Brahea Sensitive to Root Pruning?

[Xerarch]

I have these Franken Brahea I’ve had in pots for several years from seed acquired from Dooms Dave, after torturing them in pots for years and hauling across country, I need to finally get them in the ground. But as seen in the below photo, the roots have grown out the bottom and circled around and around the small tray. If I trim these off will it harm it? Should I just cut the pot out from around the roots? Really looking forward to getting these things in the ground where they belong. 
 

 

[Trustandi]

Don't trim the roots. Brahea families don't like root disturbance. It will definitely slow down the growth and possibly death. I would cut around the pot like you suggested. 

[Looking Glass]

Cut the pot sides off first, then try to cut the bottom off in little pieces.   
A small curved blade, serrated knife helps with this.  

[Xerarch]

Thanks guys, that's what I'll plan on doing, I'm no stranger to cutting pots off to spare the roots.  It's just if it was something like Washingtonia I might not bother, I'd just cut the roots off and throw it in the ground.

[Xerarch]

Well....... I planted two of these braheas and a number of other palms and fruit trees over the weekend.  I made a solid attempt to cut the pot off around those roots but dog gone.  Every hole in the bottom was so stuffed with roots I couldn't even cut it off without damaging all kinds of stuff inside the pot and out plus with it all being such a tangle.  So I ended up having to cut them off anyway, so now I'll just have to roll the dice and pray that they will recover.  If they die I still have two more to plant, and I guess then my best option would be to cut the main part of the pot off, and then just plant the rest of it with a little disc of plastic stall attached to the bottom. 

[Fusca]

55 minutes ago, Xerarch said:

 I guess then my best option would be to cut the main part of the pot off, and then just plant the rest of it with a little disc of plastic stall attached to the bottom. 

No problem doing that.  Years ago it was fairly common practice to plant the entire pot in the ground and let the palm roots continue pushing through the thin plastic.  Not exactly amending the soil but shouldn't present an issue with the palm.

[Xerarch]

Results about 3 weeks after planting. I marked that sharpie pen line straight across shortly after planting. So they don’t seem to be fazed by removing those roots, whew. 
 

 

[Xerarch]

However one of the two queens I put in the ground hasn't budged at all yet, wasn't expecting that.