Just an update for fellow palm talkers. After Texas Palm apocalyptic of 2021, and following bad winters and drought, I had enough.

I made the leap to move to Zone 10b Santa Barbara. Anyone, that loves palms and plants in general, you will love visiting here. There is a great mix of everything from healthy Trachycarpus, possible the largest Jubaeas in USA, still thriving Canaries, Fishtails, Kentia, kings and newer plantings of Royals and such, all living near each other. 

Here are just a sample: 

Edited July 25, 2025Jul 25 by Collectorpalms
Added additional Pictures.

Glad to hear you're alright and in a better place. 

Congrats, good luck, and enjoy! 

Beautiful Scenery. Best of Luck out there.

Congratulations @Collectorpalms!  Especially jealous of the Jubaea!  Good to hear from you again!

Can't say I'll miss you (cause you never invited me over!! ;)) but I wish you all the best! Certainly sounds like a much better climate to live and grow plants. Do you have a property yet and are you planning a palmy jungle?

You should check out the courthouse on State street, especially after dark with the great uplighting of palms.  Very romantic, part of the first date with my first serious girlfriend!   

@Collectorpalms did you buy property there already?

Ryan, nice to see you post again!  Bucking the trend - it's usually moving from CA to TX! 

@Collectorpalms What are the palms in pic #6? The ones after the tall robusta. Thanks. They all look beautiful!

Much better choice IMHO. I drove thru Banta Barbara in March once. It was sunny and in the 80°s. Coastal living is the best.

I was planning to go to Los Angeles with my wife this fall but the constant protests and violence that's occurring right now made us cancel our plans. We're going to Tampa instead.  Florida is also a paradise for palm growers. 

2 hours ago, Zone7Bpalmguy said:

@Collectorpalms What are the palms in pic #6? The ones after the tall robusta. Thanks. They all look beautiful!

 

2 minutes ago, MarcusH said:

I was planning to go to Los Angeles with my wife this fall but the constant protests and violence that's occurring right now made us cancel our plans. We're going to Tampa instead.  Florida is also a paradise for palm growers. 

Chilean wine palm maybe.🤔

3 hours ago, Zone7Bpalmguy said:

@Collectorpalms What are the palms in pic #6? The ones after the tall robusta. Thanks. They all look beautiful!

I believe they are king palms (most likely Archontophoenix cuninghamiana).

Hello sunshine my old friend!

7 hours ago, Darold Petty said:

You should check out the courthouse on State street, especially after dark with the great uplighting of palms.  Very romantic, part of the first date with my first serious girlfriend!   

Memories of sweet love hey Darold. You can give me the good old drive in picture theatre for that one 💝

Image # six is Archontophoenix cunninghamiana.

There's no denying that socal is the king of palm trees. 

Best of Luck Ryan! I’m sure I’m not the only one looking forward to what you’re going to plant out there. So many options! Even filifera there look way batter than they do in the eastern half of TX! Cheers!

Congratulations on your move and looking forward to more photos over time!

Are you able to take any of your palms from here out there, or are you restarting your collection? 

It’s Fiesta week in SB. These are from last night at the Mission.

Jubaea and Queen.  I am on the lookout for anything hybridish with Jubaea anyone know?

Just around town pictures, waiting for Tsunsmi. Thankfully it was minor. Had me worried! 

Royals (2) at the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory facing Lagoon Rd @ USCBarbara. Fairly newly planted ( viewable on street view from 2007) and just starting to fatten up. The Left one is doing better than the other. Most likely getting more water from what I could tell, but they need a ton to look great. 

Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens today. Did not find anything too too special there (palm-wise). The Kentia was happy seeding. 

On 7/25/2025 at 9:51 AM, Collectorpalms said:

Just an update for fellow palm talkers. After Texas Palm apocalyptic of 2021, and following bad winters and drought, I had enough.

I made the leap to move to Zone 10b Santa Barbara. Anyone, that loves palms and plants in general, you will love visiting here. There is a great mix of everything from healthy Trachycarpus, possible the largest Jubaeas in USA, still thriving Canaries, Fishtails, Kentia, kings and newer plantings of Royals and such, all living near each other. 

Here are just a sample: 

At the botanical garden of Naples, there were specimens of jubaea of about 150 years, unfortunately they were eaten by the red palm weevil, they have planted others about 3 meters high

7 hours ago, Collectorpalms said:

Santa Barbara Zoological Gardens today. Did not find anything too too special there (palm-wise). The Kentia was happy seeding. 

Those Dracaena draco look incredible 

Best of luck in your new palm endeavors. Beautiful area.

On 7/25/2025 at 12:51 AM, Collectorpalms said:

Just an update for fellow palm talkers. After Texas Palm apocalyptic of 2021, and following bad winters and drought, I had enough.

I made the leap to move to Zone 10b Santa Barbara. Anyone, that loves palms and plants in general, you will love visiting here. There is a great mix of everything from healthy Trachycarpus, possible the largest Jubaeas in USA, still thriving Canaries, Fishtails, Kentia, kings and newer plantings of Royals and such, all living near each other. 

Here are just a sample: 

late to the party but welcome to socal!

Do be warned though the droughts here are often REALLY, REALLY bad too, and we're shifting from a warm/hot-summer Mediterranean climate to a cold/hot semi-arid one. Hell, I think Los Angeles went from Csa to BSh recently when the median yearly precipitation fell below 15in.