Saw this on another forum with the gentleman and his awesome attempt to scratch build palm trees. Check it out.
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/start-finish-builds/pete-resting-beach-wip-1-a-34697-4.html
Outstanding stuff.
I like using pencil shavings for the dead fronds, and the coriander seed as coconuts.
Floral tape wrapped around a wire armature might (only might) be a tad simpler than using pine stems for the trunks, though.
I want to remember seeing using paper leaves back about 1976 or so in either Scale or Military Modeler, and I tried it a time or two, hand cutting the leaves with scissors–so the xacato is probably better. But, it does make me wonder if a PE mask for cutting might be an effective answer (since a tool steel die to punch out paper would be a spendy proposition).
Those are great. I bought a dozen or so from a fellow who made them pretty much that way, except he used feathers for the fronds. Thanks for the link.