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Palm trees are a major tenant in the California landscape, taking up some of the most exclusive square footage in the state. Owners and managers enjoy the look and relative stable nature of palms. They are easy to maintain and are not known to create repair issues (unlike trees made of wood) when planted in areas close to buildings.
Palm trees are not like other trees. In fact they are not trees at all! They are actually tightly bundled stalks of grass that grow really high. We refer to palms as trees because they grow tall like trees. They also need to be maintained like trees, else one may run the risk of falling limbs (i.e. fronds) landing on luxury cars in your building’s parking lot!
Because palms are a grass, the root systems differ from actual trees. Palms do not have a root system that extend much beyond their trunk width, thus little hardscape damage is ever associated with them. Woody trees, on the other hand, have root systems that extend beyond the crown of the tree; and many have invasive root systems that can lead to damaged sidewalks, driveways, underground pipes, and possibly even building foundations.
Another major difference between trees and palms is their cost to maintain. Woody trees continually grow wider, taller, and fuller. The cost to prune them increases with the growth of the tree because it takes longer each year to prune it than the year before. (Woody trees may be the only item on a property that gets more expensive to maintain as years go by.) Palms do not grow like woody trees. They have predictable amounts of debris to prune each year: one row of dead fronds and a few seed pods. This generally takes the same amount of time each year to prune. Thus the palm pruning budget will basically stabilize.
One complaint owners and managers may have about palms is their seeds and the mess they create. It is not unusual for a palm to seed immediately after pruning. The long warm summers allow for multiple flowerings, so it is virtually impossible to solve the seed problem with annual pruning. A helpful solution is bi-annual pruning. Some properties, usually high-end, have their palms pruned twice year. The first round of pruning will consist of the regular palm pruning with the removal of seeds and dead fronds. The second round of pruning is seed pod specific. Timing is important with bi-annual pruning, but a professional tree care provider can develop an easy to understand management plan that solves most seed problems.
For more in-depth information on caring for palms, owners and managers can contact their preferred tree care providers. Arborists are standing by… |
