Palm tree identification
What is a palm tree?
By now, you probably know what a palm tree is—and if you are on this page, chances are that your interest in them goes beyond the common knowledge above.
This page is for those who want to learn more about palm trees: their many different shapes and sizes; the different ways they can be identified; and what are the best places to see each type of palm tree.
Where do palm trees grow?
Palm trees grow in tropical climates. You’ll find them in the southern hemisphere and some parts of southern California. Palm trees do not grow in cold climates. Specifically, they’re found in Australia, South America, Africa, Asia and Florida.
Palm trees don’t just grow anywhere; you’ll usually find them next to bodies of water or on the coast because these environments are more humid than inland areas. They also grow along rivers that run through deserts and rainforests.
Why do people love them?
People love palm trees because they look great. They look tropical. They look expensive. Some of them even have names like the Jelly Palm and the Powderpuff Palm and the Bottle Palm, which make them seem exotic or mysterious, like they might hail from someplace as far away as Borneo or New Jersey. And in fact most of them do hail from Borneo and New Jersey, because people enjoy a good palm tree so much that they’ve carried them all over the world for centuries, maybe even millennia!
How can you look after a palm tree?
“A palm tree is really simple to take care of, but it’s easy to mess up. The general rule of thumb might be to water it once a week—and you can forget about that in the winter. That leaves trees like coconuts and date palms, which are more forgiving,” she said. “I’ve seen people who try to do too much with them, and they end up killing them.”
Common palm tree facts
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Palm trees are awesome.
The first thing to know about palm trees is that they are awesome! Palm trees can be used in a wide range of ways, and some are even edible. Not only that, but palm trees provide lots of environmental benefits as well.
Another thing to keep in mind is that there are lots of different types of palms out there. Despite what you might think, not all palm trees have the same characteristics. For example, the California fan palm can reach heights over 30 meters (100 feet), while the Dwarf palmetto only gets about 1 meter (3 feet) tall!