Model Palm Trees

[Geep7]

I am looking to add a few palm trees to my HO scale Spanish outline layout, but having looked online, I only seem to bring up Woodland Scenics, or the random Chinese cheap ones.

 

Does anyone have any experience of using any, and perhaps know of any available easily in the UK? I would like them to be pretty realistic, as they are going to be at the front of my layout. Or does anyone know of an easy way to make them?

[phil_sutters]

I made some, when I was involved with military modelling, using sprays of leaves from a cheap plastic trailing plant. I expect I got it at a pound shop or somewhere similar - edit - aquarium or pet shops often have plastic plants that might be suitable starting points.. The trunk was covered in Milliput which was scored across to give the typical palm tree look. It depends on how authentic you want them to look and how much you can afford. Scalelink do a range of types, sizes and scales, but they aint cheap. https://www.scalelink.co.uk/acatalog/Palm_Tree_Kits_in_various_scales___Palmiers.html

This is my one.

 

 

Edited July 13, 2021 by phil_sutters
Clarification.

[Alcanman]

I would recommend https://www.themodeltreeshop.co.uk/index.php?seo_path=trees%2Fpalm-trees.html

 

As seen on one of my US layouts.

[monkeysarefun]

 

 

Luke Towan is an easy watch, his stuff usually turns out looking pretty real.

 

He lives up in Queensland so he knows palms  pretty well!

 

 

 

Edited July 21, 2021 by monkeysarefun

[fulton]

I have used some from Reality in Scale a Dutch military modelling company, sold as 1/35 scale but I think the small ones were fine for HO, resin trunk with laser cut plastic fons. Would post a photo but am away in Germany at the moment, some photos on my Plant City, Florida thread.

[Dickon]

I made a couple of palm trees for a diorama in the cakebox challenge round 'waiting for a train'.  

 

The trunks are twigs from the garden to which I have attached small feathers (probably house sparrow?....I'm no ornithologist) by wrapping masking tape round the top of the twig to enclose the quill of a feather every quarter turn or so while making sure that the feathers all curved outwards.  A thin squirt of green paint from a rattle can turned the feathers into quite realistic fronds especially where dark bits of feather show through the paint.  Having made sure that the masking tape tapered neatly into the 'tree trunk', I then coated it  with PVA glue and sprinkled on tea leaves as the dark cluster of old growth at the top of the trunk.  English breakfast tea was a bit too fine and dusty but Darjeeling was spot on.

 

Edited July 26, 2021 by Dickon

[Campaman]

I have also use Feathers (we have a 4 parrots) to good effect, I used string wound round thick wire (earth wire from twin and earth cable) for the trunk texture then painted it, it also allows you to bend the trunk.

[ianmianmianm]

Hi. The cheap Chinese ones come up a storm with a bit of acrylic and dulling down. 

 

If you are near London and can get to Fenchurch St / Tower Hill, 4D model shop has them at retail https://modelshop.co.uk/Shop/Landscaping/Model-Trees-Palms?orderby=1 

 

[009 micro modeller]

I also used the cheap Chinese ones, ordering a pack of about 40 online. They looked quite good once I’d painted the trunk (I also stuck fruit on mine as they were representing oil palms).