Charlotte, NC--  Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation horticultural workers will plant six palm trees around the grounds of the Nevin Park sprayground, beginning at 8:30am Tuesday, May 6, 2008.  Nevin Park is at 6000 Statesville Road.

These plantings include:

• 3 Windmill Palms (trachycarpus fortunei), current planting size about 2.5 feet tall
• 2 Dwarf Palmettos (sabal minor), current planting size about 2 feet tall
• 2 Jelly Palms (butia capitata), current planting size about 2.5 feet tall

The trees are provided with a $500 grant from the Southeastern Palm Society which encourages the planting of palm trees, especially into new areas where the climate can sustain their growth. Some of these palms are expected to grow a foot or more a year. The grant for the palms was awarded to Park and Recreation and Ken Szymanski, a palm tree enthusiast and member of the Southeast Palm Society.  Szymanski submitted the application.  He is also Executive Director of the Greater Charlotte Apartment Association & Apartment Association of North Carolina. Szymanski suggested that planting the palms in a public park would provide good visibility in a well-maintained area.

Park and Recreation Horticulturist Tim Turton says the department hopes to eventually plant palms at many of its aquatic facilities. He says palms are already growing well at a few other such Park and Recreation facilities around Mecklenburg. For more information about the society and palm trees, check:  www.sepalms.org.