Here are some of the palm trees the Portland Development Commission planted in Old Town a while back. They're supposed to be of a cold-tolerant variety, by palm tree standards. As far as I know they haven't died yet, though they haven't exactly become an invasive species either.
These palms were supposed to help gentrify the area, I guess by making the rich Californians feel at home and want to buy luxury condos right here. Sadly (for the project), gentrification sort of hit an invisible barrier at NW Broadway, and nothing much ever happened further east between Broadway and the river. Maybe someday the area will transform into a sleek, upscale enclave, but I wouldn't bet on it anytime soon. It's been Skid Row since the days when sailing ships docked at the foot of Couch Street, after rounding Cape Horn to get here. A coat of paint and a few anemic palm trees won't be enough to erase 150 years' worth of bad mojo. They keep trying, and nothing ever seems to pan out, almost as if there's a curse at work here.
On the bright side, the puny little trees mean that the interesting parts of the tree are easier to photograph, so I guess that would be one upside.
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