Why do some people not like Palm Trees? (Santa Monica, Beverly Hills: transplants, neighborhoods)

[harriet1954]

I lived in the San Fernando Valley for four years and loved palm trees except for once, when I found I was dragging a palm frond underneath my car as I was driving! I couldn't imagine what it was!

[genjy]

Palm trees are too tall for property owners to maintain... not even a bit, so they have to hire a tree trimmer every time.

If they are city-owned trees, who knows when the city crew will come around.

I grew up on a street lined with really neglected palm trees. We were always very scared of stuff falling onto us when we were outside.

[LuvSouthOC]

Originally Posted by genjy

Palmtrees are too tall for property owners to maintain... not even a bit, so they have to hire a tree trimmer every time. If they are city-owned trees, who knows when the city crew will come around.

That's definitely true after they are over 30 years old. Until then, a ladder and long pole would work. It is pricey to have them cleaned, trimmed etc. I just cope with these costs. The thing is that they are clean if trimmed and it is possible to keep your property free of leaves and other crap you'd otherwise have with other kinds of trees. As far as the cost, yes it is expensive, but worth it.

[RockyRoadg]

I've got one in the front yard and keep it trimmed like the Casinos. They look ugly if not taken care of, it only cost about $100 a year.

[Phrogg]

Some people have taken issue with them because they aren't native to the area. Personally, palm trees are one of my favorite things about Southern California. They do however make for a lot of flying debris, some large enough to cause injury or damage cars, when there are high winds in an area that isn't usually windy (Mother Nature prunes your palms for you!). Not nearly as bad as when a large "normal" tree drops a bough though.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by Phrogg

Some people have taken issue with them because they aren't native to the area. Personally, palm trees are one of my favorite things about Southern California. They do however make for a lot of flying debris, some large enough to cause injury or damage cars, when there are high winds in an area that isn't usually windy (Mother Nature prunes your palms for you!). Not nearly as bad as when a large "normal" tree drops a bough though.

Whenever there's a wind storm on the Westside each tree seems to shed 3-5 full size fronds. That's a big mess on streets that are lined with a palm tree every 80 ft.

[mrsltd]

Originally Posted by NyWriterdude

What's a borderline area?

A number of areas are simply way too cold to ever have palms grow there. I don't think we'll ever see them where there is snow and ice.

Well, the state of Maryland is one. I have heard that Ocean City there brings in palms for the summer to stimulate tourism but then the trees die come winter because it is too harsh for them.

[I love boots.]

I grew up in Phoenix where there are a lot of them and my parents always hated them. I think they're beautiful. The thing about them is once they grow taller than you can climb up a ladder it is an expense to maintain them because it has to be hired. An untrimmed palm tree is not nearly as pretty.

The birds planted one in our yard once that my mom kept trying to jerk out of the ground and kill, finally gave up and let it grow and it grew very quickly.

[mvpsharky]

Originally Posted by LuvSouthOC

Agreed. I have many of them and they are gorgeous. But there are many varieties of palm and not all are equally attractive, but it comes down to preference.



They are very much trees and they are stunningly beautiful when cleaned properly.

palm trees are members of the grass family

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by mvpsharky

palm trees are members of the grass family

Not sure at what level of drilling in that would matter here.

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Monocots
(unranked): Commelinids
Order: Arecales
Family: Arecaceae
Genus: Washingtonia
Species: W. robusta