Posted on August 21st, 2022

For tropical landscaping, nothing conjures up the idea of an island escape like a palm tree. If you live in an arid, Mediterranean climate and can find palms at your local garden center, it's likely that you're in a region suitable for growing palms.

Before deciding on a variety, however, you might want to learn more about the intriguing history of palm trees, as well as facts that are good to know or will help you decide whether you want to invest in a palm.

Palms Can Be Skyscrapers

Some palms can reach heights of 70 feet or much more. The Quindio wax palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense) is the tallest species and can grow 160 to 200 feet high. It is the national tree and emblem of Colombia and is now a protected species, which means it can't be used for logging.

The Palm Is a Symbol of Life

The Assyrians believed that the ultimate symbol of eternal life was a tree growing beside a stream. The tree they valued most was the palm.

Palms Are Biblical

On Palm Sunday, a week before Easter, Christians often carry palm fronds as part of a symbolic ritual that commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, as foretold by the prophet Zechariah. According to the Bible, people cut branches from palm trees, laid them across Jesus' path, and waved them in the air.

Los Angeles Loves Palm Trees

Franciscan missionaries are credited with being the first to plant palm trees in California for ornamental purposes. By the turn of the 20th century, Southern California gardeners were hot for exotic palm trees and introduced them to the area.

The 1932 World Olympics in Los Angeles is believed by some historians to be the reason for palms being planted along streets and pretty much every public park and gathering place in the city. This beautification project gave jobs to some 400 unemployed men during the Great Depression. Approximately 40,000 Mexican fan palm trees were planted along 150 miles of city streets. Since then, they've become an icon of the region, along with the Hollywood sign, beaches, etc.

Some Palms Can Last a Century...or More

Depending on the species, some palms can live for more than a century. That means the palm you plant might outlive you. There is also recent evidence that, at the cellular level, palms may indeed be the oldest living trees because their cells are not replaced with new cells, as is the case with other trees.

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Source: The Spruce