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Washingtonia: The palms
Palm trees have long fascinated Europeans from temperate climes, conjuring up images
of distant and exotic places. In the 19th century, the
building of the first large conservatories was largely motivated by the desire to
grow palms in our cooler climates.
Palm trees, of which you will find many different specimens in this house, are
very unusual plants. In most trees with which we’re familiar, the trunks become
thicker as the trees get older – but not palm trees! Their pillar-like trunks stay
the same width throughout their lives. The trunks of palm trees reach their maximum
diameter while the plants are still young, which is why it may take years before young
palms start growing upward.
Palm trees have other unique features. With very few exceptions, their trunks do not
branch, and their fronds, which can reach a huge size, form a tuft at the tip of the trunk.
When a new leaf develops, it stands upright like a sword in the middle of the tuft before
developing into a fan-like or pinnate shape.
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Washingtonia: The palms (MP3, 463 KB)
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