I had the two experiences with Plantsexpress. I have one more small experience, which is using their contact form recently to ask if they could get me a 36" box Swan Hill. I received no response, which isn't encouraging. I didn't ever get around to calling them. I'm assuming most people's experience with Plantsexpress is through the special order function at Home Depot. In general, I prefer to look at the specific material I'm buying and take it with me so I do understand your point. Two local nurseries have 36" box Wilsonii sitting there. My interest in a third olive is directly upwind of my pool so I wouldn't take the Wilsonii for free. My house had a large fruiting olive just like most of the houses on my street. Mine had to be removed due to the neglect it received before I bought the house. Most people have them sprayed so they don't fruit. Even in decline, mine made a big mess from the fruit. I bought the Wilsonii in 2003. I bought the Swan Hill from Plantsexpress in early 2013 so not quite 2 years ago. The Wilsonii flowers and produces pollen every two years or maybe three. Hard to tell as it took 4-5 years or so before it flowered the first time. When it flowers, it has pollen and develops fruit. If it has less pollen than the regular olives, I didn't notice. Hard to compare a a tree planted as a 24" box 10 years ago to the others that were planted as large trees 40 years ago. From your area, I wouldn't go to Fallbrook or Vista. I do because my parents and some friends live in that area. From your area, I would go to Camarillo area. If you are travelling long distance to a nursery, it is a great deal of work to buy large plants and not have them beat up by wind in a pickup or trailer.

Elm? Wow, didn't expect it to be a tree species. It does grow stiffly upright, but we've never let it hang around long enough to see if it grows flowers. There used to be a good sized tree in the front yard in the general vicinity of where they're growing, before we moved in. If that was an elm, that'd explain it. Thanks for the identification!

Ranunculus should be planted in Nov. So plant them now and they'll probably be fine. Much better chance to develop reasonable root systems than if you wait until spring. The only chance you have for blooms is to plant now because the bulbs won't be any good for next fall. See the news stories, one in the Orange County Register (https://www.ocregister.com/2008/12/12/growing-bulbs-in-southern-california/) the other in the LA Times (http://www.gardeninginla.net/blog/bulb-time-in-southern-california)

I am right in between zone 10A and 10B. I have lived here over 18 years and has never seen these plants. I have a pepper tree that was pruned to the ground that began sprouting and sending off sucker shoots but the chaparral and the privet both sprouted from seed and they seem to be growing well on their own although the privet is right next to a sprinkler. Also, some ice plant from the neighbor and wild coyote brush has also been sprouting near the chaparral plant as well. Thanks for the tip on combustibility, that is good to know as wildfires have become an annual occurrence out here.