If these are blessed palms from Palm Sunday, the respectful way to handle them is to return them to your church, or to burn or bury them yourself. They should not go in the regular trash. Many parishes collect last year’s palms before Lent and burn them into the ashes used on Ash Wednesday.
If your palms are just fronds from a yard or houseplant, you have easy options too. Here is how to handle both kinds the right way.
Why Blessed Palms Get Special Care
In the Catholic Church and some other Christian traditions, palms blessed on Palm Sunday are treated as sacred items, called sacramentals. Because they were blessed, the custom is to retire them respectfully rather than toss them out. The two traditional methods are burning and burying.
Return Them to Your Church
This is the easiest and most common choice. Many parishes set out a basket before Ash Wednesday to collect old palms, then burn them to make the ashes for that day. Just call the parish office and ask when and where to drop yours off. Done.
Burn Them Respectfully
If you would rather handle it at home, you can burn dried palms yourself.
- Use a safe spot like a fire pit, grill, or metal bowl, away from anything flammable.
- Check your local fire rules and any burn bans first.
- When the ashes cool, bury them in your garden or return them to the parish, rather than putting them in the trash.
Bury Them
Burying lets the palms return to the earth naturally. Wrap them in a biodegradable cloth or paper, then bury them in a quiet spot in your garden or yard. Some people choose a spot near a statue or other meaningful place. This is a gentle option if you would rather not burn anything.
Keep or Reuse Them
Many people keep their palms all year, tucked behind a crucifix, a family photo, or a holy picture, until next Palm Sunday. You can also weave them into a small palm cross to display. When you are ready to part with them, return, burn, or bury them as above.
What About Landscaping Palm Fronds?
Fronds trimmed from palm trees or houseplants are not blessed, so they are simply yard waste. Add them to your green waste bin or compost, or chip larger ones for mulch. Dried fronds can also be woven into baskets or used in natural decor. For other seasonal items you want to handle thoughtfully, see our guides on old Easter baskets and old flags, which also deserve respectful retirement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you throw away blessed palms?
Tradition says no. Blessed palms are sacramentals, so they should be returned to a church, burned, or buried rather than placed in the trash.
What do Catholics do with old palms?
Most return them to their parish, which burns them into the ashes used on Ash Wednesday. Burning or burying them at home is also accepted.
Can you burn Palm Sunday palms at home?
Yes, in a safe, controlled way like a fire pit, following local fire rules. Bury the cooled ashes or return them to your parish afterward.
What do churches do with old palms?
Many collect them before Lent and burn them to create the ashes for Ash Wednesday, which is why parishes often ask for them back.
What do I do with palm tree fronds?
Those are not blessed, so treat them as yard waste. Compost them, add them to your green bin, chip them for mulch, or weave them into crafts.