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Palm Fronds

tjwalters

By tjwalters
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

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tjwalters Veteran

tjwalters

Posted
Posted

The scrum teams in my office are in competition (for a refrigerator, stocked with free beverages for 3 months) to decorate our work areas. My team has selected a 'tiki' theme ( :hmm::D ) and I want to make a couple huge palm trees that go floor-to-ceiling. I also want to do it on the cheap. Making the trunks is no problem, but I'm looking for ideas on how to make somewhat realistic palm fronds - either fan or feather. I also want them to be big and bold. No wimpy stuff. :) I know there are plenty of creative folks here, so...thoughts, anyone?

(Since this is palm-related, I dropped it in this forum.:) )

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a/b
hardiestpalms.com

JASON M Experienced

JASON M

Posted
Posted

Wal-Mart crafts isle... they have pinnate fronds there :D

Milwaukee, WI to Ocala, FL

Jim in Los Altos Grand Master

Jim in Los Altos

Posted
Posted

You could use real palm fronds (dried) and spray them with the correct green paint. I've done this using a moss green color (gray-green) on kentia, washy, and Chinese fan leaves and they are pretty well preserved after painting them. A very light clear gloss spray after the green paint dries gives them a more lifelike appearance.

Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

zone 10a/9b

sunset zone 16

300+ palms, 90+ species in the ground

Las Palmas Design

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John Case Grand Master

John Case

Posted
Posted

Jim,

You can go the next step and box frame them. They appeal to people who like folk art....and they are pretty attractive as well, with the 3 dimensional aspect of the leaf in the frame behind glass (or poly, or whatever). You can give the background some extra visual interest by having either a photo of the palm as the background or a painting of the leaf with the artists interpretation.

Just a few thoughts. This idea came to me from a gentleman here that does the same thing with smaller flowers, but preserves them using spray on sealer...they looked very nice.

John Case

Brentwood CA

Owner and curator of Hana Keu Garden

USDA Zone 9b more or less, Sunset Zone 14 in winter 9 in summer

"Its always exciting the first time you save the world. Its a real thrill!"

tjwalters Veteran

tjwalters

Posted
  • Author
Posted
  On 7/5/2010 at 5:25 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

You could use real palm fronds (dried) and spray them with the correct green paint. I've done this using a moss green color (gray-green) on kentia, washy, and Chinese fan leaves and they are pretty well preserved after painting them. A very light clear gloss spray after the green paint dries gives them a more lifelike appearance.

That I would do, if only I could walk outside and collect some. Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of them around here. :(

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a/b
hardiestpalms.com

tjwalters Veteran

tjwalters

Posted
  • Author
Posted
  On 7/5/2010 at 3:38 PM, JASON M said:

Wal-Mart crafts isle... they have pinnate fronds there :D

As a matter of principle, I don't patronize WalMart - but that's another story. I did stop by Michael's and I picked up a couple rolls of green (front and back) craft paper and some green fiber-wrapped wire. I'll try my hand at fashioning some of my own fronds and if they turn out (:unsure:), I'll post some photos.

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a/b
hardiestpalms.com

Jim in Los Altos Grand Master

Jim in Los Altos

Posted
Posted
  On 7/5/2010 at 7:59 PM, tjwalters said:

  On 7/5/2010 at 5:25 PM, Jim in Los Altos said:

You could use real palm fronds (dried) and spray them with the correct green paint. I've done this using a moss green color (gray-green) on kentia, washy, and Chinese fan leaves and they are pretty well preserved after painting them. A very light clear gloss spray after the green paint dries gives them a more lifelike appearance.

That I would do, if only I could walk outside and collect some. Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of them around here. :(

Stupid me...I realized you're in Maryland after I replied. Oh well, if you're ever in the Bay Area, come on over and I'll give you some to take home!

Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

zone 10a/9b

sunset zone 16

300+ palms, 90+ species in the ground

Las Palmas Design

Facebook Page

Las Palmas Design & Associates

Elegant Homes and Gardens

tjwalters Veteran

tjwalters

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Well, I finally finished making two palm trees. They don't look half-bad, so I thought I post the results here, along with some rough steps on the process. Click thumbnail image to view full-size image...

Start with green craft paper for the leaves...

001t.jpg

Cut out leaf shapes...

002t.jpg

Cut into leaflets...

003t.jpg

Leaves after cutting...

004t.jpg

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a/b
hardiestpalms.com

tjwalters Veteran

tjwalters

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Attach mid-rib support wire (14g) using green duct tape...

005t.jpg

Cover wire with long strip of duct tape...

006t.jpg

Burlap sections to wrap carpet roll (used for trunk)...

007t.jpg

Placement of first burlap section (start from trunk top)...

008t.jpg

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a/b
hardiestpalms.com

tjwalters Veteran

tjwalters

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Unfinished and finished trunks...

009t.jpg

Completed trunks...</div>

010t.jpg

Trunk top made from rolled corrugated cardboard strips...

011t.jpg

Attach leaves to top by inserting wires into corrugations...

012t.jpg

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a/b
hardiestpalms.com

tjwalters Veteran

tjwalters

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Finished palm tree!

013t.jpg

...and there you have it...Kirk Douglas standing next to my palm tree. :D Not sure how realistic it is, but I suppose it does resemble a palm tree (somewhat, anyway).

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a/b
hardiestpalms.com

paulgila Grand Master

paulgila

Posted
Posted

you are pretty handy with construction paper & scissors--are you an elementary school teacher? :lol:

seriously thats really cool!my only suggestion is to put an "un-opened spear" sticking straight up.

so whose face is that in the last pic? looks like a cross between james woods & a young kirk douglas.

the "prince of snarkness."

 

still "warning-free."

 

san diego,california,left coast.

peachy Grand Master

peachy

Posted
Posted

Aha....now we know all Jim's secrets to growing palms in NorCal.

Peachy

I came. I saw. I purchased

 

 

27.35 south.

Warm subtropical, with occasional frosts.

Jim in Los Altos Grand Master

Jim in Los Altos

Posted
Posted
  On 7/12/2010 at 7:34 AM, peachy said:

Aha....now we know all Jim's secrets to growing palms in NorCal.

Peachy

Ha Ha Ha :D :D :D

Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

zone 10a/9b

sunset zone 16

300+ palms, 90+ species in the ground

Las Palmas Design

Facebook Page

Las Palmas Design & Associates

Elegant Homes and Gardens

tjwalters Veteran

tjwalters

Posted
  • Author
Posted
  On 7/12/2010 at 4:58 AM, pohonkelapa said:

you are pretty handy with construction paper & scissors--are you an elementary school teacher? :lol:

seriously thats really cool!my only suggestion is to put an "un-opened spear" sticking straight up.

so whose face is that in the last pic? looks like a cross between james woods & a young kirk douglas.

Yikes! "No" on the teacher. That would require hazardous duty pay!

For the location (work, actually) I needed the palms to be tall enough to walk under, so a spear would have been sticking through the ceiling. Turns out they were just the right size.

And, that's Kirk Douglas (there's a story there...and besides, I didn't want to scare anyone here. :) )

Tom

Bowie, Maryland, USA - USDA z7a/b
hardiestpalms.com

Jim in Los Altos Grand Master

Jim in Los Altos

Posted
Posted
  On 7/12/2010 at 7:34 AM, peachy said:

Aha....now we know all Jim's secrets to growing palms in NorCal.

Peachy

Peachy's just agitated because she found out I'm growing hydrangeas in my garden too. :rolleyes:

Jim in Los Altos, CA  SF Bay Area 37.34N- 122.13W- 190' above sea level

zone 10a/9b

sunset zone 16

300+ palms, 90+ species in the ground

Las Palmas Design

Facebook Page

Las Palmas Design & Associates

Elegant Homes and Gardens

peachy Grand Master

peachy

Posted
Posted

Of course I am bitter and twisted about having tiny ratty looking hydrangeas. Big nice ones would look so nice between my Pelagodoxa henryanas.

Peachy

I came. I saw. I purchased

 

 

27.35 south.

Warm subtropical, with occasional frosts.

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