Harsh Palm Trimming Era

[Matthew92]

Looking through a Facebook group of history of Ft. Walton Beach, FL, I've seen picture after picture of landscapes with terrible looking Sabal palmettos. Most of these pictures were taken up through the 1980's. Some observations: seems like the "leaning" or "criss-crossed" palm look was really popular back then, slapping them in at crazy angles with the palms themselves not looking very happy. Second, the trimming was horrendous. In many cases, there is literally only a couple fronds pointing straight up in the air. I have hardly seen one picture from around this time that shows a full headed Sabal. 

Also, back then in this area, pretty much the only palms to plant were Sabal palmettos and Butia. Not only had more exotic species not been introduced, there were some extremely cold winters around this time (8a or even zone 7, and real snowfall) severely limiting more tender palms to be planted. I just happen to wonder if people were just simply that much more ignorant or less caring about palms during this era? From these pictures though, it just seems as if they were just viewed as an expendable commodity to cheaply slap in the ground, perpetuating the "Florida" or "tropical island" image and then over-trim to somehow convey a message that this business or hotel was "extremely well" up-kept. It also is possible though that many of the palms seen here had just been transplanted in.

[PalmatierMeg]

"Hurricane cut" Sabals are still in vogue today - and I hate what's done to the FL state tree. If one palm doesn't need its crown hacked up for storm season it's this one. Down here tree trimmers chop up Sabals and often leave less storm hardy queens alone to be torn to shreds. Most large Syagrus: queens, amara, botryophora, sancona etc. are poor candidates for hurricanes, which is why I wrote most of them off. Fusiarum wilt was just the tombstone on their graves. And no one hurricane cuts royals - one of those fronds can weigh 50-70 lbs. Imagine that in a cat 3 storm.

[Mr.SamuraiSword]

It really is a stupid way to grow palms.  they also do it to washingtonias in florida as well.

[PalmTreeDude]

Ehhh I hate it when palms are hurricane cut! It completely sets the palm back and can kill them. Plus, if it is in a cold area I sometimes feel that when I palm has all its fronds they kind of protect the crown and spear better. I like when Washintonias has at least a few dead grounds hanging down just for that purpose, if they are in colder areas.

Edited July 29, 2016 by PalmTreeDude

[palmsOrl]

  On 7/19/2016 at 10:06 PM, PalmatierMeg said:

"Hurricane cut" Sabals are still in vogue today - and I hate what's done to the FL state tree. If one palm doesn't need its crown hacked up for storm season it's this one. Down here tree trimmers chop up Sabals and often leave less storm hardy queens alone to be torn to shreds. Most large Syagrus: queens, amara, botryophora, sancona etc. are poor candidates for hurricanes, which is why I wrote most of them off. Fusiarum wilt was just the tombstone on their graves. And no one hurricane cuts royals - one of those fronds can weigh 50-70 lbs. Imagine that in a cat 3 storm.

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and Roystonea regia is "programmed" to allow the leaves to sever at the petiole during very high winds.

I could see trimming Sabal palmetto to a half globe shape before hurricane season, but the "hurricane cut" style is ugly and it stunts the trees themselves over time.

If I had large Syagrus in my yard and a full blown hurricane were expected, I would cut the palms back to just the emerging leaf spear.

[palmsOrl]

I have to say, I don't think I mind the highly trimmed look on the Washingtonia (at least based on the above posted pic with the two Washingtonia).