Why Canary Island Palms?

Canary Island palms at entrance
to California Nursery Historical Park

Why would the Franciscan fathers have brought the Canary Island ornamental palm with them when they came to California? What good were they?

Most of us grumble when the fronds drop. The fronds can't be put in the green bin, because they are too hard to shred. The fruit is mostly pit. There must have been some redeeming quality that us modern folks don't know.

Lots of theories...

1. In a landscape with few trees, they can help you find the mission from a distance. But it takes years and years for them to get tall. 
2. The sturdy frond petioles could be used for something, surely?
3. Fronds could be used as thatch?
4. Wine?

Wine, you say?

While googling, I found that sugar can be made from the palm sap. And where you have sugar, you can have wine.

(translated by Translate button) "Much these date palms are harvested, thus making a cut in the trunk distill for her a type of liquor, used as wine, very nice and good to taste. There are taverns where it is sold. To take advantage of better put a tube from the cut to the entrance of the package that will fill. The rest is to drink it. (Gaspar Frutuoso, 1590). "

"The rest is to drink it." From at least 1590 until today, the palms are tapped.

Why not take some seeds to California?

References

La Gomera. The Culture of the Palm