Palms: This is a natural and ancient group of plants (around 2780 species). Palms are mainly tropical and occur in all habitats. The life form of the palms are distinctive, e.g., coconut with its single unbranched trunk bearing a tuft of feather-like leaves. Flowers may be bisexual or unisexual the sexes being borne either on same plant or on separate.

Click on an image for a large view Arecastrum Romanzoffianum This is an upright palm with deep green leaves. The flowers are produced in small panicles of white blooms in the early spring. Caryota Urens Monocarpic palm exhibiting an erect single trunk, up to 30 m tall, bearing ringed scars left by fallen leaves. The trunk reaches its maximum height before bloom. Leaves are 3 to 6 m long, bipinnate, bearing wedge-shaped, marginally toothed leaflets somewhat like a fish tail, their size is 10-20 cm by 9-10 cm, their colour dark green. Flowers are unisexual on monoecious plants, alternating on apical, branched inflorescences, enveloped by 2 carinate, marginally fibrous spathes. Fruits, as large as cherries, are globose and reddish. Chamaerops Humilis This is a branched fan-shape bushy tree, which is native to the Mediterranean. It's trunks are up to 3.5 m in height and 20-25 cm in diameter. The bark is coated in fibres and old stalks. Grey green frond-like leaves are linear to lanceolate and are pinnately arranged with threatening toothed edges. Spiked panicles produce fragrant yellow flowers in spring. Cocos Nucifera This is a very-well known tall palm-shaped, semi-evergreen tree which produces large nuts, of which the soft, sweet interior and its milk is edible and highly enjoyed all over the world. This crop has a minimum growing temperature of 14C and a maximum growing temperature of 38C; the optimal growing temperature is between 22C and 34C. Livistona Chinensis This palm grows quite fast, Its single trunk is roughly textured, and has large fronds which are held on relatively short stalks. Mascarena Lagenicaulis True to its name, its trunk has a thick base, tapering to the top and consequently, looking like a bottle. The long fronds arches gracefully with greyish-green leaflets, forming the crownshaft under which white flowers are borne. It also produces dark orange fruit. Phoenix Canariensis This is a large palm it will grow about 5m tall with a spread of 9m, The leaves are arching with deep green fronds. The small yellow flowers are drooping in clusters in the summer, after you will find orange-yellow, acorn-like fruit. Phoenix Dactylifera This crop has an minimum optimum growing temperature of 26C and a maximum optimum growing temperature of 45C. Sabal Palmetto Sabal palmetto, the cabbage palm, is a common inhabitant of scrub communities beyond sand dunes, and the state tree of Florida. It is recognized by its tan-gray, unbranched trunk, and large crown with fanlike leaves. S. palmetto grows to a height of 10 – 25 m (32-82 feet), with a stem diameter of approximately 30 – 60 cm (12-24 inches). Veitchia Merrilli This is a small palm with arching medium to deep green leaves. The green yellow flowers are borne in panicles in early summer to late summer. The red fruits will follow. 1 2