My first Ficus benjamina tree sized find!

That's small compared to the ones at the dealership across the 880 freeway from the Oakland Coliseum.

I've also seen larger ones in San Jose and Fremont.

I'm going to have to look for the freeway tree's. BUT, this is biggest in Hayward where I live.

Hayward has a very good climate for F. benjamina.

Since 1990,things have sure changed. It was like the last freeze was a parting shot from Z9a...And now Z10A plants are free to live and grow.
Just today Andy- I saw budding blooms on the Maridol. Again,nobody but me is impressed..but I never had a tropical papaya live past it's first early winter,let alone two winters and now a third summer.
The next step..will it fruit?

Most likely once they flower, it will fruit. Sometimes, though small fruit can fall off if it's too cool. However, if the weather stays mild it will fruit pretty easily. I'm not sure how long the fruit will take to ripen up there. The fruit takes from: 4 - 6 months to ripen here.

I would settle for green Papaya's I guess. Although,I'm not sure if green Mexican Papaya's are cookable the way green Hawaiin's are.

There's always Filipino green papaya chicken. I love it!

All green papaya varieties can be cooked.