Palms in Florida
There are over 2400 types of palms worldwide and Florida is known for having some of the most diverse palm populations. Fertilization, watering, pruning and care can be different for each. Many aren’t cold hardy and precautions should be taken before and after a freeze. There are many types of nutrient deficiencies and diseases that affect our palms. Please call for an onsite evaluation of your palm’s health.
Do not over prune your palm trees! So called “hurricane cuts” or “feather cuts” are bad for the tree. You are removing too much of the vital green that conducts photosynthesis for the tree. The University of Florida has conducted wind tests that conclude a plan tree does better left full as opposed to over pruning. Only dead fronds should be removed and never prune above the “horizon” or 9 to 3 if you were looking at a clock.
Palms commonly experience nutritional deficiencies which can lead to death. Soil PH, over/under fertilization, and planting depth all contribute.