[Lakeland Yankee]

Originally Posted by beachmouse

For all that I think palms work well in many landscaping situations, a native mature live oak massively pwns any palm tree I can think of.

Live oaks with Spanish moss dripping off of them beats any palm tree in my book. I prefer shade over the ugly messy palms.

[pinetreecity]

Originally Posted by naraj

Palm trees are prettier than pine trees, so I say the more, the better. If Florida only had it's natural vegetation, it wouldn't be nearly as beautiful.

I've seen what can be done with native Florida vegetation, and I can't say I agree that it needs imported vegetation to make it beautiful.

What I saw was a condo development next to a salt water marsh in St Augustine. The developer made a point of using only native species. They even went through the trouble of removing any non-native species they found on the property. The result was very beautiful. The texture and color of the landscaping gave a unique effect, with lots of dark green and heavy texture. It was very "Florida".

[TANaples]

I live on a golf course, but don't play golf. What I have noticed that although there certainly are palm trees around, they are not planted close to the greens. They planted native trees, with leaves, near the greens.

I guess the reason for that is probably when the little leaves fall down, it is no big deal. When those palms dry up and fall, they would need a cart to come take them away. Imagine a golfer having to pick them up and move them to take a shot?

[catbluecat]

We recently purchased a condo on Panama City Beach, I think it would be much more beautiful if palm trees were planted on the beach. Everytime I sit out on the beach I feel like it's missing something, the palm trees. I grew up in Hawaii and the palm trees made the beaches so beautiful.

[OptimusPrime69]

Palm trees for the win!!!!!!
I love 'em.
Dont get me wrong, the native plants are OK, but palm trees baby. YES

[doom1001]

I prefer the native pine trees.Palm trees get old fast.Look at Miami,there's basically little to no native pine trees left,developers here totally remove every native tree onsite then build the house and plop down a little bare tree about 5 feet tall that might give some shade in 40 years so the homeowners put in palm trees which although I don't dislike them they just don't create the same shade or woody atmosphere you see in other areas where they do what they can to maintain the trees.Palm trees are like a novelty to people from northern states because they just don't have them.There are areas like in Central to Northern Florida where I've seen native pines being left alongside planted palm trees and it works in my opinion,it's too late for areas in South Florida that have been robbed of their trees so I have no problem with a city regulating palm trees and maintaining natives.

[theunbrainwashed]

Palm trees are seriously overrated. There are much better looking trees out there than those, especially the coconut and canary palms. Had enough of seeing coconut palms in my childhood by the hundred, but nothing beats the royal poinciana with its fiery red flowers mixed with green leaves

[justNancy]

In general, I prefer the native pine trees, but we also have some native palms in Florida, like the scrub palmetto and the cabbage palm.

Of course, I admit that I love the grand palms on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers (also called the "City of Palms") near the Edison Home. Thomas Edison imported over 200 trees in the late 1800s and there are now about 1,800 Royal Palms that line both sides of the road.

http://ts1.mm.bing.net/th?id=I.45261...46868&pid=15.1

[kiggy]

Live oaks can grow to be very straggly and ugly. Love palms!

[Miserable Midwest]

The Florida Royal Palm, Roystonea elata is native to Florida. While most of the Royal palms you see in Florida are actually the Cuban Roystonea regia, it is erroneous to say that Sabal palms are the only native palm to the state.