Tx 

Cade, These require cool summer nighttime temperatures to prosper (50s-60s) especially in warm-hot afternoon locations. Hot daytime + very warm nighttime temperatures often dooms them. 

[awkonradi]

7 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

Cade, These require cool summer nighttime temperatures to prosper (50s-60s) especially in warm-hot afternoon locations. Hot daytime + very warm nighttime temperatures often dooms them. 

A Butia x Syagrus mule might be happy in Alvin, TX, and provide a similar look.

[necturus]

Butia x PJs are as close as you can get in southeast Texas. PJT and PJS do particularly well. My PJC crosses died in last year's freeze.

[thallo]

21 hours ago, awkonradi said:

 

I stopped by that palm a week ago, and I also took pictures.  I think I may see a fruit and a seed, marked in the picture below.

 

There is definitely a fruit there - I’ve seen at least 3 or 4 the past few years. I tried to leave them to mature but they were gone later. I think the local wildlife must like them! 

[Collectorpalms]

Just Stopped by SF about a week ago. Unfortunately, the fog just rolled in as I was pulling up, so the camera had issues. 

Looks like most of the previous seeds died on the vine, so to speak. But the current ones may make it to maturity. 

[Collectorpalms]

[kylecawazafla]

Great photos! I was going to post my updated photos from last year, but yours are more recent! 

[Butch]

Great pics!... Very beautiful area.....

Butch

[Tyrone]

Great pics of some great palms. 
 

One of my P tvt is flowering for the first time. Do Parajubaea fruit ever colour up to something other than green? How do you know if they’re ripe? 
 

My P sunkha is fruiting now but all still green fruit as well. 

[thallo]

there are some nice specimens at the salesforce transit center in downtown SF

[Butch]

On 7/31/2025 at 10:14 PM, Collectorpalms said:

 

If I remember correctly, those were the Officer Quarters...

Butch