Palm Trees In Seattle. Yay or Nay? (Vancouver: house, landscaping)

[pwright1]

I love seeing palms all over the city. People talk about its not native to the northwest but I see so many non-native plants in people's yards everyday. I think they're absolutely beautiful.

[Chelito23]

I am a palm lover from South Florida, so this thread intrigued me. Areas with mild climates like Seattle around teh world support small scale garden palms ( I have even seen them in London!)

With that said, I do think the palms I have seen in these pictures do have a "fake" look to them, almost too perfect. I am not familiar with this variety, but they do give the area a different look. Hats off to the last pic with the banana plants, I had no idea they did so well up there!

[reD2dryout]

I used to think people were pushing the envelope in Northern California with all the palms, but here? Generally I find they look out of place. There are certainly some that look very yellow and pathetic. If you are in a "banana belt", usually a south facing slope by the water, then you can get away with it. The more urban and "constructed" the environment, the better they look. Not so much in a more naturalized setting.

[W & C]

I think palm trees are awesome here ! And occasional snow on them makes them 100 times as cool, like these pics I took w/ my phone sometime ago...

[Jimrob1]

I have mixed feelings about them in the Northwest. I know we have more and more of them each year here in Portland. I was surprised when visiting Seattle I was seeing them around also. I think they look nice, they certainly are attractive. I do feel though that palm trees just represent the sunbelt in so many respects. I associate them with warm sunny climates. They somewhat look out of place amongst all the trees native to the Northwest. Sort of like making a place be something it isn't in some respects. Buy hey, whatever people want to do. If planting palm trees in the northwest makes them happy then go for it.

[JesseJames34]

bleh... i don't like palm trees. reminds me too much of the southwest (AZ/CA) deserts. given they make me think of sunny places, i guess that would be a reason one would use them in seattle. at a resort or pool they probably would not look out of place in my eyes.

[Tiger Beer]

beautiful!

[Feybie]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Well, some folks and their houses are just a wee bit odder than most, eh Laddie?

I think that, given our climate, there's nothing natural about palm trees here.

That may not necessarily be true. Here in Australia, the coastal areas that are full of sun and fun are littered with palms, but its rains A LOT in those areas - kind of like it does in Seattle.

Some palm species can only live in places where it rains all the time. (I said some, not all).

[pw72]

Seattle is a very "accepting" city. Can't we just all get along and "accept" the palms?

[distortionmaster20]

Originally Posted by pw72

Seattle is a very "accepting" city. Can't we just all get along and "accept" the palms?

Sure, I'll accept the palms, as soon as I move away from the PNW for good. Once I'm gone you southern transplants can do whatever the heck you want to my once glorious state. Transform Western WA into LA for all I care.