photo?

Can you describe some characteristics such as the look of the trunk, maybe the fruit, the type of fronds, if its rare or common, or anything else like that would be helpful. If you had a pic that would really help!

Good luck!
-Alex

No picture but:

It has very large fan type fronds that go all the way to the ground and provide a screen. It is "fast growing." We saw them in Florida this winter and the owner said they were "turning palms" that they were planted 7 years ago at about 24" tall. Today they are about 15' tall. We understood that when planted the "fans turned to form a visual barrier." They said that particular attention had to be paid to the direction of how they were planted WHICH we found particularly curious. We are not sure that the owner was correct on this but it is true that the palms almost form a fence. We do not know the owners name or how to contact.

I think that person is the only person who refers to those palms (whatever they are) as turning palms... never heard of that name given to any palm in the past... probably they made it up. But if they made a fence with fan palms that grow to 15' in Florida in 7 years, you still have lots of possibilities- some Sabals, Washintonias, Livistonas, Accoelorhaphe, Bismarckia, even Borassus...

I can make a few guesses.

When you said it looked like a fence, I thought of Rhapis humilis.

When you said large fan shaped leaves and that it was located in south florida, I thought of Thrinax radiata more commonly called a florida thatch palm. They are native to southern florida.

Now I really think this might be your "palm". The reason why I put palm in quotes is because it isnt a palm at all. Im thinking its Ravenala madagascariensis or a travelers palm. The leaves face a certain direction making the direction very important. Also the "fronds" kind of form a fence. White birds of paradise are in the same family and look similar to travelers palms. The only thing is is that the leaves arent fan-shaped, but all together look like a fan.

Good luck!
-Alex

Alex, you may be right on. Maybe it was travelers palm. I will google image travelers palm and see if that is what we saw. Thanks to all.

Tell me if it is! Glad I helped!

Good luck!
-Alex

Did they look like these? First is a great example of a Ravenala madagascariensis from Singapore (aka Traveler's 'Palm') and second is about the best example of one from So California (not a really good climate for these).

Thats it but the specimen we saw had "the fans" close to the ground forming a visual barrier. Maybe there is a much better palm/? to do what we want.

It may have just been a young plant. I dont think there is a dwarf version of this plant and eventually it will get a trunk and go above ground level. If your looking for something to form a barrier then bananas are a great option and you even get fruit from them! Threy form a pretty dense clump in a few short years. And if you could actually find and afford a good size ae ae banana, that would look really fantastic with other green bananas also mixed in. Siam Ruby is another nice banana, but doesnt make edible fruit. The leaves are nice though. And praying hands bananas have really interesting fruit because the bananas are smaller and kind of fused together. Ice cream bananas are great for flavor.

Also bamboo will make a nice barrier, but if you live in a warm area get a clumping species because a running species will take over your yard (but you can easily control it by stepping on the new shoots comming out of the ground which happens in the spring).

As for actual palms, butterfly palms are a great option for a natural fence. Everglades palm is another nice natural fence.

You can also plant tropical plants such as Hawaiian ti plants, Rubber trees (eventually get pretty large, crotons, plumerias, tropical yucca species, birds of paradise, philodendrons, papayas, tropical dogwood, and many others to provide a nice and eventually large tropical fence.

Good luck!
-Alex