Palm Trees - Palms are mostly what we
call tropical trees. Some, though, will grow in cooler places such as
Iceland. Palms are monocots. They have one seed leaf. They
also have only an apical meristem. The apical meristem increases the
vertical length of the tree. Palms, not having a vascular meristem, do
not increase in girt or circumference after trunk tissues mature as other
woody trees do. Roots grow from meristematic regions at the base of
the trunk. Meristematic means some cells have the capacity to divide
and differentiate. Palms have a single axial meristem. The
apical portion forms fronds and fruit, and the basal portion forms roots.
Palm Anatomy - A cross section of a palm.
Palm Growth - Palms start growth as a ball with the cambial zone around it's perimeter. Fronds up - Meristem - Roots Down. Palms start life as a ball where the meristem forms fronds above and roots below.
Palms, Pruning - Examples of over pruning.
Palm Reproduction - Some types of palms reproduce many times before they die. Other types age and reproduce once and then die. Some palms live for twenty or more years before the produce fruit.
Palm Zones - Palms are constructed to bend in the wind. Palm stems have at least three major zones. Palms compartmentalize infections.