Palm trees are the universal symbol of the tropics, but they also are among the most storied, fascinating, and useful plants in the world. Here are nine cool facts about palm trees that you probably didn’t know.
1. Palm trees have relatively short lifespans
Compared to many hardwood trees, palms don’t live particularly long. The areca palm has a fairly short lifespan of 40 to 50 years, while the popular coconut palm lives between 70 and 100 years, and most date palms hang on for 100 to 120 years. The date palm can reach 200 years of age in some cases, however.
2. There are numerous species
There are more than 2,500 species of palm in the world, most of them residing in tropical coastal areas.
3. They have religious significance
References to palm trees and palm fronds can be found in religious texts back to the beginning of recorded history. The palm is mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible and a dozen times in the Qur’an. Let’s look at some of their religious implications:
- In Christianity, Palm Sunday was the day Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem by adoring followers who laid palm branches in his path. The palm, then, became a symbol of triumph.
- In Islam, the palm symbolizes peace and rest.
- Ancient Assyrians considered palm trees sacred as they associated palms with the goddess Ishtar. They believe that the crown represents heaven and the base represents the earth.
- Ancient Mesopotamians believed palm trees to be associated with human fertility. They believed that their goddess Inanna made them plenteous in that region.
- And the ancient Romans used the Latin word palma to describe victory.
4. Some reach 14 stories
Palms come in all shapes and sizes, from short, fat shrubs to skinny, towering trees. The Quindio wax palm, which is the national tree of Colombia, is the tallest species. It reaches heights of about 200 feet.
5. They are a veritable grocery store
Palm trees produce dozens of food items. There are coconuts, of course, but also an array of nuts, fruit, and even oil used in cooking.
Here are just a handful:
- Dates
- Coconuts
- Palm oil, which is used in an astounding number of foods, from ice cream to pizza dough, margarine, chocolate, and cookies.
- Saw palmetto berries
- Chilean palm wine, which is extracted from the sap in the trunk
- Betel nuts
- Snake palm fruit
- California fan palm fruit
- Guadalupe fan palm fruit
- Peach palm fruit
- Pindo palm fruit
- Acai berries
6. Palms have medicinal value
The fruit, sap, and meat of palm trees have a surprisingly large number of medicinal uses, including:
- Saw palmetto palms are rich in fatty acids and phytosterols, and their extract has been promoted as useful for people with prostate cancer.
- Palm oil contains more polyphenol than green tea extract and is being studied for its possible usefulness in helping treat breast cancer, diabetes, hypertension, inflammation, and cognitive function.
- The fruit of the date palm contains a high concentration of tannin and is useful as an astringent. The fruit of the date palm has also been used to treat diarrhea, sore throats, and other minor maladies.
7. They are found in many consumer items
Palm pulp, oil, and fruit are used to make cosmetics, soap, candles, biofuels, and lubricants.
8. One has giant seeds
The lodoicea maldivica palm, which grows on the Seychelles islands in the Indian Ocean, produces the largest seed in the world – the double coconut. The double coconut can grow to more than three feet in circumference and weigh up to 40 lbs.
9. Some palms are endangered
Despite the wide varieties of palm tree species, many species are declining and a few face extinction.
Some of the palms in Madagascar, such as the Manambe palm, Tahina palm, and the loneliest palm of Mauritius, are almost extinct. These palm trees have been added to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s list of threatened species.
Need help?
If your palm trees need to be trimmed or have some disease and pest infestation issues, you can contact Lawn Love yard care professionals for help.
Main photo credit: Geansebastian | Pexels
