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Of all the beautiful trees that grow in our wonderful climate, perhaps none have a larger history than the palm. Sometimes the palm is not taken seriously. Dignity and respect are more often given to the sturdy oak or traditional pine, but the palm has proven itself throughout history as one of the most valuable plants to human beings. Beginning eighty-five million years ago, during cretaceous times, dinosaurs munched the ancient relatives of the sabal palm. For thousands of years afterwards, men from many diverse cultures have used nearly every part of the palm in daily life. The palm has provided clothes, food, housing, furniture, ropes, brooms, carpets, fishing nets, dinnerware and crafts. Not many trees can claim such a wide array of usefulness. The palm has religious significance as well. Medieval Christians considered palm fronds sacred and used them as a tool for whisking martyrs up to heaven. The idea still exists today in the symbolism of Palm Sunday. The ancient Egyptians celebrated the coco palm by carving symbols of it into the Temple of Karnak. Few of us today give much thought to the usefulness of the palm. Palms fit into a variety of landscape themes. The most obvious, of course, is the tropical look. King and Queen palms mixed with bamboo, Giant Bird of Paradise and orchids give superb sense of the tropics. A Mediterranean feel can be achieved by planting Canary Island Date palms with bougainvillea and succulents. For an arid or desert appearance, try fan palms with cactus. Thirty-three palm varieties are American natives, but most come from the rainforest or deserts. Not all palms will thrive in the Fallbrook climate or soil conditions. Palms native to the rainforest, for instance, prefer acid soil, similar to that found in the rainforest. Our soil is more alkaline. So palms from the desert or Caribbean will do much better here. The climate can also be a limiting factor. Tropical palms do not survive much chill at all. Even mild Fallbrook winters can be too cold for many palms. Palms from high and cool elevations work best in our area. Palms can live to be hundreds of years old in their native habitats, but grow better if cared for regularly. A well balanced, all purpose fertilizer applied three to four times a year speeds growth and makes the leaves lush and green. As exotic as jungle birds, palms add a dramatic effect to any landscape. Plant a majestic palm and get some history in your yard!
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