Palm Trees

I've been fascinated with palm trees for years. There are two species of palms, in this picture, taken in Palm Springs, California. The taller ones with narrow trunks are Mexican fan palms. The shorter ones with the thick trunks are California fan palms. The Mexican fans have a lighter colored trunk and usually are flared at the base to give it more stability. My niece Rayna, who also likes to identify palms, calls it a trumpet bottom. The California fans have a dark trunk, and usually have a bigger petticoat or shag hanging below the leaves. In cities in Arizona and California it's common to see them planted near each other, and it's usually easy to tell the difference. Along the gulf coast and lower atlantic states the Mexican fan is way more frequently planted than the California fan palm.