For a complete collection of photos with IDs, please click here

Here are some photos I've taken over the last few days in San Diego, CA! 

Borassus madagascariensis

Jubaea chilensis

 

Chambeyronia hookeri and Ptychococcus lepidotus

 

Coccothrinax macroglossa

 

Dictyosperma album

 

 

Oraniopsis appendiculata

 

Ptychosperma elegans

 

Syagrus amara

 

Caryota gigas

 

 

SD Zoo and Balboa Park surroundings are a gold mine for Palm, Encephalartos and Aloe sightings. Some cool pics there. 
 

-dale 

Great photos as usual Kyle. 
 

A couple of IDs I’d question:

Chamaedorea adscendens - looks like Chamaedorea klotzschiana I think

Carpoxylon - looks like Hyophorbe indica?

Rhopalostylis sapida - looks more like R baueri to me but not certain on this one. Overall growth habit just seems more typical of baueri

3 hours ago, tim_brissy_13 said:

 

A couple of IDs I’d question:

Chamaedorea adscendens - looks like Chamaedorea klotzschiana I think

 

yes, absolutely agree, no chamaedorea adscendens - it is chamaedorea klotzschiana, I have many of these in the garden

11 hours ago, kylecawazafla said:

For a complete collection of photos with IDs, please click here

Here are some photos I've taken over the last few days in San Diego, CA! 

Borassus madagascariensis

Jubaea chilensis

 

Chambeyronia hookeri and Ptychococcus lepidotus

 

Coccothrinax macroglossa

 

Dictyosperma album

 

 

Oraniopsis appendiculata

 

Ptychosperma elegans

 

Syagrus amara

 

Caryota gigas

 

 

Great pictures, Kyle. Thank you for sharing them.

Stunning collection . I never get tired of Balboa Park or San Diego zoo. So many palms and cycads to be seen there. As soon as my hip heals we will go down and visit our daughter and take in the park. They moved a couple of large Bizmarkia recently , I hope they are ok. Harry

Kyle, did you pick up the Jubaea seeds ?  

Some nice palm pics thanks.

I picked three for my friend and I ate one of them! :P 

Always look forward to your photo threads. Good stuff! 

These are amazing thank you!

On 10/16/2025 at 4:42 PM, kylecawazafla said:

For a complete collection of photos with IDs, please click here

Here are some photos I've taken over the last few days in San Diego, CA! 

Borassus madagascariensis

Jubaea chilensis

 

Chambeyronia hookeri and Ptychococcus lepidotus

 

Coccothrinax macroglossa

 

Dictyosperma album

 

 

Oraniopsis appendiculata

 

Ptychosperma elegans

 

Syagrus amara

 

Caryota gigas

 

 

The one labeled Ptychosperma elegans is actually Veitchia soledad, which I believe is V. arecina.  There’s a metal tag at the base of the trunk which has been there for at least 20 years.  

Here’s not a very clear pic of Ptychosperma elegans behind a huge Ficus dammaerops.  
There’s used to be two, the larger one died when it was moved out when the new bus terminal was made about 17 or 18 years ago.  The larger specimen was a very impressive large tree.  

• Some Ptychosperma macarthurii at the San Diego Zoo.  The ones pictured in the lower section have been there since at least 2000.  
  

Copernicia berteroana, Coccothrinax readii, Pritchardia minor and Ravenea julietiae at the San Diego Zoo.  Photos taken September 2, 2025. 

Coccothrinax proctorii and Coccothrinax camagueyana at the San Diego Zoo.

6 hours ago, Palms1984 said:

• Some Ptychosperma macarthurii at the San Diego Zoo.  The ones pictured in the lower section have been there since at least 2000.  
  

Thanks for your pics! The top Ptychosperma was labeled "P. ambiguum", but it looks just like P. macarthurii to me! I tried to get a good picture of the large P. elegans, but couldn't find a good angle!

10 hours ago, kylecawazafla said:

Thanks for your pics! The top Ptychosperma was labeled "P. ambiguum", but it looks just like P. macarthurii to me! I tried to get a good picture of the large P. elegans, but couldn't find a good angle!

You’re welcome 😎.  Sorry!  You’re correct, the upper photo is Ptychosperma ambiguum.  I actually didn’t know P. ambiguum could grow outside of the tropics.  But, I guess San Diego is the closest to the tropics in California you’ll get. 
 

There’s so many thousands of exotic palms growing at the San Diego Zoo.  Unfortunately, some are in areas where most people cannot access.  There’s some nice Acathophoenix crinita and an Elaeis guineensis which cannot be seen anymore.  Also, I’ve read about a few Johannesteijsmannia altifrons growing somewhere at the zoo.  Does anyone know if this is true?

Oh interesting! I have not heard about that. I was actually with an employee. I saw a tiny Acanthophoenix crinita at the zoo. I am growing an Elaeis guineensis in El Centro, CA. It's only a foot tall, but has survived three years in the ground. 

I was on a tour with the head horticulturist, Michael Letzring (years ago in 2009).  I’m not sure if he still works at the SD Zoo, though.  I saw some very interesting palms not seen by everyone.

Do you know if there’s Joey palms at the San Diego Zoo?  I would love to see them, if they actually exist!