Dead Palm Trees Owners Club (Houston: houses, landscaping, neighborhood)

[Ghost Town]

So your palm trees froze to death last February.
You were hoping they would recover, but September is already ending now and they are still not showing any signs of life.
Just bare sticks in the ground.
Unfortunately they are totaled.
There's no life inside, they are already decomposing.
What are you going to do with them?
How long you can wait before they become a big hazard?
December winds are coming soon.
If the sticks are tall, they could create a lot of damage when they fall.
And it's not going to be cheap to remove them.

I haven't planned for that in 2021 budget.
But definitely need to put that in 2022 financial plan.

If you are an owner of dead palm trees, what are you going to do?
When are you planning to remove them?
Any pricing info you already have?
Maybe you know any employees of the City of Houston who deal with landscaping...how long they are going to allow the dead trees to stay like that?

[Texas Ag 93]

Our neighbor had 3 trees that were killed in the freeze but yet to be removed (though they were clearly dead) and all fell down last week in the Hurricane. Only one was a palm and it was relatively small, so no damage done.

You aren't kidding about the costs. We had all our dead trees and scrubs removed and stumps ground by our landscaping company back in early April. All our bottlebrushes (about 15 feet tall) and one mid sized palm. I think the cost was well over $1,000.

[Ghost Town]

Originally Posted by Texas Ag 93

Our neighbor had 3 trees that were killed in the freeze but yet to be removed (though they were clearly dead) and all fell down last week in the Hurricane. Only one was a palm and it was relatively small, so no damage done.

You aren't kidding about the costs. We had all our dead trees and scrubs removed and stumps ground by our landscaping company back in early April. All our bottlebrushes (about 15 feet tall) and one mid sized palm. I think the cost was well over $1,000.

Oh wow.
I haven't expected they would fall down that quick.
I still see plenty of people with dead sticks in the ground. Fully trimmed, no new green leaves.
My trees are over 40 ft tall. Most palm trees in my area are that big.

[airdrawndagger]

All of the palm trees in our neighborhood are long gone, showing no sign of life. Unfortunately there is one in my neighbor's yard along my northern fence line. I asked if he was planning on removing it, and he claimed it needed a "full year" to be sure it was dead. Sounds like heel dragging to me... I am also worried about cold-front winds knocking it over.

[Texas Ag 93]

Originally Posted by Ghost Town

Oh wow.
I haven't expected they would fall down that quick.

The trees he lost were immature and not heavy trees, a couple of cypress and one palm that was only about 8 feet tall. Planted when the house was built just a few years ago.

Still, though, it was quite clear these trees were dead and I'm surprised he didn't have them removed earlier. Most of the owners on my street are pretty on top of that kind of thing.

[Ghost Town]

I don't see people removing palm trees in my area, except few houses I know. Those tall palm trees are quite expensive to remove and I would be surprised if people are willing to do it immediately.

[a_guerrajr]

Got lucky ours was only a few months old (to us that is), lost money.
But had it yanked out. I can imagine the large ones are $ to get removed.

[As Above So Below...]

Mine died so I guess I’m part of it.

[Texas Ag 93]

Originally Posted by Ghost Town

I don't see people removing palm trees in my area, except few houses I know. Those tall palm trees are quite expensive to remove and I would be surprised if people are willing to do it immediately.

No, you're right, I actually haven't seen any of those really tall ones removed. Just smaller and mid sized ones.

[Suesbal]

Anyone lost palms that were supposed to be cold-hardy?