Post #725675 by AlohaStation on Tue, Aug 19, 2014 7:04 AM

I have seen queen palms carved that have lasted for years (these were in southern cali and other arid regions). Queen palm do not last in moist environments so if they stay relatively dry they could last indefinately. You can carve a palm the day its cut or you can wait for it to dry - the results are as variable as the quality of the wood. I have let palm wood sit for months, only to find the inside had rotted. and I have carved fresh logs and found them to be very nice to carve and had no problems allowing the carving to dry. An experienced carver will know how to proceed - there are no set rules (too many variables).

If you want them carved, do it - only time will tell if they last (if they are kept inside, they will last decades). Keeping the wood dry after carving is the best way to preserve them. FL Queen palms are trash - they store too much water and eventually shrivel away to a mass of string. Palm is similar to cactus - they store water inside their trunks for the dry season. Getting the water out is the trick.