Sunday, July 08, 2007

The Palm Trees of BC

While it's possible that something further may come to mind, as far as I know now, this will be my last post about our recent trip to British Columbia. While I was blogging about the trip, I did mention that that we had seen palm trees. Indeed, there was one right outside our motel room window in Tofino. However, having enough on my plate to blog the basics of our comings and goings, I never quite got around to following up with photos of some of the trees — until now. The first, below, is the view across Denman St from the Starbucks which we frequented. The next two are closer shots of the same trees, focusing on their odd, hairy trunks.

Palm Trees in BC

Palm Trees in BC

Palm Trees in BC

This was the one (actually a group of palm trees) that was right outside our motel room in Tofino, and there was another in the same yard, obviously a different variety.

Palm Trees in BC

So there you have it: proof that there are palm trees in The Great White North. As you can see, that part of Canada isn't at all white. Winter temperature, at least on average, remain above freezing. I might presume that micro climates right by the ocean where the trees were all located allow them to survive the occasional general dip below the freezing point.

Cross-posted to Rambling and Roving.

15 comments:

PBS said...

Those look like palm trees all right! How cool that you have them in Canada, I wouldn't have ever guessed that!

thailandchani said...

How interesting! I had no idea there were palm trees in Canada, either. I questioned whether they would even grow here in Northern CA ~ but I planted one in the yard and it seems to be doing okay. :)


Peace,


~Chani

Gina said...

I never knew!

ChrisB said...

We can even get them to grow in some places in the UK which is surprising with the weather we get!

Bonita said...

One of those looks like a shaggy dog, smoking a cigar. I believe you, though.

Dale said...

Well, I'll be jiggered. Palm trees! Hooda thunkit?

Anonymous said...

Fuzzy trunks, gotta love em. Makes me want to go to BC again.

dmmgmfm said...

Those are some crazy trees!

Linda said...

I thought I knew a lot about Canada. I did not know that we had real living palm trees in this great country.

Cathy said...

If I didn't trust you (I do :0) - I wouldn't believe it. I guess it's all about the ocean, eh?

mreddie said...

The fuzzy trunks must keep them warm enough to stay there. ec

Pam said...

Zounds! Palm trees in Canada...who'd a thunk it?

Thanks for the Smudge fix!

Ginnie said...

Like everyone else who commented I was surprised to hear that Palm Trees abounded in BC. Live and learn every day...especially if you blog!

Anonymous said...

Did you happen across any Monkey trees in your travels to B.C. They are like a large, bizarre-looking evergreen. They used to be quite plentiful in Victoria.

Rusty Shackleford said...

I have some in house.