Wednesday, December 10, 2008

U Is For Unusual

With Fronds Like This, Who Needs Enemies?

Photograph copyright: DAVID McMAHON


I’d never seen a palm tree with fronds of any colour except dark green - until I suddenly spotted this tree in Langkawi, Malaysia. We were exploring the town when I saw this unusual sight across the road.

At first I thought it might have been a single albino tree, but then I realised it was ringed by three or four others. They were not fully mature trees, for unlike the towering palms that I’m accustomed to seeing, these would not have been more than five or six metres tall.

I figured I needed a dark colour in the frame, to contrast the ghostly colour of the fronds. I was lucky. On the other side of the trees was a construction area. I scouted around from a safe distance and noticed this blue corrugated metal barricade, which was perfect for what I wanted.

But if there’s an arborist out there who can tell us something about these ghost palms, I’d be delighted to hear from you.

Or maybe the rare sight could be explained by a palm reader.

For the home of ABC Wednesday, go to Mrs Nesbitt's Place.


28 comments:

Lee said...

We had palm fronds just like those in the Rio Grande Valley when I was growing up. Great picture.

Cheers!

Pat - Arkansas said...

Very interesting photo. I've never seen the like, but haven't lived in "palm country" for decades.

Your title and closing sentence are true groaners! :) Love them!

larkswing said...

I love your play on words! Always fun to see what you will come up with next!

Sandi McBride said...

Reminds me of Spanish Sword which Mama irreverently called "stick ass bushes" because every time she bent over...well, you know...these look as beautiful (and as sharp!
Sandi
ps
your word verification is
stabbl
how fitting

Lee said...

David, the researcher in me came out and I think I found your palm. Only having the one image to go by I believe it is a Bismarck Palm or bismarckia nobilis. There are lots of images of it. Here's the link to one that I think shows the leaves enough to compare.

http://www.thaipalms.com/encyclopedia/Bismarckianobilis.html

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

Anonymous said...

Anemic palms...

The picture is awesome!

Colleen said...

That's an interesting looking color. I kinda like it :)

Louise said...

Looks like you found your "palm reader." (Typed with intense cringing!)

I like these. They would be pretty in a night garden.

Tessa said...

It would make a wonderfully unique Christmas tree - add some little white lights and voila! Excellent photo.

Maggie May said...

Once again the heading cracked me up. Lovely photo and a kind of mystical look to the fronds!

Bijoux said...

Your photos are lovely. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Rune Eide said...

The nearest I can come is the electronic Palm I once had! It was kind of amino too.

Anonymous said...

Ahhhhhh! Groan aeeeee! Thank goodness it wasn't on a cart being transported or you would have called it 'the Surrey with the frond on top' Lordy I'm stretching now.

Richard Lawry said...

I'm not quite ready to award you the ABC Wednesday post of the week, but I am going to have to give you the award for the best title :)

An Arkie's Musings

Rinkly Rimes said...

Surely there's the makings of a legend here!

Jane Hards Photography said...

Puntastic. I am alwasy surprised at the palms we have here. No exactly the climate.

tiarastantrums said...

gorgeous! I send my friend here (she was born and raised in Malaysia and now resides in Sweden, after 8 years in China) - she loves to look at all your photos!

Bear Naked said...

Your puns are comimg at us fast and furious today.
Great photo by the way!

Bear((( )))

Sylvia K said...

Love the photo, the palm is lovely but I've never seen one like it, how fun to have found it. You are good with the groaners, made my day! Thanks!

eastcoastlife said...

I have not seen these white fronds.... usually they are dark green. They are probably malnourished. hehe....

Jules~ said...

I find them so interesting. I love how God makes so many amazing things for us to delight in.

Miss_Yves said...

Unasual tree,
but beautiful picture, as
Usual !

Reader Wil said...

No, I haven't seen palms like that either. Are you sure it wasn't just dust covering these plants? Anyway it's an excellent photo.

ArneA said...

Indoors palms here in Norway

Betsy Brock said...

Beautiful! The color makes the pattern stand out somehow.

Dragonstar said...

Brilliant! I love the caption. Those fronds look unusual to me, though I'm far from expert!

Thanks.

ABC Team.

Suzanne said...

These fronds are very nice and so light in color. I've never seen palms quite this color.

adrienne trafford said...

that reminded me of "with fronds like these, who needs anemones?" fish jokes from "Nemo"!