[jbartle1]

Check out the Villages grounds after a storm, palm trash everywhere, Think twice, fyi.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I have had homes in Florida going back to early 90’S even when I didn’t live here much. I wouldn’t live in a home that didn’t have a couple of palm trees , there easy to care for and just here in the villages all the homes I I’ve had here since 2000 the palms still look nice , that stuff on ground is the equivalent of leaves off trees. When the tornado came through here years ago it knocked down the new palms I had just put in a few months before , a couple of guys just pushed them up and they were fit as a fiddle, it wouldn’t be Florida for me without palms

[Michael G.]

Originally Posted by charlieo1126@gmail.com

it wouldn’t be Florida for me without palms

[Djean1981]

To each their own, I dislike them - no shade, blossoms, or air cleaning purpose.

[dewilson58]

Trimmed vs. not.

[jbartle1]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Trimmed vs. not.

We trimmed our palms 4 inches below ground, ahhh, no bugs, no trash!

[johnfarr]

Queen Palms look nice, but require regular trimming, every 6-8 weeks. They are native to frost-free areas south of here. They eventually get so tall that tree trimmers can't safely work with them. Plus if planted near paved areas the roots will cause heaving. I once had 10, but many were killed by frost.

If you must plant palm trees, consider the sable which is native to this area and requires minimal trimming. It is the only one planted by The Villages.

Most mature neighborhoods learned their lesson and had cut them down long ago.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by jbartle1

We trimmed our palms 4 inches below ground, ahhh, no bugs, no trash!

Keeps the palm rats away.

[Calisport]

Queen palms are a problem in smaller yards. The roots started growing in my backyard's drainpipes, Rats climbed to the roof on them and the fronds shed often. I love palms but after having to cut down 3 queen palms myself I hesitate to grow palms anymore. But I love them at the same time. Maybe not in my yard though.

[midiwiz]

Originally Posted by jbartle1

Check out the Villages grounds after a storm, palm trash everywhere, Think twice, fyi.

never had a problem, if you use TV grounds then there is - it doesn't look like they ever cut them - pretty ugly and lazy

[Luggage]

God was wonderful and decided to have palm trees. There are a lot of squirrels and small animals that live in and around the palm trees

[FUSSY LADY]

Palm trees harbor Palmetto bugs and rats. Live and learn. We had 5 of them and little by little have none!

[FUSSY LADY]

Palm trees harbor Palmetto bugs and rats. We used to have 5 that we had planted when house was built and little by little we had them all removed with no more problems!

[NoMo50]

Originally Posted by jbartle1

Check out the Villages grounds after a storm, palm trash everywhere, Think twice, fyi.

And deciduous trees and conifers put nothing on the ground after a storm...right?

That's the beauty of being here in Florida: one has the option to have palms, or not. At our previous home, we had four acres, and hundreds of hardwood trees. Oaks, walnuts, hickory, maple, birch, etc. You want to talk about a mess following storms? A typical Midwestern thunderstorm would generally equate to me spending DAYS cleaning up the tree trash. I'll take picking up a few palm fronds any day!

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by jbartle1

Check out the Villages grounds after a storm, palm trash everywhere, Think twice, fyi.

You’re right! They require maintenance that most can’t do. Just don’t get turned on by palm trees just because they’re native to Florida. jbartle1, you told them right!