For a moment there i thought you meant ACTUAL central Cal (you know, the Central Valley, not the coast). I have a few known nurseries here in the Valley. I don't know any names of nurseries, but there are TONS of nurseries on Highway 126 around Santa Paula and Ventura. They specialize in palms and tropical trees suited for that area. The nurseries here in the Valley carry palms such as dypsis decipiens, bismarckia nobilis, queen palms and endless arrays of Aloes (Ferox, Arborescens, Marlothii), Agaves and succulents, so the ones on the coast probably carry more selections.

Check out the University of California at Santa Cruz Botanic Garden, and they do have an on-site nursery as well. There is a great retail nursery in Watsonville, Ca. called Sierra Azul Nursery, which also has great display gardens. For prime succulents, there is a good nursery in Carmel Valley, I forget what the name of it is, but it would be in the yellow pages. If you will be passing through Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo, there used to be a really cute succulent nursery near downtown, not sure if it is still there, and the new Botanic Garden just north of San Luis Obispo on Hwy One is also worth checking out. Also, in Santa Barbara proper, don't miss Alice Keck Park in town, the civic center with its gorgeous mature palm plantings, and also the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden above the mission in the hills. Also, there is a really nice retail nursery in Carpenteria right off Hwy 101 that has a full range of palms, succulents, etc, and also has great display gardens. Maybe someone else who actually lives in Carmel Valley, Morro Bay or Carpenteria can chime in with the actual names of the nurseries that I can't remember the names of...

if you plan on going as far south as LA, Maurice Levin has a great cycad nursery in Hollywood. Go to: Cycads.com to check out what he carries. I have bought several things and had them shipped but plan on visiting the actual nursery when I go to LA soon.

Great. Thanks for all the great advice. I can't wait.

Central Cali: Sorry for the off-reference. I'm a transplant from Merced to Atlanta GA. After 20 years in the central valley, I should know better. Don't know if I can get as far south as Ventura, but Hwy 126 sounds interesting.

Desertlvr: I visit Maurice's web site all the time. I haven't pulled the trigger on ordering anything yet because I keep thinking I'll get to So Cal for an on-site visit. d rather visit.

Thanks again.