A Palm Tree is a Palm Tree, right?

Before arriving in Florida just over a month ago. I thought a palm tree was one kind of tree. It had large leaves in a fan shape that sat atop tall, smooth trunks and were usually deconstructed for Palm Sunday.

Upon arrival, my eyes were confronted with a huge variety of palm trees. Each manifesting different attributes of size, bark design and leaf shape. After considering this fact, my Google search box got very busy. How many "kinds" of palm trees are there, really?

I enjoyed tooling around the net looking at all kinds of info on palm trees but to my utter joy, I found the Virtual Palm Encyclopedia! I know, how cool is that?

I started by reading the intro {until my unscientific brain started melting} I discovered all kinds of fascinating facts about the Family Palmae of plants, chiefly tropical trees and shrubs and vines usually having a tall columnar trunk bearing a crown of very large leaves; coextensive with the order Palmales. {Isn't that how I just described it? I'm just sayin'!}

And get this! There are ...an estimated 2500-3500 species in 210-236 genera. Variation in species numbers arises from disagreement between botanists...

I guess there are a few species of Palms...lol

If you want to see a collection of palms that will blow your mind, check out the Fairchild Tropical Gardens near Miami.

...the Garden’s palm collection... is one of the largest and most diverse in the world. There are more than 1,500 palm accessions* planted in the Garden, with 128 genera and more than 500 identified species represented.

I need to check it out to really get this palm thing under my belt. If you want to go, here is a link to the map. Click here to get a coupon. Or get an even bigger discount if you go green to get there. I can't wait to check it out but for now, "Pine Tree..."

"Discuss!"

Until next time, Eli