Very nice! Those are some big Trachy--they must have been there a long time.
I don't know my BC geography as well as I should, not having been there in nearly 20 years. Are these towns on Vancover island?
In picture 22, is that Gunnera? If so, I hope Jim sees it!
--Erik

Erik- Tswassen is where the ferry to Victoria leaves the mainland. It was among the first communities in Canada to have public palm plantings. You can see them in the first and second pics, as well as pic 037.

Tofino is on the 'mid' west coast of Vancouver Island. It is bordered by Pacific Rim national park, a great place to camp, as long as you don't mind the rain! If I recall correctly the week I spent there in Spring 2002 it rained 6/7 days! Oh, and it is also a solid zone 9 climate!!! The area is also Canada's west coast surfing hub! That is certainly Gunnera, not sure why it has that damage on the leaves, over-fertilization? They can grow them MONSTER sized on the west coast. I may still have some pics from 2006 when I was there... I'll check on that.

John- The first Trachy I ever collected seed from is in the same neighbourhood (Boundary Bay, AKA pleasentville) as that tall trachy in the pic labelled 'Tswassen B.C. neighbourhood'.

It's also possible that the Gunnera is G.tinctoria,quite a bit smaller than G.manicata
and probably more common.

Erik

Mine is dead,the last 3 summers would have been perfect for it-
I think this summer was too hot as the bulb rotted,possibly from moisture
combined with soil temps as high as 90F.

Jim,
sorry. It would have been so cool.
I know you knew it was definitely "on the edge" to try, but hey, if you don't even try....
I kill a lot of plants every year. Moistly in August. I think our friends in Canada and the UK have no idea that August is harder than January. I doubt it would do any good to explain as there is no way they could comprehend. I grew up in Oregon, and the extremes of Summer out here were very hard to appreciate. Each year I told myself, "well, this is peculiar!" but no, it is typical. I really appreciate why all those "dust bowl refugees" moved to California in 1936.
--Erik

It's also possible that the Gunnera is G.tinctoria,quite a bit smaller than G.manicata
and probably more common.

Jim- I can't find my pics, but G. manicata is VERY common on Canada's west coast. It's ubiquitous in public plantings and private gardens all over Vancouver. The largest I saw was at the Vandusen botanical garden. I wish I had the pics because this thing had leaves that were far wider than I am tall! I only recall seeing other Gunnera species at UBC botanical garden... Though, I suppose that some of the private plantings could be another spp.

FYI- I don't think I could make it in the midwest. You guys can keep all of your extremes!

Paul thanks for explaining where in B.C. these photos were taken. We had about an hour to drive around Tsawwassen taking pics before boarding the ferry to Nanaimo. Weather was pleasant, sunny 26c 79 f on Vancouver Island until we got to Tofino.Erik and Jim that Gunnera was over 9 or 10 ft tall.

John

John,
Thanks again for the photos--they are great.
I am a lousy photographer and so know how hard it is to take good photos like those.
Nanaimo I know--I spent a night there ~18 years ago.
Gunnera are just amazing plants. Even when I lived in Portland, Oregon, USA, I didn't try them. I guess I'm just in awe.
--Erik

Awesome pics, thanks for sharing. 8)

Paul thanks for explaining where in B.C. these photos were taken. We had about an hour to drive around Tsawwassen taking pics before boarding the ferry to Nanaimo. Weather was pleasant, sunny 26c 79 f on Vancouver Island until we got to Tofino.Erik and Jim that Gunnera was over 9 or 10 ft tall.

John

That's funny John-

I didn't notice the traffic barrier and telephone pole before 😯 😆

Definitely G. Manicata!

I think one could live here but they seem hard to get going,
finding a larger sized one would do it......probably 😆

Jim- I found that mine was really struggling in Ontario with lack of moisture... I can only imagine it would be worse there! I dug mine out, potted it up, and placed the pot in a bucket!

It got plenty of water 50+" since May,I think 90F soil temps made
it rot off.

I normaly don't think of trachies as large palms, but some of those were as large as robustas. 😯 Wich means they were either very old or they love the climate there. My guess is they love the climate. 😀

Aaron,
I agree. The only Trachy in Oklahoma are little, even if old. Mine sulk all Summer long.
I've only seen photos of Trachy that big. They look spectacular! --Erik

Great pics John.

Has the hubbub finally died down on the Island about "palms aren't native, and shouldn't be planted here".
Silly people, they just have to look at the fossil record, in particular the amazing find (entire palm leaf, with partial petiole) years ago at Duke Point.

Bet that gunnera is suffering from weed-n-feed applied to the lawn, looks fairly weed-free.

Is there ever a picture of Tofino when it's not raining 😆 😆
No wonder Trachies love it on the Island.

OK...fess up, what plants did you buy on the Coast?
Barb