Cutting clustering palms

[abdalav]

Hi, everyone. What happens if I cut the main/first stem of a clustering palm, like Serenoa repens, bit keep the smaller ones? Does the plant die?

[Rickybobby]

Interesting question. I have one that 3 of 4 died but one sucker is growing just fine. I was thinking of cutting down all the remnants and reporting what was left. Are you talking about doing it to a palm that is completely alive? Why would you do that?

[abdalav]

If it outgrows its pot or the height of my apartment... Maybe I'll have to cut its biggest stems....

[kinzyjr]

Usually, if one of the stems is alive then the entire clump is alive and will produce more stems in the future.  Sometimes, even if no stems survive, more stems will come up from the root ball.  Other good examples of this behavior is Acoelorrhaphe wrightii or Chamaerops humilis.  In climates with abrupt freezes, like the Southeast US, this is often a desirable trait as the climate usually returns to more normal temperatures relatively quickly and recovery is possible even after a complete stem kill.

[Jim in Los Altos]

It won’t hurt the plant at all to remove the oldest stem.