The Different Palm Tree Types
Palms are one of the most documented and most studied plants in the world and there are over 2600 species of palm tree types known today. Palm trees have an amazing amount of variations and differences in morphology, creating one the most diverse range of species. Palm trees belong to the family Arecaceae, which are flowering trees. They have been found in the fossil record dating back to 80 million years and have been known to have been used by humans for the entire length of civilization. They were symbols of fertility to the ancients, extensively written about in both the Bible and the Quran, and are used today for a huge assortment of uses.
Palm trees are considered to be a monophyletic group, meaning that all palm trees descended and evolved from the same ancestors and they are found in a variety of environmental conditions all over the world. They are mostly found in tropical to temperate conditions, including 130 species that live in the subtropics and can be found from rainforests to deserts. There are even several varieties of cold hardy palm tree types.
Basic characteristics of palm trees include growth from a single stem with crowns of evergreen leaves arranged in either a fan shape or feathery blooms. Most palms have inflorescence containing colorful flowers, which are usually small and white. The fruits of palms are considered to be drupes, or fruits containing a fleshy, soft part surrounding a hard seed center.
Palm trees have amazing qualities. Some of the most interesting palm trees are described below.
The tallest species of monocot (which includes palms, bananas, gingers, onions, sugar canes, grains and bamboos just to name a few) is the Wax Palm tree. This tree can reach heights of over 180 feet and are found growing in Columbia. The largest leaves of any plant found in the world belong to the Raffia Palms. These leaves can stretch to over 75 feet in length. One of the most widely used palm tree types is the Coconut Palm, which is used in both culinary and landscaping ways. The state of South Carolina uses the Cabbage Palmetto palm tree as its state symbol. The Date Palm is a palm tree that can actually thrive in desert conditions. It is a symbol of water and often designates an oasis to desert travelers.
The most northern palm found in the world is the European Fan Palm and the hardiest and highest altitude growing palms are the Chinese Windmill Palms. Found on the island of New Zealand, the Nikau Palm tree is the most southern palm species on the planet. Located in the coldest regions where palms are able to survive are three of the species most tolerant palm trees, the Chinese Windmill palm, The Needle Palm and the Dwarf Palmetto palms. The Needle palm and the Dwarf Palmetto palm are both native to the southeastern United States. The rarest species of palm tree is the Hyophorbe americaulis, which has just one surviving tree left on the entire planet. This one and only tree is found in Curepipe, on the island of Mauritis.
Palm trees are widely used by humans for their fruits and are extensively used in food production, as well as landscaping. A symbol for the tropics and vacations, the palm tree is one of the most widespread planted varieties of trees for landscaping purposes. Nothing better represents the ideas of warmth, sun and relaxation better than a tall palm tree.
Coupled with their amazing variations among the different species, the many diverse locations in which they can be found growing all over the world, the vast array of functions to humans over the last several thousand years; the palm tree is one of the planet’s most interesting plant species.