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Can You Top A Palm Tree

Do Palm Tree Trunks Grow Back If You Cut Their Trunks

Topping a palm tree, which involves cutting off the crown or upper portion of the tree, is generally not recommended and can be harmful to the tree. Unlike some other types of trees, palm trees do not have a traditional branching structure, and their growing points are primarily located at the top, within the crown. Topping a palm tree can have several negative consequences:

  1. Stress and Damage: Topping a palm tree causes significant stress to the tree, as it removes the entire canopy and growing points. This can lead to shock and injury, making the tree more susceptible to disease and pests.
  2. Weakened Structure: Palm trees are not designed to regrow in the same way that deciduous trees with branches can. When a palm tree is topped, it may attempt to produce new growth from dormant buds near the cut, but this new growth is often structurally weaker and more prone to breakage.
  3. Disease and Pests: The exposed cut areas are vulnerable to disease and pest infestations. Insects and fungi can easily enter the tree through the cut surface.
  4. Aesthetic Issues: Topped palm trees can have an unattractive appearance with irregular regrowth. This can detract from the tree’s natural beauty and symmetry.
  5. Stunted Growth: Topping can stunt the overall growth of the palm tree, making it less healthy and less able to produce fronds and flowers.

If you need to manage the size of a palm tree, it’s better to consider alternative methods such as pruning or thinning. Proper pruning can remove dead or diseased fronds, improve the tree’s appearance, and maintain its health. However, pruning should be done with care, and it’s often best performed by a professional arborist or tree service to ensure it’s done correctly and safely.

In some cases, when a palm tree is severely damaged, has become a safety hazard, or is in an undesirable location, removal may be the most appropriate option. It’s important to consult with a certified arborist or tree care professional to assess the tree’s condition and determine the best course of action for its care or removal.

What Diseases Affect Palm Trees?

Palm trees can be susceptible to various diseases, which can vary depending on the species and environmental conditions. Some common diseases that affect palm trees include:

  1. Ganoderma Butt Rot: This fungal disease is one of the most serious and destructive diseases affecting palm trees. It attacks the base of the tree, causing decay and weakening the structural integrity. Infected trees may show symptoms like wilting fronds and a conk (mushroom-like growth) near the base. There is no cure for advanced infections, and the affected trees usually need to be removed.
  2. Fusarium Wilt: Fusarium wilt is caused by a soil-borne fungus that affects several palm species. It can cause fronds to wilt and die. Prevention is crucial, as there is no cure for infected trees. Choosing disease-resistant palm species and maintaining proper soil health are preventive measures.
  3. Thielaviopsis Trunk Rot: This fungal disease affects the trunk of the palm tree, leading to rotting and reduced stability. Symptoms include frond wilting, dark streaks on the trunk, and a rotten odor. Affected trees often need to be removed, and fungicides are generally ineffective.
  4. Lethal Yellowing: Lethal yellowing is a bacterial disease that affects several palm species, especially coconut palms. It causes yellowing and death of the fronds. Regular preventive injections of antibiotics can help control the disease in some cases.
  5. Palm Leaf Spot Diseases: Various fungal leaf spot diseases, such as Cercospora leaf spot and Pestalotiopsis leaf spot, can affect the fronds of palm trees, causing dark spots, browning, and frond death. These diseases are often managed with fungicides and by removing and disposing of infected fronds.
  6. Sooty Mold: Sooty mold is a black, powdery fungus that can grow on the honeydew produced by pests like aphids, scales, and mealybugs. It can cover the fronds and reduce photosynthesis. Controlling the underlying pest problem is key to preventing sooty mold.
  7. Pink Rot: Pink rot is a fungal disease that affects the roots and bases of palm trees, causing rot and wilting of fronds. Good drainage and avoiding overwatering can help prevent this disease.
  8. Texas Phoenix Palm Decline (TPPD): This bacterial disease primarily affects Phoenix species of palm trees, including date palms. Symptoms include wilting, yellowing, and death of fronds. The disease is spread by an insect vector, and management strategies often involve controlling the vector and removing infected trees.

Preventing palm tree diseases is crucial for their long-term health. This includes selecting disease-resistant species, maintaining proper soil and environmental conditions, practicing good sanitation (removing and disposing of dead fronds and affected plant material), and promptly addressing any pest problems. Regular inspections by a certified arborist or plant health care professional can help detect and address diseases early, increasing the chances of effective treatment and prevention.

Can I Cut A Palm Tree In Half?

If you cut a palm tree in half, it will not grow back as a whole tree. Palms are monocotyledonous plants, which means they do not possess the ability to regenerate from the top portion of the tree if it’s cut off. Unlike many other types of trees, palms do not have branches or secondary growth points (meristems) that can develop into new trunks or stems.

However, some palm species may be able to produce new growth from the lower part of the trunk or the base of the tree if the growing point (known as the apical meristem) is still intact. This new growth is known as “suckers” or “offshoots.” Whether a palm tree will produce suckers and survive after being cut in half depends on the specific palm species, the health of the tree, and the severity of the cut.

In many cases, severe cutting or damage to a palm tree can be detrimental to its overall health and survival. It’s generally advisable to avoid cutting palm trees unless it is necessary for safety reasons or as part of a planned pruning process. If you need to trim or remove a palm tree, it’s best to consult with a professional arborist or a tree care specialist who can assess the tree’s condition and provide guidance on the appropriate course of action.

When it comes to severing off the growing tip or better know as the ‘crownshaft’ of any Single-Truck palm species, will in short effectively terminates the life of the palm tree. The trunk will not be able to sprout a new growing tip in place of the old missing crownshaft, and without the extra foliage to synthesize the incoming light, the palm soon grows weak and the entire trunk system starts to rot. If you do end up having to cut off the top of any single-trunked palms or if any sort of damage happens to it, the next initial move would be to remove the remainder of the palm tree trunk and root system and completely restart with a brand new tree.

Some examples of single-trunk palms include the Mexican fan Palm, Royal palm, Christmas Palm, and the Cabbage palm. These are all great options to choose from when choosing which Single-Trunk palm to birth.

Clustering Palms

 Clustering palms are incredibly unique and grow multiple trunk stems, this means you can shave away some trunks without ending the plants’ life. In any case if the individual palm trunk is removed solely, it will not be able to heal itself. Even if you where to make the decision to cut off the trunks on the palm near the root level, suckering explodes from this root level and will eventually sprout and develop into new healthy palm tree trunks. The suckering process and rejuvenation will only happen in the case of a healthy clustering palm. On the other hand, diseased on distressed palms may not create new suckers and may eventually end up dying.

Palm Tree Trunk Wounds

Naturally Palm trees lack cambium – which is a layer of tissue behind the tree bark that creates the growth rings in the tree. Any wounds inflicted to the trunk of a palm tree cannot repair itself meaning these wounds will remain with the palm for the rest of its life. The wounds can and most likely will become dry and brittle unless weather conditions are full of rain or high humidity which can prevent the wounds from drying out. If it is not obvious enough, Insects and fungal infections can penetrate the palm and cause massive damage to the plant’s articular system.

Pruning

When it comes to the pruning aspect of the palm tree there are crucial factors that come into play during this process. One being that it is important to never sever the downshaft on a palm. Another tip is to remove just the right amount of fronds, or you may just stunt your palms growth, and an obvious one– never introduce any sort of diseases to the plants. In short palm pruning can be hard to manage and is better left to the professionals. If you do decide to proceed with pruning the palm yourself, go ahead and remove only the broken fronds that are entirely dead with no color left to them. Also removing flowers and/or fruit is acceptable and gives the palm more energy to spend time creating new leaves.

Palm Tree Assessment in Phoenix, Tempe, & More

If you think your palm trees are in need of care Arbor Care can help! We can assist you in getting down to your palm trees health and can provide helpful hints to keep your palm trees happy and healthy. Contact Arbor Care at 480-797-5566 today to schedule your palm tree assessment.

Palm Tree Maintenance, Palm Tree Trimming, Palm Trees
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Regular Post
Written by webtechs

If You Cut A Palm Tree In Half Will It Grow Back?

Do Palm Tree Trunks Grow Back If You Cut Their Trunks

If you cut a palm tree in half, it will not grow back as a whole tree. Palms are monocotyledonous plants, which means they do not possess the ability to regenerate from the top portion of the tree if it’s cut off. Unlike many other types of trees, palms do not have branches or secondary growth points (meristems) that can develop into new trunks or stems.

However, some palm species may be able to produce new growth from the lower part of the trunk or the base of the tree if the growing point (known as the apical meristem) is still intact. This new growth is known as “suckers” or “offshoots.” Whether a palm tree will produce suckers and survive after being cut in half depends on the specific palm species, the health of the tree, and the severity of the cut.

In many cases, severe cutting or damage to a palm tree can be detrimental to its overall health and survival. It’s generally advisable to avoid cutting palm trees unless it is necessary for safety reasons or as part of a planned pruning process. If you need to trim or remove a palm tree, it’s best to consult with a professional arborist or a tree care specialist who can assess the tree’s condition and provide guidance on the appropriate course of action.

When it comes to severing off the growing tip or better know as the ‘crownshaft’ of any Single-Truck palm species, will in short effectively terminates the life of the palm tree. The trunk will not be able to sprout a new growing tip in place of the old missing crownshaft, and without the extra foliage to synthesize the incoming light, the palm soon grows weak and the entire trunk system starts to rot. If you do end up having to cut off the top of any single-trunked palms or if any sort of damage happens to it, the next initial move would be to remove the remainder of the palm tree trunk and root system and completely restart with a brand new tree.

Some examples of single-trunk palms include the Mexican fan Palm, Royal palm, Christmas Palm, and the Cabbage palm. These are all great options to choose from when choosing which Single-Trunk palm to birth.

Clustering Palms

 Clustering palms are incredibly unique and grow multiple trunk stems, this means you can shave away some trunks without ending the plants’ life. In any case if the individual palm trunk is removed solely, it will not be able to heal itself. Even if you where to make the decision to cut off the trunks on the palm near the root level, suckering explodes from this root level and will eventually sprout and develop into new healthy palm tree trunks. The suckering process and rejuvenation will only happen in the case of a healthy clustering palm. On the other hand, diseased on distressed palms may not create new suckers and may eventually end up dying.

Palm Tree Trunk Wounds

Naturally Palm trees lack cambium – which is a layer of tissue behind the tree bark that creates the growth rings in the tree. Any wounds inflicted to the trunk of a palm tree cannot repair itself meaning these wounds will remain with the palm for the rest of its life. The wounds can and most likely will become dry and brittle unless weather conditions are full of rain or high humidity which can prevent the wounds from drying out. If it is not obvious enough, Insects and fungal infections can penetrate the palm and cause massive damage to the plant’s articular system.

Pruning

When it comes to the pruning aspect of the palm tree there are crucial factors that come into play during this process. One being that it is important to never sever the downshaft on a palm. Another tip is to remove just the right amount of fronds, or you may just stunt your palms growth, and an obvious one– never introduce any sort of diseases to the plants. In short palm pruning can be hard to manage and is better left to the professionals. If you do decide to proceed with pruning the palm yourself, go ahead and remove only the broken fronds that are entirely dead with no color left to them. Also removing flowers and/or fruit is acceptable and gives the palm more energy to spend time creating new leaves.

Palm Tree Assessment in Phoenix, Tempe, & More

If you think your palm trees are in need of care Arbor Care can help! We can assist you in getting down to your palm trees health and can provide helpful hints to keep your palm trees happy and healthy. Contact Arbor Care at 480-797-5566 today to schedule your palm tree assessment.

Palm Tree Maintenance, Palm Tree Trimming, Palm Trees
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Indoor And Outdoor Palm Trees

Palm Tree Maintenance

Imagine a tropical environment, and you’ll almost certainly see at least one palm tree (Arecaceae family). Although palm trees are commonly associated with the tropics, several varieties may be cultivated in more temperate settings or even indoors. Palms are popular among home gardeners because they instantly bring tropical flare to practically any room. However, it is critical to make informed decisions. Palms, unlike many other plants, cannot be pruned to keep their height under control.

Palms are a unique type of tree.

Palm trees are a genus of plants with over 200 genera and roughly 3,000 species. The trunks of palm trees are stalks that generate buds, flowers, and leaves. The fronds, or leaves, emerge from the tree’s top and uncurl. When you take off the top of most palm trees, you also cut off the fronds and, more importantly, the bud – leaving you with nothing but a long, tall stump that won’t produce any leaves.

There are a few exceptions to this rule. Because a few palm species have branches that grow above ground, you can cut off some of the tallest branches while leaving others alone. The palm’s crown will not produce new fronds, but any uncut branches will. Date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, and they create new branches at the base of the trunk, so you can top them as long as new branches are there. At the location of the cut, no new growth will develop.

 

 

 

 

Slow the Rate of Growth

Most palm trees can’t be made shorter, but you may inhibit the growth of an indoor palm plant by creating conditions that jam its roots. Leave your palm in the smaller pot rather than transferring it into a larger container as it grows. The palm’s growth will be slowed if the roots don’t have enough room to expand. The same can be said for palms in pots outside. If your palm is now in a huge container, move it to a smaller one. However, there isn’t much you can do about outdoor, in-ground palms. A professional business should remove a tall outside palm tree that is threatening to fall on power lines or another overhead hazard.

Palm Pruning

You can’t cut off the entire top of a palm tree and expect it to come back, but you can cut off some of the fronds. Palm trees require the leaves for photosynthesis, thus this should only be done in exceptional conditions. Clip fronds just above where they meet the trunk to remove them. Pruning should only be done if the leaves are fully dead, brown, or damaged. In addition, if the palm’s only remaining leaves are damaged, leave them on the tree.

Choose a Palm That Is Smaller

Cultivating a dwarf palm is the greatest approach to keep a palm tree from becoming too large for its surroundings. The pigmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii) may grow up to 12 feet tall and is hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11. Drought-tolerant Chinese windmill palms (Trachycarpus fortunei) are coveted for their modest size, growing to a maximum height of 9 to 12 feet in USDA zones 9b through 11. The Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) is a hardy plant that grows to a maximum height of 10 to 15 feet and is hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11.

Palm Tree Assessment in Phoenix, Tempe, & More

If you think your palm trees are in need of care Arbor Care can help! We can assist you in getting down to your palm trees health and can provide helpful hints to keep your palm trees happy and healthy. Contact Arbor Care at 480-797-5566 today to schedule your palm tree assessment.

Palm Tree Maintenance
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Regular Post
Written by webtechs

What Should I Do If a Palm Grows Too Tall Indoors or Outside?

Palm Tree Maintenance

Imagine a tropical environment, and you’ll almost certainly see at least one palm tree (Arecaceae family). Although palm trees are commonly associated with the tropics, several varieties may be cultivated in more temperate settings or even indoors. Palms are popular among home gardeners because they instantly bring tropical flare to practically any room. However, it is critical to make informed decisions. Palms, unlike many other plants, cannot be pruned to keep their height under control.

Palms are a unique type of tree.

Palm trees are a genus of plants with over 200 genera and roughly 3,000 species. The trunks of palm trees are stalks that generate buds, flowers, and leaves. The fronds, or leaves, emerge from the tree’s top and uncurl. When you take off the top of most palm trees, you also cut off the fronds and, more importantly, the bud – leaving you with nothing but a long, tall stump that won’t produce any leaves.

There are a few exceptions to this rule. Because a few palm species have branches that grow above ground, you can cut off some of the tallest branches while leaving others alone. The palm’s crown will not produce new fronds, but any uncut branches will. Date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) grow in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, and they create new branches at the base of the trunk, so you can top them as long as new branches are there. At the location of the cut, no new growth will develop.

 

 

 

 

Slow the Rate of Growth

Most palm trees can’t be made shorter, but you may inhibit the growth of an indoor palm plant by creating conditions that jam its roots. Leave your palm in the smaller pot rather than transferring it into a larger container as it grows. The palm’s growth will be slowed if the roots don’t have enough room to expand. The same can be said for palms in pots outside. If your palm is now in a huge container, move it to a smaller one. However, there isn’t much you can do about outdoor, in-ground palms. A professional business should remove a tall outside palm tree that is threatening to fall on power lines or another overhead hazard.

Palm Pruning

You can’t cut off the entire top of a palm tree and expect it to come back, but you can cut off some of the fronds. Palm trees require the leaves for photosynthesis, thus this should only be done in exceptional conditions. Clip fronds just above where they meet the trunk to remove them. Pruning should only be done if the leaves are fully dead, brown, or damaged. In addition, if the palm’s only remaining leaves are damaged, leave them on the tree.

Choose a Palm That Is Smaller

Cultivating a dwarf palm is the greatest approach to keep a palm tree from becoming too large for its surroundings. The pigmy date palm (Phoenix roebelenii) may grow up to 12 feet tall and is hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11. Drought-tolerant Chinese windmill palms (Trachycarpus fortunei) are coveted for their modest size, growing to a maximum height of 9 to 12 feet in USDA zones 9b through 11. The Mediterranean fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) is a hardy plant that grows to a maximum height of 10 to 15 feet and is hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11.

Palm Tree Assessment in Phoenix, Tempe, & More

If you think your palm trees are in need of care Arbor Care can help! We can assist you in getting down to your palm trees health and can provide helpful hints to keep your palm trees happy and healthy. Contact Arbor Care at 480-797-5566 today to schedule your palm tree assessment.

Palm Tree Maintenance
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Skinning Palm Trees

Do Palm Tree Trunks Grow Back If You Cut Their Trunks

Many people ask “Is it a good idea to skin my palm tree?” Read on to learn more!

Homeowners skin their palm trees for aesthetic beauty, paired as well as health benefits for the palm tree. Also, rodents and many of bugs use the palms dead fronds as a resting place.  The dead fronds still on the tree take up the nutrients that would’ve otherwise gone into the healthy fronds, hence the importance of skinning your palm trees. Palm fronds are sometimes a headache to deal with since they often end up falling out of the tree, which leads to countless dead fronds all over your property.

Dangers To Skinning Your Palm Tree

When skinning a palm tree of course it comes with a risk to the tree and tree trimmer involved in the job. For the Trimmers themselves, they run all sorts of risks as any tree trimming service would. You’re in need of a ladder or bucket trucks in order to reach the highest part of the palm tree where the fronds hide. Falling from these heights is the worst part of the job, which is the primary reason why people hire professionals to complete the task at hand. Professional trimmers sometimes even  climb the tree itself.

As mentioned previously trimming jobs pose countless risks for the trimmer and the tree itself. When the palm tree is hurt or cut, the dead fronds act as an open wound on the tree. Just like any other organism, open wounds become infected. The reason for this could be due to unsanitary trimming equipment being used so it is important to sanitize your trimming equipment before the skinning process starts. Also be very wary that cutting too deep into the tree trunk can and will leave scars to the palm tree, which in short will hurt the tree when it comes to the transfer of nutrients.

Skinning a palm tree should be limited to only once a year.

Palm Tree Assessment in Phoenix, Tempe, & More

If you think your palm trees are in need of care Arbor Care can help! We can assist you in getting down to your palm trees health and can provide helpful hints to keep your palm trees happy and healthy. Contact Arbor Care at 480-797-5566 today to schedule your palm tree assessment.

Palm Tree Maintenance, Palm Tree Trimming
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Do Palm Tree Trunks Grow Back If You Cut Their Trunks?

Do Palm Tree Trunks Grow Back If You Cut Their Trunks

If you’re planning to cut your Palm tree at the trunk level, it will NOT grow back. The only way that Palm tree growth can occur is at this base level called the growing tip, or sometimes even called the crownshaft, which is sitting at the base of the trunk and severing this part of the trunk entirely kills the plant. On the other hand when it comes to multi-stemmed palms, also called clustering palms, this plant growth will continue even if the trunk Is entirely severed! It can and even will rejuvenate new stems from the roots to replace the removed one. In all, be weary of the stalks or trunks you are removing as when you cut them, they might just never come back.

Single-Trunk Palms

When it comes to severing off the growing tip or better know as the ‘crownshaft’ of any Single-Truck palm species, will in short effectively terminates the life of the palm tree. The trunk will not be able to sprout a new growing tip in place of the old missing crownshaft, and without the extra foliage to synthesize the incoming light, the palm soon grows weak and the entire trunk system starts to rot. If you do end up having to cut off the top of any single-trunked palms or if any sort of damage happens to it, the next initial move would be to remove the remainder of the palm tree trunk and root system and completely restart with a brand new tree.

Some examples of single-trunk palms include the Mexican fan Palm, Royal palm, Christmas Palm, and the Cabbage palm. These are all great options to choose from when choosing which Single-Trunk palm to birth.

Clustering Palms

 Clustering palms are incredibly unique and grow multiple trunk stems, this means you can shave away some trunks without ending the plants’ life. In any case if the individual palm trunk is removed solely, it will not be able to heal itself. Even if you where to make the decision to cut off the trunks on the palm near the root level, suckering explodes from this root level and will eventually sprout and develop into new healthy palm tree trunks. The suckering process and rejuvenation will only happen in the case of a healthy clustering palm. On the other hand, diseased on distressed palms may not create new suckers and may eventually end up dying.

Palm Tree Trunk Wounds

Naturally Palm trees lack cambium – which is a layer of tissue behind the tree bark that creates the growth rings in the tree. Any wounds inflicted to the trunk of a palm tree cannot repair itself meaning these wounds will remain with the palm for the rest of its life. The wounds can and most likely will become dry and brittle unless weather conditions are full of rain or high humidity which can prevent the wounds from drying out. If it is not obvious enough, Insects and fungal infections can penetrate the palm and cause massive damage to the plant’s articular system.

Pruning

When it comes to the pruning aspect of the palm tree there are crucial factors that come into play during this process. One being that it is important to never sever the downshaft on a palm. Another tip is to remove just the right amount of fronds, or you may just stunt your palms growth, and an obvious one– never introduce any sort of diseases to the plants. In short palm pruning can be hard to manage and is better left to the professionals. If you do decide to proceed with pruning the palm yourself, go ahead and remove only the broken fronds that are entirely dead with no color left to them. Also removing flowers and/or fruit is acceptable and gives the palm more energy to spend time creating new leaves.

Palm Tree Assessment in Phoenix, Tempe, & More

If you think your palm trees are in need of care Arbor Care can help! We can assist you in getting down to your palm trees health and can provide helpful hints to keep your palm trees happy and healthy. Contact Arbor Care at 480-797-5566 today to schedule your palm tree assessment.

Palm Tree Maintenance, Palm Tree Trimming
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Saguaro Cactus Protection Laws

Saguaro Cactus Protection Laws

The symbol of Arizona is the saguaro cactus. These are the tall and skinny cactuses that you may think of, when you think of the word “cactus”. Read on to learn more.

Go on the hiking trails in Arizona, and you begin to realize that they have a personality of their own. They begin to feel like familiar friends accompanying you along your hiking adventure. Native American mythology have numerous stories of how the saguaro cactus came to be and it typically involves people transforming into the saguaros. There is something magical and  special about these cactuses that you can’t deny. While not endangered these cactuses only grow in the Sonoran desert, adding to the uniqueness of this cactus.

Sadly, from real estate to vandalism, humans pose the biggest threat to the saguaros.  For this reason, there are laws protecting them. They are protected under the Native Plant Protection Act. If a person is caught cutting down a saguaro it is actually considered a felony criminal damage charge that can result in 25 years in prison. Any other type of vandalism, theft and attempts to transplant the cactus will also result in pricey fees and jail time. In order to legally remove and transplant one elsewhere, the land owner’s permission and a permit is required. In other areas such as any National Park Land, a saguaro cannot be removed. The saguaro cactus is more than just a symbol of the West, it’s the complete heart of the Sonoran Desert. Not to mention, the inside of a saguaro also provides shelter and the desert wildlife depends on this cactus for survival.

Source: https://hikephoenix.net/2018/08/28/laws-protecting-saguaro-cactuses/

Palm Tree Assessment in Phoenix, Tempe, & More

If you think your palm trees are in need of care Arbor Care can help! We can assist you in getting down to your palm trees health and can provide helpful hints to keep your palm trees happy and healthy. Contact Arbor Care at 480-797-5566 today to schedule your palm tree assessment.

Palm Tree Maintenance
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Palm Tree Maintenance

Palm Tree Maintenance

Having over two-thousand various species of palm trees it is vital to understand how to take care of them. Keep reading to learn more.

General Palm Tree Maintenance

Roots

It is important to take care of palm tree roots of as they don’t grow that deep in the ground. The majority of palms just have one trunk. The point at the top of the trunk in addition to the tissues surrounding it are called the terminal bud. If they get damaged, the palm tree could perish. Because the roots don’t thicken, they’re probably not going to damage utilities or sidewalks.

Soil

The compacted soil found in a lot of urban areas won’t have the nutrients required for a palm tree to live health. Palm trees acquire a majority of their nutrients from the topsoil and the top of the ground – Meaning adequate fertilization is needed.

Watering Requirements

New palms will need to be watered twice per week for their first six months. Enough water needs to be added to permeate at least eighteen inches of soil. If the soil is a sandy kind, extra water will need to be added to guarantee moisture is maintained. For older palm trees, watering requirements depends on the climate.

Pruning

Just yellowing/ browning/ older fronds are required to be removed. Don’t trim too close to the trunk of the palm tree. The bark is damaged easily, and the ensuing wounds are entry points for pests and diseases. As new fronds emerge, the oldest ones die. An age that a frond can get to will be established by a lot of factors.

Potential Palm Tree Pests

Thrips

North American thrips make up a significantly large family of insects. Some of their species have a liking for palm trees, feeding on their flowers and leaves by penetrating the surface to draw sap out. Thrips aren’t lethal to palm trees but the feeding of adults may discolor and wilt the leaves. Additionally, in intense infestations the unattractive black droppings may become noticeable on the surface of leaves.

Palmetto Weevil

This pest is found across Florida, as west as southern Texas and as north as South Carolina. This weevil is North America’s largest. This nuisance has a liking primarily for the Cabbage Palm Tree even though it may infest Saw Palmettos and, sometimes, Canary Island Date Palms, Washington Palms, Royal Palms, and occasionally coconut palms.

Royal Palm Bug

These pest feed on just one plant, the royal palm tree, and females lay one egg a day throughout springtime. They seldom kill off the host tree but the damage they cause may be unattractive and they are challenging to control given the height of older royal palms. Royal Palm Bugs are the only North American species of the Thaumastocoridae family.

Palm Budworm

This annoyance is a type of beetle whose larvae feed on the flowers of a large range of fan palm trees. The beetles are about an inch long and are pink green in its color.

Giant Palm Borer

The giant palm borer is a large and quite unsightly beetle of which larvae have a liking for the wood of the Washingtonia and Phoenix species. The borer grubs live inside of a palm’s trunk sometimes up to 9 years prior to leaving the palm as beetles through inch-sized holes.

Palm Tree Diseases

Lethal Yellowing

This is a palm disease first observed in the Caribbean area of North America around 100 years ago. Nevertheless, it wasn’t until the 50’s and a disastrous outbreak in Jamaica and the Florida Keys that the financial impact of lethal yellowing was recognized, and comprehensive research begun.

Fusarium Wilt

Indicators of this disease are when the palm fronds start wilting, losing their green brilliance and, ultimately, dying. When a palm tree gets infected, there’s no remedy and the palm tree might need to be taken out.

Bud Rot

Bud rot is a fungi that causes the fronds of the palm to wilt and perish. Palm tree demise can happen soon afterwards. California and Mexican palm trees are the most at risk.

Ganoderma Butt Rot

This is a somewhat new and fatal fungal disease of Florida palms. It’s caused by the fungus, Ganoderma zonatum, that attacks the base or “butt” of a palm tree upwards of a height of 3 to 4 feet above ground. The infection was first found in Florida in 1994 and in just a couple of years it has extended to infecting palms across the state. As of now, it can’t be said with assurance that there are any palm trees that can resist this disease.

Palm Tree Assessment in Phoenix, Tempe, & More

If you think your palm trees are in need of care Arbor Care can help! We can assist you in getting down to your palm trees health and can provide helpful hints to keep your palm trees happy and healthy. Contact Arbor Care at 480-797-5566 today to schedule your palm tree assessment.

Palm Tree Maintenance
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