Tree Trimming: Palm Trees and Removing Dead Fronds Safely

by Pacific Vista Landscape Services

Photo by Inventist Media

Everywhere we look in Southern California we see palm trees. They're one of our most loved attributes and yet, despite their ubiquity, the only one that is native to our state is the Washingtonia filifera, or more commonly known as the California or Desert Palm Fan. Indigenous or not, tree trimming these palms and removing their dead fronds can be challenging and there are some important considerations in order to keep them looking like the iconic symbol they have become for California.

Palms are not like other trees because they lack secondary growth. This makes trimming them correctly extremely important to avoid structural weakening which cannot be reversed. Since most palms have a singular trunk, any structural weakening of the trunk can make it dangerous to climb and since regular tree trimming standards are not specific to palms, evaluating each palm individually before trimming is a must:

• Inspect the trunk for any cavities, wounds, bleeding, or 'penciling' which is seen when a trunk narrows and then widens again. These all show lack of structural integrity and the possibility of structural failure.
• Inspect the roots and soil for decay, disease, or over-exposure.
• Inspect the trunk for cracks or fissures.
• Any significant lean to the trunk which makes it unsafe to climb.
• Evaluate that the crown, where the fronds come out of, is not excessively big for the trunk creating extra top-heavy weight to the trunk which could cause it to fail during trimming.

If a palm is considered unsafe to climb, a lift must be used instead unless there are other structurally sound trees or buildings next to the palm that can be used to access the dead fronds. Trimming dead palm fronds is hard work and can be very dangerous. If there is more than three years of dead growth, it is even more challenging because it must be accessed from the outside of the fronds instead of underneath since a heavy frond skirt can easily come loose and fall straight down taking the climber with it.

Not only does a clean palm tree look much better, dead fronds make a lovely home for snakes and rodents and should be removed every year. It is important that only professional trained tree trimmers are hired. For instance, if spikes are used to climb, it can make holes in the trunk that do not seal over which can lead to wounds, decay, and disease. Keeping the palm structurally healthy is key to years of beauty.

At Pacific Vista Landscape Services, we have professionals who know how safely prune palm trees and ensure they stay healthy for years to come! Call us today for a quote!