PlantFiles Pictures: Chusan Palm, Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus fortunei), 1 by Denis_BC

Denis_BC wrote:
PotEmUp: You're welcomed to see my palm garden in Victoria, BC when you visit. Canada is probably the least understood and observed country in the western hemisphere. To some people the word Canada cannot imply a country with palms. A rose is a rose by any other name. Hollywood films tend to depict Canada as a land of perpetual winter. Yes, winters are generally longer and colder than the US. But there is an exception on the west coast of Canada. Like Seattle, Vancouver winters are very gray. But places like Victoria get more sun (rain shadow). BC can get 40C summer temps in the interior. I like the coast as it's moderate. Victoria can get very dry in summer. It's been quite dry here in summer for three years in a row. Victoria gets lots of moist weather in winter but less than Vancouver. It lets the grass recover.

What's so interesting about North America is that Toronto, ON and New York, NY are closer to the equator (palms grow well at those latitudes in the Med) than Victoria or Vancouver. But palms grow in British Columbia. Ironically most Canadians in Ontario live south of the palm-growing areas of British Columbia. That shocks many in disbelief but not weathermen. The rotation of the Earth produces an inertia that sends mild Pacific air from a huge body of water onto the west coast of Canada. Mind you, we can grow less kinds of palms than California. But Mother Nature allows true palms to grow here.
Yes, it's not Thailand here but I'm happy to have palms that can get 30 ft in height in my garden.

I think that Ulrich (on this board) disagrees that palm photos of British Columbia be posted on this website. The purpose of these photos is to educate palm enthusiasts.

Cheers