Welcome to San Diego, CA, USA the land of Syagrus Romanzoffiana

[MJSanDiego]

I was out and about driving this morning and wanted to share these pics I took of the ubiquitous queen palms. Everywhere you look you will see queen palms in our city. It's the dominant palm here along with W. Robusta, the Mexican Fan Palm. This is just an average area of the city within a one mile radius. I could take thousands of pics block after block if I had the time! Most of the pics I took while stopped at a traffic light through the car window. We admire and adore this palm because they mostly look stunning with minimal care in our area of California, the southern most city of California, bordering Mexico. Planted in the appropriate zone the queen palm, a.k.a, coco palm, Jeriva, Syagrus Romanzoffiana can be the beauty of the land 

[Harry’s Palms]

The same up here in Ventura County. Shopping malls , industrial parks , residential areas . It would be hard to look out at a skyline in any direction without seeing them . It is sort of a Southern California thing. I am also seeing more Archontophoenix ( King) palms and some large Howea F. The Queens take the skyline though. Nice pictures , this could be just about any SoCal city . Harry

[MJSanDiego]

1 hour ago, Harry’s Palms said:

Nice pictures , this could be just about any SoCal city . Harry 

I agree with that and would also add only those SoCal cities that are not too far inland though. At a certain distance from the ocean you not only see fewer, but more often ratty unless well fussed over. You mentioned King palms. I do see some neighborhoods with many King palms. The fronds seem to be burned alot on those though. Maybe I do a drive and take pics of some Kings for a new post as many seem to like them and are more interested in those I think

[Billy]

😴

[Patrick]

They look great; but it's amusing that the desert can sustain such palms. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

1 hour ago, Patrick said:

They look great; but it's amusing that the desert can sustain such palms. 

Desert? Maybe somewhat in an annual rainfall definition but not close at all as far as typical desert temperatures and humidity are concerned. San Diego, as much of CA, has a mild Mediterranean climate with moderate year round humidity levels that supports hundreds of palm species with irrigation during the dry months and many species without irrigation. 

[palmnut-fry]

Enjoy it that this a dilemma of fronds to tolerate. A few years back i was there around town and up into Santee. The palms at the zoo and surrounding parks where i saw such amazing genera! Really awesome topography- luv it.

Happy Fall everyone, we "only" racked up 22 days of 100° + days with welcome rain after a long miserable Jul- Aug here in Dallas!

Hey do Brahea armata palms ever slow to a stop growing? My one put out many new leaves but her sister put out 3 and the center spear just sits there. I tug on it, still in place good so no rot, weird

 

[Harry’s Palms]

@Jim in Los Altos yes ! I was told by my Palm mentor that in Southern California about 1500 different palms can be grown here along the coastal zone. The tropics are great but temperate , especially warm temperate , accommodates a wide variety . The growth rate is slower here than , say Hawaii, but there are many palms that need the cooler evenings and less humidity. I have a Syagrus R. that I planted at the bottom of my hill right near the street , just out of my irrigation range . I didn’t think it would survive without a constant. water source . The soil has not been amended in years and the dirt is dry. The palm looks lush and dark green , as good as any other . It does not put out near the mess my canopy Queens do , I can’t remember ever seeing it flower and it is pretty big . Harry