Palm trees

[BushDaddy]

Hi all, its been a long time since ive posted on here but I'm trying to get more time to spend outdoors now.

So the main reason for this post is, we currently have 2 large palm trees in our front garden that the wife wants to have removed. Before she does, is there any use for such a tree in bushcraft? If the specific type makes a difference then I can upload pics of them.

Thanx in advance

 

[awarner]

Depending on the palm, a bit of weaving with the leaves?

 

[Big G]

Coconut maracas

 

[Janne]

The woody stem can have an interesting grain, but needs to be stabilised first.

 

[forrestdweller]

on cutting the darn things down! (if you ever worked as a landscape gardener in a tropical environment you may understand my point of view.....)

what you could do with the timber depends on the species: while some of them are rather useless others can be used to make axe handles or bows..... .

regardless of the timber: palm heart is tasty and you could use the fronds for weaving projects or roof thatching ( depends on species how long it lasts, though....). nikau palm seeds have even been used as bird shot in muzzle loading shotguns....

 

[santaman2000]

Like others have said, it depends on just what kind of palm tree it is. I'm guessing they're nether coconut palms nor date palms? Palm thatch is possible with some species but better palm thatch comes from palmettos (really more of a shrub than a tree) Palm sugar comes from some species, palm hearts from others, etc.

 

[andyluffs]

some palms make for extremely sought after (expensive) walking sticks!

 

[bilmo-p5]

Heart of palm.

 

[Pioneer72]

Some palm 'trunks' are not much more than the compacted remains of old leaf stems - I have a Trachycarpus Fortuneii (Fortune Palm) in my garden which is this type so I doubt there would be much useable wood in there. Not that I have any plan to remove it, its one of my favourite things in the garden
The fronds from the leaves however are great for weaving mats etc, but that is more a harvestable from a standing tree rather than a felled one.

 

[KIMBOKO]

If it's a tree Phormiun then there are sites showing how to weave New Zealand flax leaves or how to make cordage.