SAN DIEGO, CALIF – As part of its “Buds ‘n Blooms” lecture series, The San Diego Zoo  has featured noted palm expert, David Leaser, to lecture on palms.

Using dramatic photography, Leaser’s lecture, entitled, “Seven Surprising Uses for Palms,” showed audiences various uses for palms.

Palms are used for a variety of items, including sugar, dates, jelly, palm fruit (peach palm), coconut meat, soap, car wax, shampoo, medicines, building materials and acai, derived from the assai palm.

Leaser is an artist, photographer and author. Following the lecture, Mr. Leaser signed copies of his books for the audience.

The San Diego Zoo in San Diego, California, is one of the largest and most progressive zoos in the world, with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species. The zoo is privately operated by the nonprofit Zoological Society of San Diego.

See additional uses for palms here.