I do really like them but I really have to cut back on the indoor overwintering plants I have so many already

Cut back?

I do too. Used to have a two car, loft garage. Now it's a greenhouse for the really big palms--Queens, Date Palms, and citrus trees mostly. What can I say. I had wanted to relocate to South Fl. at one point but decided to stay and bring S. Fl. to me.

Ive been talking about south FL for about 3 years now. It dosent look like its going to happen any time soon though. I was kind of thinking the same with the loft garage but make the roof the clear acrylic to let in light and have a green house over the garage. any pictures of it you would like to share? Id def get a fishtail then..probably a varigated one LOL

The light gets into the garage through the doors--replaced with glass. Facing due south, unobstructed. Roof is solid but in the process of being painted white. Also put in two windows at the second story level. Filled with plants now. In the summer, it's empty save for a refrigerator filled with beer. I guess this makes it officially a..."man cave".

Nice palm!

I tried ordering a variegated one last year but it was seized!

I do have a C.Maxima,that is doing well and will probably take off next year(-:

I decided to get a var. ginko tree instead..less trouble and the leaf looks similar, and it stays out all winter long. There is a us supplier of varigated fishtails though if I ever do want one.

for most of California, a poor choice for outdoor palm, but a few examples stand out as looking OK. Here's one in Santa Barbara

Here's one in La Habra

this one in the Los Angeles arboretum shows the more ratty look these have year round (and this is when this one looks best).

That one looks nothing like the ones I've seen in Miami! Not a good choice for Calif. as these are water lovers big time. In fact, I lost my previous potted specimen due to missed watering and once they start doing downhill--too late. Thinking of trying C. gigas.

Anyone know which species is cold hardiest.

They're certainly not good in full sun. Especially if they're not getting a lot of water. I have a very large one that looks permanently 'rat-eaten'. I've been cutting out the larger trunks to stop it from flowering/seeding. Another couple of medium sized ones are in shade and look 100% better. I also cut out their larger trunks to stop any seeding. I already get too many seedlings coming up from seeds carried in from elsewhere by birds and flying foxes.

My favourite of the Caryotas is C. zebrina (which I have) or C. ophiopellis (which I don't have).

here's a shot of some Caryotas in Hawaii... C obtusa (what was once C gigs) is on right, C mitts on left and all the rest are probably C urens/maximas.

I personally can't tell the difference between C ophiopelis and C zebrina, at least based on plants that have been identifies as such (they could have been wrong). This is a shot of C ophiopelis in Hawaii

here is a close up of C ophiopelis

and here is C zebrina

and a close up

and another close up here

either way, neither of these species can be grown outdoors in California... just too cold for them (even with tons of water. Here is the only example of one I have ever seen, in one of the very best microclimates in all of southern California!

Thanks for posting these beautiful pics lzrddr.. I just ordered a C. obtusa. Was reading about the species and got very confused--probably because the exerts still seem confused about speciation in the genus. So C. gigas and C. obtusa are considered the same species now and obtusa is the latest agreed upon name (not gigas).

How does this species do in Calif. btw?

care to share your palm source? I plan on making a big buy in the spring and I want to get the most bang for my buck you know.

Obtusa does pretty good in California.

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- US_Marine

C ophiopelis has narrower leaflets than C. zebrina. Also C. zebrina comes from higher altitudes so probably copes better with cold. This is one of my zebrinas.