Thread: Palm Trees ?
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Old 02-15-2008, 01:17 AM
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Default Palmetto bugs (roaches) and Palm Trees

I lived in South Florida for 40 years (Ft. Lauderdale), and the Coconut Palms there definitely harbored roaches - could be why these bugs are also known a Palmetto bugs). However, I've lived in the Florida Panhandle for 8 years and have had Palmetto Palms (the State tree) and have not noticed a single roach, only a few birds nests. We've had lots of lizards (Geckos) around our yard, which I love because they eat other bugs - perhaps that's why we've had no roaches.

The Palmetto Palms required pruning an average of twice a year to keep them looking well maintained. During the period when they were 8 to 10 feet tall, I could prune them without a ladder with long handled loppers. For the last three years, though, I had to use a ladder, and last fall, just before we sold our house, I paid someone to prune the five of them for $75. I thought that was well worth it. They were about 15' to 20' tall at that point.

I imagine in central Florida, Queen Palms grow even faster.
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Brockton, MA 1946-49 * Fort Lauderdale 1950-66 * Northern Virginia (Army) 1967-69 * North Lauderdale 1970-72 * Coconut Creek 1973-87 * St. Louis 1988-89 # Northern Virginia (again) 1990-2000 * Destin, FL 2001-08 * The Villages - Amelia/Hadley