SAN DIEGO PALMS, TREES & PLANTS

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Go here for the new pages--including mostly new photos!
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SAN DIEGO (and So-Cal) PALMS, TREES & PLANTS

PALMS (AND PALM-LIKE TREES)

Archonotophoenix cunninghamiana (King Palm)--These three bunched together (in Mira Mesa) have some resemblance to coconut palms!
(A single king palm)--in Mira Mesa.
Arecastrum romanzoffianum (Queen Palm)--in Mira Mesa.
Bismarckia nobilis (Bismarck Palm) in Balboa Park.
Brahea edulis (Guadalupe Palms)--native to Guadalupe Island, west of Baja California. These were in Scripps Ranch, in the north part of San Diego.
Caryota (Fishtail Palm)--This unlabeled (therefore I don't know the species) specimen at the San Diego Zoo was fruiting...so it's near the end of its lifespan. I believe the Caryota is the only type of palm that can grow in San Diego that dies soon after it flowers and fruits (of course, there are more in warmer climates).
Dracaena draco (Dragon Tree)--These are at the Quail Botanical Garden...this is a classic tree (not a palm, of course) for any mild-climate garden or park!
Jubaea chilensis (Chilean Wine Palm)--at the Catamaran, with flowering aloe in the foreground (Jan. 1997).
Jubaeaopsis caffra--Here's a rare South African palm! This was found at the Catamaran Hotel in Mission Beach.
Neodypsis decaryi (Triangle Palm)
Pachypodium lamerei (Madagascar "Palm")--a succulent, not a palm, from Madagascar (seen here at Vacation Island).
(Madagascar Palm at Quail Bot. Gardens)
Pandanus (Screw Pine)--at the Catamaran. A taller (but less showy) specimen can be found behind the Bahia resort.
Phoenix canariensis (Canary Island Date Palm)--good specimen in Mira Mesa.
Phoenix reclinata (Senegal Date Palms)--There are also a Canary Island Date Palm (Phoenix canariensis, background right) and some Kentia Palms (Howea forsterana, foreground right).
Ravanea rivularis (Majesty Palms):at the Catamaran in Mira Mesa
Roystonea regia (Royal Palms)--in front of the Catamaran in Mission Beach.
Washingtonia robusta (Mexican Fan Palm)--in Mira Mesa.

TROPICAL/SUBTROPICAL TREES

Acacia albida (Winter Thorn Acacia)-- This was taken at the San Diego Zoo. This tree is from the savannas of southeastern Africa. NOTE: African acacias do fine in San Diego and are planted in places like the zoo and (especially) the Wild Animal Park but not much in private yards because they are usually very thorny and deciduous. The Australian acacias, on the other hand, are more favored here as they are evergreen and have attractive yellow winter blossoms (though without the exciting "African acacia" shape).
Acacia xanthophloea (Fever Tree)--This acacia is also at the San Diego Zoo. This is native to parts of southeastern Africa and is deciduous, thorny yet with very interesting bark. Numerous specimens (some very large) can be seen at the Wild Animal Park.
Aleurites moluccana (Candlenut Tree)--This was taken at Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas. This is very rare here (but much more common in more tropical areas) and is definitely the largest candlenut tree I've seen in the San Diego area.
Aloe bainesii (Tree Aloe)--at the Catamaran.
Araucaria bidwillii (Bunya Bunya)--in Mira Mesa.
Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine)--in Mira Mesa.
Bauhinia blakeana (Hong Kong orchid tree)--in bloom (in winter) at Balboa Park.
Callistemon (sp.) (Bottlebrush)--This is a bottlebrush hedge in full bloom (May 2001). Bottlebrushes are also often grown as trees (as seen here) in San Diego, though the flowers are most spectacular on shrubs and hedges.
Carica pentagona (Babaco)--with fruit. On this plant in my yard, the fruit is green in the fall and winter and ripens during the spring. Those who have tasted samples (from this plant) either loved the fruit (I'm one, of course) or hated it.
Casimiroa edulis (White Sapote)--with fruit (good-tasting, too) during autumn.
Chorisia speciosa (Floss Silk Tree)--in full bloom (and leafless) in early Nov. 1999.
Clusia rosea (Autograph Tree)--This was taken at the San Diego Zoo. This is in a well-protected spot! I do recommend (if seeds or a plant can be obtained) that Clusia stenophylla (as seen in native habitat at almost 9000 feet in Costa Rica) be tried here--it should be much hardier than Clusia rosea, from the Caribbean.
Corymbia ficifolia (Red Flowering Gum--formerly Eucalyptus ficifolia)
Erythrina sp. (Coral Tree)--in bloom without leaves (in winter) at Balboa Park.
Eucalyptus deglupta (Mindanao gum)--This is native to the Philippines and New Guinea, not Australia!)
Euphorbia ingens (Candelabra Tree)--This is common in parts of eastern South Africa and is an interesting, easy-to-grow tree in San Diego.
Ficus benghalensis (Banyan Tree)--In a tropical climate, these would have hundreds, if not thousands of over-ground roots (and have incredible spread), but here they are lucky to survive at all.
Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig)--about a block from my house. It's common here.
Ficus benjamina (Variegated Weeping Fig)--This has some white leaves, which the regular weeping fig doesn't have. These are usually smaller (this one was trimmed down at some point to maintain a certain shape). It's not as common as the regular weeping fig in San Diego.
Ficus dammaropsis (Dinner-Plate Fig)--This is a rarely-planted fig from New Guinea, and it (supposedly) only fruits there because it requires a certain type of insect for pollenation. Photo taken at Sea World.
Ficus elastica (Rubber "Plant")--large specimen--Close-up of leaves
Ficus lutea (Zulu Fig/Nekbudu Fig)--This is at Quail Botanical Gardens. This tropical southeastern African tree is occasionally planted (in public places and private yards) within a few miles of the coast, but not inland.
Ficus macrophylla (Moreton Bay Fig)--in Balboa Park.
Ficus microcarpa (Indian Laurel Fig)
Ficus religiosa (Bo-Tree, Religious Fig)--This is found occasionally here, though sometimes you have to actually look at it to notice it since at first glance it resembles a cottonwood.
Ficus sycomorus (Sycamore Fig)--While this is rarely planted in San Diego, this tree has a large native range from South Africa to the Middle East.
Hymenosporum flavum (Sweetshade)--The sweetshade is most notable for its yellow flowers in the spring.
Jacaranda mimosafolia (Jacaranda)--also note the Kentia palms (Howea forsterana) on the right. This picture was taken in July 1998 (this was a "late bloomer").
Kigelia pinnata (Sausage Tree)--picture taken while in bloom (May 1998), before the sausage-like fruits appeared--Close-up of flowers
Melaleuca quinquenervia (Paperbark tree/Cajeput)
Moringa oleifera (Horseradish Tree)--somewhat marginal in San Diego--this one is in Mira Mesa. It does flower and fruit here, though it's deciduous.
Phytolacca dioica x weberbaueri--This giant hybrid relative of the pokeweed (whose parents are from South America) was found at Quail Botanical Gardens (larger specimens can be found at Huntington and UC-Fullerton Bot. Gardens).
Plumeria--in full bloom. It's usually more of a shrub than a tree in San Diego--but in Hawaii (and other tropical places), it will grow much larger.
Pyrus kawakamii (Evergreen Pear)--in bloom (early Feb. 1997)
Ravenala madagascarensis (Traveler's Tree)--up the hill east of Mission Bay.
Schefflera actinophylla (Queensland Umbrella Tree)
Spathodea campanulata (African Tulip Tree)--This specimen in Mira Mesa (photographed in summer 1998) has since been CUT DOWN! SHAME SHAME!
Sterculia acerifolia (Australian Flame Tree)--in full bloom!!!
Tecoma stans (Yellow Bells)--This was taken at Quail Botanical Gardens.
Terminalia arjuna (Kahua)--This was taken at Quail Botanical Gardens. This is as close to the "real" Terminalia, the tropical almond, as we get here.
Tipuana tipu (Tipu tree)--in bloom (May 1998).
Tristania conferta (Brisbane Box)--very common around here.

NON-TROPICAL TREES

Acer saccharinum (Silver Maple)--In winter. Due to this tree's need for winter chill, it leafs out here in May (later than in some cold climates) and does not reliably flower/produce seed.
Chitalpa tashkentensis (Chitalpa)--a cross between Catalpa bignonioidea and Chilopsis linearis. With two American parents, how did it get its Kyrgyz species name?
Fraxinus sp. (Ash)--This ash is unusual (in San Diego) in that it has red/purple autumn color. Most ashes here have little (yellow) or no autumn color (or are evergreen).
Liquidambar styraciflua (Sweet Gum)--with autumn foliage in late October 1998. This is extensively planted in San Diego (though actually it's not planted much just to the south in Tijuana). This gives the most reliable autumn foliage here, generally between late October and December (not all sweet gums have autumn color at the same time though...the ones pictured were kind of early). While this is mostly native to the southeastern United States, it is native in mountain areas of Guatemala, and I've seen it native at moderately "tropical" elevations of east-central Mexico (like 2000-3000 feet above sea level northwest of Veracruz).
Morus alba (White Mulberry)--Nearly all white mulberries planted here are male. They usually lose most or all of their leaves during winter (but for a fairly short time--January through March). There are better choices for trees than this in San Diego.
Pinus torreyana (Torrey Pine): In Habitat (Torrey Pines State Reserve) Cultivated (Mira Mesa)
Platanus racemosa (California Sycamores) --taken in early December 1998 with autumn foliage.
Poplars! (picture taken May 21, 2000)--Yes! There are a few of them around San Diego--and they certainly are not favorites during the spring. They take FOREVER to leaf out in mild climates (fortunately, they hold their leaves fairly late in autumn--though with most trees being evergreen here, not late enough!) and with so many other fast-growing trees available in our climate--why poplars?

By the way, another cold-hardy deciduous tree that leafs out very late in spring around here (often later than in a typical zone 5 or 6 northern climate) is the Bradford pear (which has very few (if any) flowers). The American elms (which are absent in San Diego) leaf out extremely late (a few took until early June!) in the Monterey, CA area (zone 9b/10a), though a person from Dallas, TX (zone 8a) tells me that they leaf out with the other trees there, so it's upper zone limit for "normal" spring leaves is somewhere around zone 8 or 9.

Quercus rubra (Red Oak)--fairly rare in San Diego
Ulmus pumila (Siberian Elm)--Viewed in winter. This is fairly rare here, but given our abundance of choice, why plant this in San Diego?

OTHER PLANTS

Acalypha wilkesiana (Copper Leaf)--on Vacation Island. This is somewhat tender and mainly just grows within a few miles of the coast.
Agapanthus orientalis (Lily of the Nile)
Very Large Bougainvillea--growing up a Monterey Pine in La Jolla.
Brugmansia sp. (Angels Trumpet)--In full bloom.
Carissa macrocarpa (Natal Plum)
Crassula ovata (Jade Plant)--in bloom at Balboa Park.
Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettia)--in bloom in early December 1998.
Kalanchoe beharensis (Felt Plant)--very thick leaves!
Lantana sp. (Lantana)
Nerium oleander (Oleander)--ubiquitous.
Phillodendron sp. (Phillodendron)
Ricinus communis (Castor Bean Plant)--This grows almost anywhere, but you need a nearly frost-free climate to get a large tall (and increasingly grotesque) thicket like this.
Sparmannia africana (African Hemp)--This was taken at the San Diego Zoo. This thicket/shrub does not resemble "normal" hemp (and the only "high" comes from "WOW! That's a cool plant!").
Tibouchina urvilleana (Princess Flower)--from Quail Botanical Gardens.

MIX-SHOTS

Here's an interesting yard!--It has two euphorbias...one is the Caribbean copper plant, the purple shrubby tree on the right (Euphorbia cotinifolia) and the other is the candelabra tree (Euphorbia ingens), the arborescent cactus in the center-left. There's also a nearly-leafless floss-silk tree (Chorisia speciosa) in the background!
A Mixture of Palms--Alexander Palm, the close brother of the King Palm on the left, Phoenix roebelennii (Pygmy Date Palm) in front, and Chrysalidocarpus lutescens (Areca Palm) on the right.
A Mixture of Plants--a small plumeria and a small traveler's tree (Ravenala madagascariensis)
Standard Winter San Diego Scenery--with Norfolk Island pine, Mexican fan palms, hibiscus (in bloom--it blooms most of the year here) and a flowering aloe shrub. Picture taken in Pacific Beach, Jan. 1997.
A Palm Jungle--king palms in the foreground, a "jungle" of kentia (and other) palms in the background.
Peach (low-chill) with pink flowers behind a yellow-flowering hibiscus shrub--Jan. 31, 2003.

PLANTS PHOTOGRAPHED IN THE REMAINDER OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Alluaudia procera (Alluaudia)--A tree cactus from Madagascar (at Fullerton Arboretum).
Amorphophallus titanum (Corpse Flower)--This is definitely not your typical backyard flower--this plant from Sumatra was at Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino (near LA) and was flowering in summer 1999.
Beaucarnea recurvata (Ponytail, Bottle "Palm") --not actually a palm--in full bloom at Huntington Gardens.
Butia eriospatha--a sibling of the Pindo Palm (at Fullerton Arboretum).
Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Dwarf Poinciana) --viewed along the west shores of the Salton Sea, October 2000.
Casuarina cristata (Belah)--a type of "Australian pine" from S. & W. Australia (at Fullerton Arboretum).
Cocos nucifera--YES! A coconut palm in Newport Beach (though it's small). View 1 View 2
Cyphostemma juttae--from Namibia at the Huntington Gardens.
Delonix adansoniodes--from Madagascar (close relative of the royal poinciana (D. regia) tree, which is generally at or slightly beyond its cool-climate limit in So-Cal, at the Huntington Gardens.
Ficus petiolaris (Petiolate Fig)--at Fullerton Arboretum--native to the west coast of Mexico.
Firmiana simplex (Parasol Tree)--at Fullerton Arboretum.
Hylocereus undatus (Night-Blooming Cereus)--This is a beautiful specimen growing up a palm in the Huntington Gardens. These are occasionally seen in So-Cal (more so in Tijuana) and have edible fruit.
Phoenix dactylifera (Date Palm)--Date palms in the Coachella Valley south of Indio.
Sabal uresana (Sonoran Palmetto)--at Fullerton Arboretum.
Schefflera digitata (New Zealand Schefflera)--from Fullerton Botanical Gardens.
Wodyetia bifurcata (Foxtail Palm)--at Fullerton Arboretum.
Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree)--in native habitat along Highway 395 near Adelanto.
A palm grove at Huntington Gardens

QUICK-LIST:

Common name...

African Hemp             African Tulip Tree       Alluaudia
Australian Flame Tree    Autograph Tree           Babaco Papaya
Banyan Tree              Belah                    Bismarck Palm
Bo-Tree                  Bottle "Palm"            Bottlebrush (1)
Bottlebrush (2)          Bougainvillea            Brisbane Box
Bunya Bunya              California Sycamore      Canary Island Date Palm  
Candelabra Tree          Candlenut                Castor Bean
Chilean Wine Palm        Chitalpa                 Coconut Palm (1)
Coconut Palm (2)         Copper Leaf              Coral Tree
Corpse Plant             Date Palm                Dinner-Plate Fig
Dragon Tree              Dwarf Poinciana          Evergreen Pear
Felt Plant               Fever Tree Acacia        Fishtail Palm
Floss Silk Tree          Foxtail Palm             Guadalupe Palm
Hong Kong Orchid Tree    Horseradish Tree         Indian Laurel (Fig)
Jacaranda                Jade Plant               Joshua Tree
Kahua                    King Palm (1)            King Palm (2)                
Lantana                  Lily Of The Nile         Madagascar "Palm" (1)
Madagascar "Palm" (2)    Majesty Palm (1)         Majesty Palm (2)
Mexican Fan Palm         Mindanao Gum             Moreton Bay Fig          
Natal Plum               New Zealand Schefflera   Night-Blooming Cereus    
Norfolk Island Pine      Oleander                 Paperbark Tree
Parasol Tree             Petiolate Fig            Phillodendron
Plumeria                 Poinsettia               Princess Flower
Queen Palm               Queensland Umbrella Tree Red Flowering Gum        
Red Oak                  Royal Palm               Rubber Tree              
Sausage Tree (1)         Sausage Tree (2)         Screw Pine               
Senegal Date Palm        Siberian Elm             Silver Maple
Sonoran Palmetto         Sweet Gum                Sweetshade
Sycamore Fig             Tipu Tree                Torrey Pine (1)
Torrey Pine (2)          Traveler's Tree          Tree Aloe                
Triangle Palm            Weeping Fig              Weeping Fig (Variegated) 
White Mulberry           White Sapote             Winter Thorn Acacia
Yellow Bells             Zulu Fig

Botanical name...

Acacia albida            Acacia xanthophloea      Acalypha wilkesiana
Acer saccharinum         Agapanthus orientalis    Aleurites moluccana      
Alluaudia procera        Aloe bainesii            Amorphophallus titanum   
Araucaria bidwillii      Araucaria heterophylla
Archonotophoenix cunninghamiana (1)               Archonotophoenix cunnighamiana (2)
Arecastrum romanzoffianum                         Bauhinia blakeana        
Beaucarnea recurvata     Bismarckia nobilis       Bougainvillea sp.        
Brahea edulis            Brugmansia sp.           Butia eriospatha         
Caesalpinia pulcherrima  Callistemon sp. (1)      Callistemon sp. (2)      
Carica pentagona         Carissa macrocarpa       Caryota sp.              
Casimiroa edulis         Casuarina cristata       Chitalpa tashkentensis   
Chorisia speciosa        Clusia rosea             Cocos nucifera (1)       
Cocos nucifera (2)                                Corymbia ficifolia (Eucalyptus ficifolia)                    
Crassula ovata           Cyphostemma juttae       Delonix adansoniodes
Dracaena draco           Erythrina sp.            Eucalyptus deglupta
Euphorbia ingens         Euphorbia pulcherrima    Ficus benghalensis       
Ficus benjamina          Ficus benjamina var.     Ficus dammaropsis        
Ficus elastica           Ficus lutea              Ficus macrophylla        
Ficus microcarpa         Ficus petiolaris         Ficus religiosa          
Ficus sycomorus          Firmiana simplex         Hylocereus undatus       
Hymenosporum flavum      Jacaranda mimosafolia    Jubaea chilensis         
Jubaeaopsis caffra       Kalanchoe beharensis     Kigelia pinnata (1)      
Kigelia pinnata (2)      Lantana sp.              Liquidambar styracifula  
Melaleuca quinquenervia  Moringa oleifera         Morus alba
Neodypsis decaryi        Nerium oleander          Pachypodium lamerei (1)
Pachypodium lamerei (2)  Pandanus sp.             Phillodendron sp.        
Phoenix canariensis      Phoenix dactylifera      Phoenix reclinata        
Phytolacca dioica x weberbaueri                   Pinus torreyana (1)    
Pinus torreyana (2)      Platanus racemosa        Plumeria sp.             
Pyrus kawakamii          Quercus rubra            Ravanea rivularis (1)    
Ravanea rivularis (2)    Ravenala madagascarensis Ricinus communis         
Roystonea regia          Sabal uresana            Schefflera actinophylla  
Schefflera digitata      Sparmannia africana      Spathodea campanulata    
Sterculia acerifolia     Tecoma stans             Terminalia arjuna        
Tibouchina urvilleana    Tipuana tipu             Tristania conferta       
Ulmus pumila             Washingtonia robusta     Wodyetia bifurcata       
Yucca brevifolia

Locations (MAPS!) of Some of the Plants on This Page

New San Diego Plant/Tree/Palm Website

All of the above pictures on this page were taken by Brandt Maxwell, San Diego.

Do you like GEOGRAPHY? Then you'll love Largest U.S. Cities Named after a Food...and Other Mind-Boggling Geography Lists Around the World by Brandt Maxwell (available now)! This book even includes some "botanical geography" lists including Ten Surprising Places Where One Can Find Palms Outdoors.