Our Sabal or Cabbage Palms are among our most resilient trees, able to survive across generations. Left alone, they can readily surpass 100 years. Yet, it can take 15–30 years just to develop a visible trunk and growth slows to less than an inch per year as the palm matures. The palms you see may be very much older than you ever expected! 

 WHAT EXPERTS KNOW

A “hurricane cut” is not healthy for the tree and it does not make the tree safer in a windstorm. National experts (see some of the citations below) have collected years of testing and documented proof – both before and after hurricanes - that hurricane cuts weaken trees.[1] Hurricane cuts have been popularized mostly by tree service companies for whom it is easier to just swipe off most of the top and by landscapers who heavily crop palm trees to transport and transplant them. Once in the ground, the less trimming the better.

THE PROBLEM

Excessive pruning can negatively affect palms in 3 ways: 

1. A drastic reduction in canopy size decreases the ability of the palm to feed itself through photosynthesis, so leaves struggle to stay green.
2. The stress of pruning to a “feather duster” shape can weaken a tree making it more susceptible to pests and disease.
3. Removing large amounts of the canopy repeatedly can thin the trunk, which ultimately weakens the palm and makes it more susceptible to damage in high winds.

THE SOLUTION

To save the health of your trees, use less aggressive pruning. Consider these expert guidelines: 

• A healthy palm should have a 360 degree canopy. You can remove dead leaves and seed pods.
• If you hate the look of a full canopy, then just do not prune any fronds above an imaginary line drawn horizontally from 9 to 3 o’clock 
• County Extension Agents and Univ of Florida IFAS can offer further science-based advice.

Don’t remove leaves above an imaginary line drawn between 9 and 3 o’clock

Finally, if you are noticing a yellowing of the fronds, consider applying the correct palm fertilizers. The latest general fertilizer recommendation from the University of Florida is N8–P2–K12 + 4 Mg.  And be careful that all of the N, K and Mg are in controlled-release form. Otherwise, in our sandy soils, rain or steady irrigation can dissolve it away. If you do decide to fertilize, apply about 1.5 lbs. evenly per 100 sq. ft. (a 10’ x 10’ area) of palm canopy area. See the resources below for more information. 

Now go and enjoy your healthy palms and the pleasant shady feeling they can provide.