Palm trees bring a tropical landscape picture to our minds. Just imagine visiting a beach or island consisting of enchanting palm trees, and a view of overwhelming sunset sets the mood. This scenario will forever be imprinted in your mind. Palm trees give an exceptional kick to the aesthetic value of a place, and the view is like heaven to people. Many people have a wrong notion that palm trees are only grown on beaches and islands.
However, the reality is different, and it is grown in various environments. In addition to its aesthetics, people also grow palm trees for making multiple agricultural implements, water conduits, buckets, and many more. Some plants also produce a consumable nutritious product whose value is very high. To know more, stay tuned to this article.
Interesting Facts about Palm Trees
Number of trees: You might be astonished to know over 2500 varieties of palm trees. The plants of this family are diverse and spread throughout the world, starting from deserts to rainforests.
Names of the palm trees: It is often one of the arguable topics about palm trees. All the palm trees are not considered trees, and not all the plants are regarded as proper palms. Researchers termed the evergreen plants grown in the form of shrubs, trees, or long woody vines as lianas.
Unique Biology: It is a biological fact that palm trees have two different types of leaves. One is palmate, and the other one is pinnate. Generally, palmate leaves are found at the end of the stem in a bunch. Pinnate leaves have a feather-like morphology found growing on either stem side.
Religious Significance: Palm trees are mentioned in many holy books of different religions like the Bible and the Quran. Palms are regarded as a symbol of peace and plenty in Judaism.
Food products: We all know that coconut, dates, betel nuts, and acai fruits are derived from different varieties of palm trees. Edible oil, like coconut oil palm oil, is derived from palm trees used for cooking.
USDA planting zones maps: These maps show which type of plants will grow well in a particular location. Palms thrive between 8-10 USDA zones.
Tallest palm tree: Most palm trees are tall, and it is estimated that the tallest palm tree can grow up to a height of 197 feet. The national tree of Columbia, is Quindio wax palm, is the tallest growing species of palm. It is a protected species, which means it cannot be put to other uses.
Coco De Mer Palm: Palm species are also popular due to their large and heavier seeds. The plant that produces the most significant and most serious source globally is Coco De Mer Palm. The seeds have about 20-inch diameter and can be as rich as 66 pounds.
History: Archaeologists have found out that several palm trees were grown in Mesopotamia for food and other purposes. Romans give palm branches as a symbol of victory to the champions of games or wars.
Palm wine: It is an alcohol spirit commonly found in Asia and Africa, and it is popularly known as kallu. It is produced using coconut palms, date palms, Chilean wine palms, and other species.
Rarest Palm: Due to deforestation and unsustainable cultivation practices, many species of palm trees are endangered. Among these, the rarest palm tree is Hyophorbe amaricaulis. The last three species are currently at the Botanic Gardens of Curepipe in Mauritius.
Skyscrapers: Several palm trees are so tall that they reach the middle of the sky. Among them, Quindio wax palm, Mexican fan palm, and date palm are tall ones growing around 200 ft, 98 ft, and 80 ft, respectively.
Symbol of life: Ancient people believed that trees growing beside a water body symbolized eternal life, particularly Assyrians. Palm trees were the most respected ones among them.
Loved by Los Angeles: In California, the palms trees were first planted by Franciscan missionaries for aesthetic purposes. Then from the beginning of the 20th century, southern California became a tourist attraction for exotic palm trees. Many historians still believe that the 1932 world Olympics in Los Angeles was why the streets and other gathering places were filled up with these magnificent trees.
Job Opportunity: During Great Depression, the beautification projects by palm trees gave jobs to around 400 unemployed people. It was estimated that approximately 40,000 Mexican fan palm trees were plants in different places. Since then, it has become a sign for beaches or water bodies in many movies.
Life expectancy: Different species of palm trees have different longevity, and some plants can even live for a century or more. From a biological point of view, it is also considered the oldest living tree as its old cells are not replaced by the new ones like in other trees.
Washing Palms: We all know that we should water a tree at its base. However, researchers have found out that washing your palm trees with water can also be beneficial. You can easily knock off the dust present in its stem or foliage, and also, you can remove the insects such as scale mites and mealybugs that remain hidden and cannot be seen easily. As palms are primarily grown in dry regions, washing provides adequate humidity to the tree.
Growing in containers: Palm trees are perfect for the patio of your house, and they can be moved or replanted by using a container to a brighter or sunny location. Just make sure that climatic and soil conditions are optimum for the growth of the palm trees.
Shade-loving palms: The young palm trees grow comfortably under shade and tolerate it until they are mature. Growing palm trees under the canopy of giant trees protect their tender fronds.
Sago palms: They are put in the same category as bonsai trees. The Sago’s palm is a dwarf tree relative to conifers and ginkgo trees. Although they look similar to palm trees, they are not palms. They are popular as bonsai trees. However, they are poisonous and should never contact children and pets.
Trimming of palm trees: Trimming of trees is done to properly grow the trees and remove any dead or diseased parts. But this is a dangerous and life-threatening job. Several deaths have occurred as the tree cutters become immobilized while sliding down and are suffocated by the fronds. The person can’t remove the fronds over him as his body would be pinned against hundreds of pounds of pressure. Therefore, if you want to trim your palm trees, hire a reputed company with experience. These companies have unique equipment and professional trimmers to do the work effortlessly.
Non-edible fruits: All plants do not produce edible fruits, and that is the same also in the case of palm trees. Many palms like coconut and dates have delicious fruits, whereas the fruits of other palms, such as sago, are poisonous to people and animals.
Appearance on flags: You might be surprised to know that palm trees are present on the flags and seals of several places. For example, they are included in flags and seals of Haiti, Guam, Saudi Arabia, Florida, and South Carolina.
One of the most widely planted trees worldwide is palm trees. Commercially they have the most significant importance as they generate high revenue. These trees have many diverse varieties and use. Nowadays, palms are regarded as a sign or symbol for the tropical climate or bright vacations.
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