Dracaena reflexa 'Song of India'

What are the tall stems surrounding it?

The background (left side) is tall Giant-bird-of-Paradise (Strelitzia nicolai) and the Golden Cane or Butterfly Palm (Dypsis lutescens) stems on the right side.

amazing, thanks delonix, they are almost like bamboo stems!

This resort has an incredible lush, tropical rainforest look!

just so long as there are no snakes!

Very rarely are there rattle snakes (which are venomous) close to the coast. Last summer was the exception, though.

Too scary to even think about.

Well, you wouldn't want to know how extremely common rattlesnakes are in California. Every year there's stories about people and pet getting bitten. The young rattlers are the worst! Many people find them in their garages during summer. The do semi-hibernate during winter.

eeeeeeeeeeeek thats enough to put me off visiting! sorry!

In the urban areas they're not as prolific (but they are still around).

ttttooooo sccarrrry

What's even more scary to me, anyway. I went to desert to see the flowers in early spring (many years ago) and found out (while I'm wearing open-toed slippers, there's a tremendous amount of sidewinder rattlesnakes out there). According to the lady I spoke with, in Borrego Springs, these snakes commonly come into the business if the doors are left open! YIKES!!!

I had never heard of sidewinder rattlesnakes before this trip...and I had been out to the desert several times. The only difference between the common rattlesnake here and sidewinders is the sidewinder has little horns on its head.

Here's a photo:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Crotalus_cerastes_mesquite_springs_CA-2.JPG

I dont think i can look ~ i will have nightmares!

It sounds like you're terrified of snakes?

YES i hate them

but you will never guess what was on tv this afternoon ~ a wildlife program from death valley and of course starring a sidewinder!

That's so funny! I guess you just can't get away form snakes. LOL! :>)

Did the program say that the sidewinder rattlesnakes are native to all the deserts of the Southwest?

seems like it doesnt it!

oh and then the little boy i was teaching today decided to draw a monster with two snake heads!!!

um, sorry im not sure, i was cooking tea at the same time and trying not to look at the snake! he did talk about a golden mole that lives there ~ sweet little thing!

Yes, sidewinders are native to all the of Southwest deserts.