Root Balls and Wind

[John Case]

All,

Queen palms are being planted like corn in our area. They grow very fast and provide a tropical look that is now in vogue.

I have noticed that in many cases, they are being planted right next to each other. Palms only 20 feet tall, without having estabished any clear trunking as yet, are touching at the base. They are not growing straight either as there is little room for them at altitude.

It seems to me that the roots will be weak in these cases, as two (or more) palms are competing for the same space.

On occasion, we get wind here in excees of 50 mph. Are these palms, and the things under them (cars, homes, small dogs), at risk for a great fall? Some people here are asking and I want to give them the best answer.

Thanks,

[Kathy]

John, did you see my thread a while back about my neighbor's leaning Queen?  It fell halfway to their car in their driveway:

http://palmtalk.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboar...t=ST;f=1;t=3565

There was a photo posted in there that showed quite a few leaning Queens posted by another.

Yes, they'll lean over around here -- 50mph is probably low for some of our wind gusts.  My neighbor's was low on soil and watering had been ceased for the (dry) winter, and I'm sure that's why it was more prone to lean.  They added soil and began watering and teathered it upright.  So far so good.   Obviously, I don't know if it would have remained upright had the soil and water remained good -- that is the question.

Others have posted photos of Queen doubles with curves in their trunks, and there is a curved double in town here -- I'll try to remember where and pm you if I do.  But I've seen many Queen doubles with no curve, so I don't know if they just take forever to curve (more than a few years), or some just won't.

If you are all concerned, I'd stake or strongly teather them to remain upright.  You've probably already educated your neighbors to keep them fed and watered.  Maybe someone else can shed more light.

[John Case]

Kathy,

Thanks for the reply.

My biggest concern for many of these doubles and triples is the weakened root ball.  My vision is that when we get the big winds, these things will take flight, not just fall down......

Imagine that,...Super Queens in flight over our homes!