If you’ve ever seen dried palm leaves on the ground, you’ve probably wondered
where they go. These sturdy leaves have lots of great uses to explore.
Deciduous trees shed their leaves every fall. Coniferous trees lose needles over time, even while remaining evergreen. Palm trees, while technically not trees at all, do some shedding of their own—discarded palm fronds often litter the palm tree–lined streets of South Florida and Southern California. This plant matter is thick,
sturdy, and fibrous, and when it comes to basic applications such as composting and mulching, it’s almost fibrous to a fault.
If you live in palm territory or if you’ve just heard a friend gripe about having to clean up dried fronds, you’ve probably wondered: Just what are the uses of palm leaves, anyway? As it turns out, this byproduct of lush plant life has plenty of applications that are more helpful and less frustrating than composting. One such use may wind up in your own home.
Woven Baskets
The same attributes that make palm leaves so frustrating to mulch are the ones that allow them to create sturdy, reliable products. Palm leaf baskets are available at retailers, but if you have access to fallen fronds yourself, you can take up a new craft and weave a basket yourself. The sturdiness of palm leaves just may take you by surprise—palm leaves are naturally water repellent, which means that your basket will be strong and that you won’t have to worry about it falling apart if it gets wet.
Disposable Dinnerware
If you’re throwing a casual outdoor party that calls for disposable plates and cups, you already know that plastic products aren’t the key to a green lifestyle. And paper plates, even if you double up on them, can still be a little flimsy—not to mention a bit déclassé. But for a sustainable and attractive alternative to paper or plastic, palm
leaves are the best eco-friendly dinnerware you can choose for your party. The natural fibers of palm leaves give plates and cups a wood-grain look for some natural and rustic flair. Plus, as you voraciously devour that summery fruit salad, you won’t have to worry about your bowl getting soggy as a paper one would.
Bonfire Kindling
If you have palms nearby and want to throw a little party in the backyard, one of the uses of palm leaves is as a nice little fire-starter. Dried palm fronds burn extremely well—in fact, the glade fires of South Florida often get going from dried palm. You can load up your firepit with these sturdy, stubborn leaves and keep a bonfire raging well into the night.
