Giant Philodendron.

I'm speechless.

This looks an awful lot like the common philodendrons I bought a few years ago. What species is it? I had no idea they could turn into trees.

Philodendron selloum. Its near hardy for you. Take a look at a near identical clone called "Hope"..it has survived outdoors in Virgina.

Fingers crossed, I looked it up. Hardy to zone 8, generally, and we're 7. I leave mine outdoors until temps reach the mid 20s. Forgot to bring one in this winter and it froze, but rebounded shortly after coming indoors.

This Philodendon is hardy; however, I don't think it would grow too well in colder zones of 8. It's more reliable in Zones 9 -11B.

'Hope' is said to be hardy to z8 and mildest areas of z7. THAT'S just incredible for a plant from subtropical southern Brazil. Its sort of like Erythina crista galli or the hardy broms (like mine)..maybe Hope extends further south into Paraguay.
It does not reach the size of the one pictured,but tops out at a bushy clump of 4' or so.

Also Queen palms are from south Brazil,Butia. Bougainvillea. Tibochina..more tender then the rest,but does well in the temperate bay area.

That's interesting it would be so hardy. I never think of them as being so hardy.

I only grow the more tender ones outside, like: Congo Rojo, Congo, Brazil, and another red variety.

I've never seen 'Hope' for sale. Why sell something for cold tolerance here when plain old P.selloum does fine?
Now,maybe a landscaper who wants a dwarf 'Hope' might have a need. Sort of like Xanadu and the like.

My favorite is P. Selloum 'Evansii'. It tends to grow larger and has much larger leaves which are not as deeply cut.

There's so many new varieties which are very widely grown here. P. 'Xanadu' and 'Showboat' I've seen in many gardens here.