Pygmy Date Palms

Binomial name: Phoenix roebelenii

These are Pygmy Date Palms, showing their roots and looking scary. They look like this because they were originally in plastic pots that were left unattended for years before we bought this parcel of property where they are now located. The roots had grown through the holes in the bottom of the pots and eventually broke through and grew out of them. When I first saw them, I thought it would be fun to make a “scary forest” with them for young children. And that’s what we did. We put a yellow-brick road between them and created the forest. After that, we added a playground and a several small houses and a railroad station, and more.

Here is a photo of what it looks like now.