Travelers Palm – Thirst-Quenching Leafy Treasures
Any thoughts of palm trees in the Caribbean likely center on the coconut variety. For wayward travelers, though, these are the “fronds” that should really come to mind. They belong to the travelers palm, a somewhat peculiar plant species whose name only half makes sense. The incongruous part concerns the “palm” in the name as the travelers palm is, in fact, not a palm tree at all. These beauties are actually more closely related to banana plants or birds of paradise. The “travelers” in the name, however, most certainly fits. These palms get their name from the large reservoirs of rain water that collect at the bases of their long leafs. Weary travelers have tapped these “palms” to replenish themselves along their journeys for centuries.