IS that a purple crownshaft I see? I never noticed that before. Or is it the lighting? I will have to further investigate..

I was told Josue that this palm was planted pre 1992 freeze. Fronting the palm is a swimming pool. That and the large building really got it through fine. Not a mark on the trunk I could see...other oldies in town have 1992 scars.

I hope mine get to live that long!

You have some long termers I predict- Bizmarckia, The Beccio something seems to have legs for taking real cold and of course would thrive in the valley heat in summer.

Are there many Dypsis baronii hybrids that can get tall? They have been good here in the bay area and inland even as midsized clumpers.

You might try the Shaving brush palms if can plant it where it grows into sun. They can take cold pretty well.

Just remember- the gopher is our enemy!

Yeah, I have a lot of bismarkia seed germinating now as well - green form and blue - which I'll have as backups. The beccario is loving the heat actually, and loving the extra water I give it.

I do have a rhopalostylis baueri var. cheesemanii seedling that didn't even blink during winter. The problem I foresee with that species is that they might dislike our summer heat. I saw some large, bulging ones at Golden Gate Palms. Maybe I'll be bold enough one day to try one that size!

Here's a shot from a few weeks ago. Phoenix reclinata in the back, beccariophoenix alfredii in the center.

AND ... I know these will get crowded as they age, but I don't really mind that at all...

The blue circles are dypsis decipiens. The yellow arrow points to bismarkia nobilis. You can just make out the tips of one of the fronds on it.

I saw foxtails at the Hayward HD. I know they can take our winters,I bought one many years ago..its the lack of over 85F that slows them to a crawl here. Have you tried A Foxtail?

Mine grew slowly 2 new fronds in 2 years..then we had 2007 and it was back to one frond- a spear. I dug it up. It then died later in that pot.

I think with your heat..a better story.

The yard of your's looks great. Always evolving,I'm sure. In 5 years it will look different again. So will you!

ps- My King palms are growing where that Foxtail was and have gone from 5' and a couple inches of trunk to near or more then ten feet of trunk and overall 20' in ten years. Why Kings are King!

Thanks Stan, it definitely is always evolving! And I'm becoming ever aware of my aging! lol

I picked up a foxtail last summer at Lowes and have it growing against the south side of the house. It looks great. I'll get pictures of it later today. I saw a spear begin to unravel this morning on my way out to work.

I have kings but I'm afraid that once they get past the canopy, they'll bleach and burn in our sun. Otherwise, they will take the heat as long as they have wet feet. You should post some pics of your palms!

BTW, I did manage to find a young aloe tongaense - inspired by the pictures of yours.

Here's my wodyetia, Stan. Two of those fronds are from this summer so far.

Looks great- those fronds are a darker green then I ever got. I was told by somebody in the know he's seen them do well in San Jose and Santa Clara. I'm just too close to bay.

Ok Josue- how about the big one? The Royal? I've wanted to try one..just never got my hands on one and seeds never sprouted.

What you have are some great quality palms for a young man..I spent years reinventing the wheel with some BIG junk plants,and gophers. You sidestepped all that- congrats!