They are growing. Some are withering. One died a horrible agonizing death (just kidding). But I figured out one important thing as May sets in and we transition to very high temps and incredibly low humidity and relentless wind. I went back to my original thought process and said "if I was a baby Washingtonia Filifera growing in the Indian Canyons where I evolved... what would I want? And the surprising answer, for me, was water... lots of water. So I basically keep them in an almost muddy medium. Like they would be sitting in alongside the streams in the natural oases where they became what they are. The other thing I realized was NO direct or bright sunshine. Only dappling and shade as they would find in their own natural setting. The parching wind does enough to dry them out. They don't want to be radiated into oblivion in Colorado Desert (Palm Springs) sunshine as fledglings. They'll reach for the sun when they are ready...is my new mantra.
Wish me luck. I'm really trying. It's been a wonderful exercise in understanding life so far. At least as it is lived by other living creatures.
If anybody gives a fuck... feel free to toss in a bon mot or three. I'd love to hear some thoughts besides my own on this subject.
Xoxo
Many about to pop with flowers. On the north side of Palm Springs.
After leaving a doctor’s office in Rancho Mirage, I decided to do what I always do…go hunting for palm trees in neighborhoods I’m unfamiliar with here in the Coachella Valley. I nearly crashed my car through the front of this house when I saw these. If anyone was home and looking out the windows they must have thought a lunatic was outside with all my gestures of disbelief and taking pictures…yikes…it’s so hard to control this thing called palm tree enthusiasm. So, I don’t know why this has two names Chrysalidocarpus Lutescens and Dypsis Lutescens. Can anybody clarify which one holds sway currently? Also…I thought these were purely tropical in disposition? That includes humidity. These are THRIVING at this home just off of the corner of Ocotillo Drive on Biskra Road in Rancho Mirage. (Second house in).