Does Southern Cali. have Coconut palms? (Newport Beach, Santa Cruz: organic, live, plantation)

[PalmBch]

Does LA/OC (Southern California) area have Coconut Palm trees like we do here in South Florida?

[humboldtrat]

There are no coconut palms in California. In the desert, there are palm trees that produce dates. I have been to this place east of Palm Springs and where dates are harvested from rows and rows of date palm trees Oasis Date Gardens Organic Certified Medjool Dates

[Fontucky]

Supposedly it's not tropical enough for them here. Dry Mediterranean and desert climes aren't conducive to coco palm growth.

[PalmBch]

What kind of Palm trees does S. Cali have then? Are they all only the tall one's?

[Fontucky]

The only native palm is the Washington Palm. Some of the others that thrive:

Queen Palm
King Palm
Many types of Date Palms
Blue Palm
Pindo Palm
Guadalupe Palm
Sago Palm
Mediterranean Fan Palm
Triangle Palm
Paradise Palm
Majesty Palm
Windmill Palm
Mexican Fan Palm

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Not enough humidity here for coconut palms.

[Lucidus]

There exists documentation of a cocos nucifera growing in Newport Beach.

Newport Beach coconut palm is possibly the northernmost growing tree of its kind in the world. (22-NOV-99) Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Newport certainly has the microclimate to pull it off.

A few other interesting ones. Furthest northern (and furthest west on the US mainland) commercial banana plantation is in Ventura. Furthest northern (") large scale commercial avocado orchard is on benchlands just west of Gonzales in Monterey County (although there are some smaller ones in Santa Cruz county). Furthest northern commercial citrus (Mandarins) are in Nevada County. Furthest northern commercial rice is in Colusa County. Furthest northern (and western) cotton's in San Joaquin County.

[Scott5280]

The air/soil temperature remains too low in So Cal., coconut palms don't favor any sustainable temp periods below 45 degrees. The one in Newport is up against a sunny exposed wall,obviously giving it just enough radiant heat to keep it going. I believe it's about 19 or twenty years old. There are also specimen trees around So Cal meaning they are either very sheltered, and rely on some additional outdoor heating sources/care or are potted and brought inside during colder times of the year. I have seen specimen varities around La Jolla, and I saw a few of them at the Holliday Inn , Laguna Beach in the courtyard surrounding the pool. The manager said they took extra care to keep them healthy and alive. They were only about seven or eight feet tall. South Florida is a totally different climate than anywhere in California. I have heard rumors for years that a large coconut palm exists growing out in the desert (partially shaded) near the Salton Sea, I personally seriously doubt it... I will believe it when I see it in person.

[Chelito23]

I can pretty much guarantee that out in the dessert, either Coachella or Imperial Valley, near the Salton Sea, there are no coconut palms. It gets way too cold here in the winter, nights in the upper 20s are not uncommon on an annual basis, especially in unprotected areas. Ontop of that, there are many days in the 50s. Then the summer time temps are way to high on a consistent basis and add to the mix no rain....it just isn't possible. You have to go way down to the Gulf of Califorinia in Baja and the southern border of Sonora along the Sea of Cortez to see the farthest NW coconuts growing without ridiculous care.

There are some Royal Poincianas growing in the dessert vallys though...but they don't look as nice as tey should due to all the previous reasons.