How did they get here?
Did you ever wonder how certain palms arrived on the shores of the United States? Well, all good plant historians know about famous plant explorers like Liberty Hyde Bailey and David Fairchild, both of which are responsible for 1000's of plant introductions. But before their days there was another group of people who brought many plants into the western states.In California we can track back the original importation of Canary Island Date palms to the missionaries from Spain. According to records, Father Junipero Serra, a founder of the first Missions in California, left his homeland in the mid 1700's. Along the way his sailing ship stopped at the Spanish controlled Canary Islands. Reportedly he, or his colleagues gathered seed of plants they wanted to grow in their new home. His dream was to become a missionary in America and develop self sufficient safe havens (Missions) spaced one days walk (or horse's ride) apart on the "Royal Road," or El Camino Real in California. In 1769 he established a Mission at the present site of San Diego, California, the first of a number that would include San Antonio, San Buenaventura, San Carlos, San Francisco de Assisi, San Gabriel, San Juan Capistrano, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Clara. The seeds and cuttings he brought over were carefully nurtured till each Mission had groves of olive trees, grapevines, European vegetables and herbs, and - Canary Island Date Palms. Although the fruit of this palm is edible, it is rather insipid, so it was probably used more as an ornamental and in religious ceremonies like Palm Sunday. The European Fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) also a native to Spain, may also have been brought over by the "Padres" but the records are less clear for this palm.In the 1880's a railroad mogul named Leland Stanford started to feel guilty about the fortune he had amassed (Huntington Library in Pasadena, CA is a similar story) so he planted both a University in Palo Altos, CA and some seedlings of Canary Island Date palms, probably collected from a local Mission. These seedlings have developed into the majestic "Palm Drive" that leads down through the middle of campus and up to the beautiful chapel that is the centerpiece of the Stanford University. The Stanford library has a photographic collection that depicts the growth of these palms from then up till today. It's fun to dream of what went on when palms seeds carried over here in the pockets of a Spanish missionary were planted, and the second generation of palm descendants found their way to one of the greatest Universities in the western states - Stanford University. Guess where the seeds went next? Local residents planted them in their neighborhoods, parks, and yards and now we are relocating them to the Embarcadero in San Francisco and to many of the casinos in Las Vegas. P.S. Please don't tell Father Junipero Serra . . .
