17
Jun

Ode To The Palm Tree

Two days ago, I stopped at a red light while driving home. I happened to be at a busy intersection and noticed the number of palm trees lining the boulevard; an assortment of shapes and sizes, different species, swaying against a breezy day. I started to think about these trees and the symbolism they have with the place I’ve grown up in.

If there was one tree to define the city of Los Angeles I’m sure it would be the palm tree. You know the ones; tall, lanky rows of them seen in the movies, those Washingtonia robusta. No doubt, this was the tree given to LA by the filmmakers of Hollywood, an iconic symbol for the city’s sun, surf, and bohemian lifestyle. Moviemakers however may not have realized the uniqueness in this family of trees.

With more than 2,500 species, the palm tree is as varied as it is interesting. The cultivation of the date palm, for example, was part of Mesopotamian culture more than 5,000 years ago. A palm in Madagascar self destructs soon after flowering and may even be seen from outer space. The rarest palm, the Hyophorbe amaricaulis, is found in the country of Mauritius. It is the only one of its species, and its chances of pollinating another like it, of course, are zero.

Despite the factoids of the Palmae, the numbers of this tree family are dwindling like most species on the planet. Habitat destruction is the main reason, but pollination and seed preservation have also become a problem. Many palm seeds loose the ability to germinate if stored in the cold. They simply die.

Did you know the largest seed of any plant comes from the coconut palm (Cocos Nucifera)?

As a child, I thought palms were poor excuses for trees really; lanky and feeble looking. The irony of living among them is probably that I have thought less of their svelte bodies than a transient Hollywood tourist.

It took only a minute, enough time for the street signal to change its color, but in that time I took a closer look at a tree synonymous with the city. The palm trees swayed against a breezy day, and my mind caught the idea of how many times I’ve seen one and not truly appreciated it. Hollywood has its symbol, and I have more than that now.

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