~Palm Trees for my Sister~
Size about 44 inches square

Palm Trees for my Sister 
Size about 44 inches square

When asked to picture Hawaii, most people would probably draw a beautiful beach with a tall, delicate palm tree in the background.  While palms are evocative of the tropics, one of the 3,000-4,000 species of palm is found together with spruces on the south slope of the Alps in northern Italy.    They are important elements of tropical, subtropical, and Mediterranean landscapes.

Around the world, palms have long provided food, shelter, clothing, and other of life's necessities for people.  To modern people of temperate regions, palms are the sources of such materials as copra, coconut and other palm oil, dates, coconut meat, rattan cane, raffia, ivory nuts, carnauba wax, and "hearts-of-palm."   

Hundreds of palm species from throughout the world are cultivated in Hawaii.  The well-known coconut palm was brought to Hawaii by Polynesians and continues to be abundant in coastal areas. 
Native palm species (Pritchardia genus) used to comprise an important part of Hawaii's lowland vegetation, but most are rare or extinct now. 
My  wonderful sister, Keryl, has always loved palm trees, this quilt is dedicated to her.  Thank you.