Maple Leaf Palm

12/17/19 Maple Leaf neighborhood

To me, palm trees evoke the desert climate of southern California, so I’m always amused when I see one in Seattle. A horticulturalist once told me that the ones we see around here are Chinese windmill (or pinwheel) palms, or Trachycarpus fortunei, a variety that doesn’t mind cold and rain. Our neighbors across the street have a small one (currently decorated with festive lights), which I especially enjoyed sketching when it was covered with snow a couple years ago. My favorites are the tall pair growing inexplicably in front of the Wedgwood Top Pot Doughnuts.

Walking through the ‘hood last week, I spotted this palm in front of a quintessential Craftsman-style bungalow that Seattle is full of. Seeing them together (with a mandatory trash can, of course) tickled me.