California Palm Trees

Today, besides teleconferencing with my students, we hiked a couple of miles down Deep Canyon to. . . a palm tree.

What's so special about a palm tree, you ask?

Well, this is the only type of palm tree native to California. Let me repeat that. THE ONLY TYPE OF PALM TREE actually from California.

All those other ones you see around Los Angeles and everywhere else in our state: they were brought here from somewhere else in the world.

Take a good look at it. You will never find it in the city. You only find it out in the oases in the deserts. Its name is Washingtonia Filifera.

Look around at the palm trees in your neighborhood. How are they similar to it? How are they different?

Here's today's slideshow: