I think there is a large palm grower somewhere near you that IS growing date palms. I read about it in a nursery magazine years ago. Yes, I believe he got seeds from date growers here in Indio. I think the sandier areas have good enough drainage to grow them. I wouldn't try to grow them in a muck soil, but if water doesn't stand too long after a rain it should work. One caution though, the leaflets at the base of the fronds are modified into spines about 6" long that hurt like MF when they go into your head (or any other part of the body but the head is really bad).
