If you are doing some gaming in desert, or tropical environments, then you could probably use a few palm trees. This is a simple, and inexpensive way to make a lot of them.
We started with a plastic fern that had some leaves that were appropriately sized for 15mm scale Palm Trees. If you want to do larger or smaller scales then just select your starting plant accordingly. This particular plant provided enough material to make about fifty trees.
Once you have plucked all of the fronds off of the plant, then start cutting off the individual leaves. These were then divided into two groups. The first group was the eight largest leaves, and the second group was the remainder that were large enough to use.
To glue these together you will need some glue (we highly recommend using hot glue), a small pedestal, and a small piece of paper (waxed paper works the best). The pedestal needs to be large enough to hold everything while gluing, and small enough to not interfere with the natural curve of the leaf.
Place the first four leafs into a small dab of glue that is placed onto the pedestal. Then use a second one to place the next four. The second ring of leafs should be at a higher angle than the first. These first eight leafs should be from the larger set.
Using the small piece of paper between the pedestal and the Palm top isn’t mandatory, but it makes it considerably easier to remove.
One more dab of glue is placed on top, and some leaves (from the smaller set) are randomly placed into them. Use as many leaves as you think look good (we used about five or six). Using more isn’t always better, but it is very much a matter of personal preference so go with whatever looks good to you.
The next article will cover making the trunks, and joining them to the tops.
