The palm is a plant family which seems since the chalk time in different areas of the earth. The palms normally grow just upwards without branching out. The seed of the fruit can reach some kilogramme of weight. The branches can reach in length of 7 metres (fan palm). The palms have different dimensions. They can be small, medium or big and reach a height about 30 metres. The palm is able only once in its life, blossom yearly or several times in the year and yield fruit. The sheets can be fanned out in the form or be pinnate. In the beginning the branches can be thorny for the protection of the inflorescences.
The fruits contain one to several seeds. The pollination occurs through the wind, through insects or through the People. The palms grow in tropical to semitropical areas (the South of France to Australia). They seem in the tropical rain forests most often. The family stands in general no frost, no cold, exception king's palm. The family ex-ists because of her long history of more than 183 types with about 2600 kinds (de-tailed description see www. wikipedia. de, http://www. pflanzen-portal. com/).

The usage:

The fruits of about 100 kinds are eatable. The juice of some palms is processed to drinks. Sugar can be also produced of it. Also palm honey, palm wine and palm schnapps (liquor) can be produced. Palm oil and palm fat can be produced of the fruits of the oil palm. The fruits can be eaten freshly or dryly like with the dates.
The wood as well as the sheets of many palm kinds serves for the building of a house of the local population. The wood is also used to the production by local pieces of furniture. Some types of tree are used as ornamental plants in parks, as an avenue tree (Palmyra palm) and as ornamental plants at home. The best known palms are coconut palms, date palms and oil palms.