Palm Trees ?
 

???Can anyone tell me about how much it cost to plant a plam tree? Any recommendations on type of palm tree to plant?

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

I was told only Queen Palms can take the weather here....you can find them on sale often for 499.00 for three of them....(12 to 14 ft) and they will plant them.............What ever you do , don't try to plant them yourself as they weight a ton even though they don't look it.....take it from a guy who learned his lesson in spades...........

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Based on who you use they can run as low as $275 up to $1,000. You need to get cost estimates from a few places because there are a few who think we all live the millionaire lifestyle for real!!!

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I bought a queen palm from Home Depot 1 1/2 years ago for $40, it was 3 feet tall when I got it, now it's 9 feet tall after 2 summers. If you're not in a hurry for a large tree this is an alternative.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Golfnut, Queenies do grow fast. We did not get any with our landscaping package and dearly want some. We were thinking of buying small as we had read that they are fast growers. Glad to hear it. We found some that were about 5 to 6 feet at Lowes for around $100. What kind of care if any do you have to give them?

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Washingtonions thrive as well as well as the European Fan Palm. I paid $110 each for 2 5" Washingtonian and $95 for a 3" Fan palm back in 2001. The Washingtonians are now 8' tall and the fan palm is 6' tall and 6' in circumference. Beautiful filler palm.

Visit several tree farms and get an idea of what they have and what grows well. Stay away from the roebelenii (sic) as they hate cold weather. Also check the various neighborhoods and see what their landscaping looks like. A trip around the internet does not hurt either.

The Palm People - http://www.botanics.com/default.htm

Palm tree Care: http://www.palm-tree.net/

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

::)I might be the only one that thinks a palm tree isn't a good tree to plant!

We had five at our previous Florida home and while I like the looks, they are a big pain in the rear when they get tall enough to need a ladder to trim them. The seed pods alone could kill you when their cut off. And if you don't cut down the pods the seeds make a big mess on the ground.

Take a closer look and see if you think your able to do the trimming or pay to have it done. The do grow fast!

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

also, palm trees seem to breed PALMATO bugs so if you plant, do not plan close to your home.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Palmetto bugs have nothing to do with palm trees. They like moist, damp areas (like under your shrubs and in your mulch). I lived in Florida many years and never had palm trees. Just throw off a tarp or lift up some old logs and watch them scurry. Fortunately in the Villages, we don't cover things with tarp and build up logsand lumber. I can't wait until I clean out the plants around my lamp post. Probably a host of them. I will just put on my stomping shoes and start cleaning. My wife will use the Raid spray. Slow death.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

DWebb .. good info about trimming palm trees; never occured to me. We newbies have such a lot to learn!! :o

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

[quote][We had five at our previous Florida home and while I like the looks, they are a big pain in the rear when they get tall enough to need a ladder to trim them. The seed pods alone could kill you when their cut off. And if you don't cut down the pods the seeds make a big mess on the ground.
/quote]

Interesting! Didn't think they took maintenance. Last thing I want as a snowbird is more maintenance. Are there any varieties that don't require maintenance / trimming and seed pods that fall?

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

are stories about snakes loving palm trees as in correct as the connection with palmetto bugs?
i love seeing palms in my neighbors yards but wouldn't want the chore of having my own.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

I love the palms. Heck, I take as much maintenance as they do.....and we're worth it!

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

If you start with small ones (4-6 feet) and let them grow it will be a while before you need a ladder. If you buy the 15-20 footers like some people, you need a ladder to start. Also with the 15-20 footers, If they are not anchored or braced properly a good wind will knock them over.

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.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Theres a place on 441/27 when you leave tv and are going towards Leesburg its
on the right hand side of the road and all they sell is Palm trees
THey delivered and palnted mine for $120 it was about 5ft tall

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

These are queen palms , I have five of them ,planted three years ago at about 7 ft. tall at the time...I love the way they flow with the breeze ......No bugs , No snakes, just beautiful palms that sing of Florida in the wind....
Never have to worry about cold weather and besides it never freezes in the village of Chatham......

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...mar/palms2.jpg

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Barb1191
Interesting that you should comment on the palms in need of pruning. The Washingtonians that are in the median strip along Buena Vista all have what is known as beards. They are actually dead fronds that have draped down over the trunk. Eventually each frond will they will fall off. I learned all this when we were discussing some changes in our yard with a landscaper, just yesterday. She said it is one way of taking care of the palms!! However, not the best way. As the fronds die they should be removed. It does not harm the tree not to remove them but in her opinion it looks "messy".

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Home Depot sells Canry Island Date Palms which according to the Internet can grow to be 60 feet. How would you ever maintain a palm tree at that height? Are these the same as Queenies? George

The Price Relates To Popularity
 

Why or why such a wide range in prices for various varieties of palm trees? In researching for my own palm purchases, here's some of the anecdotal evidence I've found.

• Sabal Palm--it's the Florida state tree and is very easy to grow. It's cold hardy and attractive. But it often does not survive re-planting and many are sold with the "hurricane cut" fronds which look like a flat-top crew cut for about two years. It's often very cheap.
  
• Washingtonian--like the Sabal, it's cold hardy. But why is it so cheap? It is a fast grower and will reach heights of up to 60 feet. A lot of people don't want to deal with such a fast grower, therefore it's cheap.

[br]

• Robellini Palm--Everyone likes the looks of the Robellini. It often comes in double or triple trunks, as well. Not too fast a grower, but fairly expensive. The downside? It's very tender to the cold. Temperatures much below freezing will kill small Robellinis and make the fronds on lager ones very unattractive for several months after the freeze. People often don't want to deal with covering them up each time there's a freeze or frost warning.
  
• Sylvester Palm--A gorgeous, slow growing, cold hardy palm. It has beautiful, even frond stumps where the old ones have been cut off. There's nothing not to like about a Sylvester--except the price! The fact that is grows so slowly and is so attractive results in a higher price. But if you can afford one, a Sylvester is a great choice.
  
  There are lots of other palms that are used in central Florida, but this is the results of my research on just the few varieties I was considering.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Love your landscaping Fumar, kudos to the designer.

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Wow! VK, that was great info and very helpful! Thanks! ;D

Becky

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

We have a Sago palm, beautiful but a poor sick thing. I think we may lose it. I've heard there is a Sago palm virus that is spreading through Florida.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

a linda, do you fertilize it reguarly?

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

We are currently in the process of getting estimates for river rock and palm trees. (Very, very interesting process, huge difference in prices between estimators.) I was told yesterday by a landscape guy that when large palm trees are planted they must be "tied into" our irrigation system so the root balls get enough water. Does anyone know whether this is necessary? (We won't be around in the summer and don't want to worry about having someone water them).
:dontknow:

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Barefoot,
Yesterday rec'd estimate from TerraScape. They recommended mini-irrigation be installed for each of the new landscape areas. They advised the current sprinkler system
will not be sufficient. Sounds the same as what you were told.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Let me say this about that!!!

FLORIDUH......palms.....bugs......and more bugs!!!!!!

One more tree more or less or no trees....you still get bugs in Floriduh!

BTK :)

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

How are the prices on your quotes going? Is there a big difference in amounts?

I wonder if a mini-irrigation system runs off the existing sprinkler system? They told us our existing sprinkler system was adequate, they just needed to "run another line" off of it, or some such thing.

We had a quote from TerraScape who said nothing at all about irrigation. It was actually "A & C Exteriors" who told us we need some type of drip system.

Help, guys, you must know about this. :dontknow:

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Our first palm tree died so we replaced it with a 2nd one. We were told the first one died because it didn't get enough water since we were seasonal residents. We tied into the water system and put an extra water head near the root ball of our second tree. It is thriving and I would recommend this for those of us who are not permanent residents. It worked for us!

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

I was told Sago Palms get a disease called scale. The under side of the fronds are white with the bugs that are scale. It is airborne and a constant battle to keep the palm disease free. The landscapers told us to apply a thin sprayable oil (agricultural oil, available at Lowe's)to kill the scale. Ours is presently covered in scale and we will apply the first treatment tomorrow. Hope it works cause I like the look of the low growing palm.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

MY palm was planted 2 years ago its doing well and has grown quite abit
It only gets water from my sprinkler system twice a week
By the way A&C EXTERIORS just paved my driveway and they did a BEAUTIFUL JOB
And there price was alot better then the other estimates i got
:hot: :beer3: :beer2: :hot:

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

My recommendation is to stay away from all palms they all required maintance. I have 2 Queen paLms and find cutting the PODs requrie more work than I want. Look for sometihng else easier to maintain.

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Re: Palm Trees ?
 

We have Queen and European Fan and LOVE them both. They are over two years old and growing very well. We had Mike's maintenance do our landscaping and replaced everything planted by the developer!! Happy now with our palms and magnolias.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

"Next week, I'll show you my home made automatic liquid fertilizer system. Don't be late for class (Watering 101)"

Handie, hope you're serious! I want to learn about this. My lawn looks terrible! I have to do something...

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Gotta get me some of those Sylvester palms, they look to me as the best. In Arizona when we lived in Scottsdale the landscaper added a drip hose to the sprinkler system. It adds water to a specific area or need and keeps the plants supplied better than what TV uses as a standard.

This will keep the palm trees and the plants supplied with water so during the hot summer the plants will survive. Since we have no grass we have no heads.

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Some hyperlinks which might provide assistance:

www.floridata.com
www.seedman.com
www.seedman.com/coldhard.htm (cold hardy Palms & Bananas)
www.toptropicals.com
http://www.toptropicals.com/cgi-bin/...atalog/cat.cgi (cold hardy plants)

You'd be amazed how many "cold hardy" Palms there really are!

I don't know about the bug thing; I've lived in Florida before, specifically Key West and Miami, as far as I can tell there are bugs all over Florida 1rnfl I remember the first time I saw a Palmetto bug. I said, "Holy S _ _ _, that's the biggest Cock Roach I've ever seen!!!" and my host replied, "No dear that's a "Palmetto Bug", well as you might imagine my response was, "Well you can call it whatever you want to but it's still just a giant cock roach to me!" :a20:

Now about snakes :yikes: I can only say this; when I lived in the California desert I was all excited at seeing my first Oasis. My friends knowing of my "Snake phobia" quickly informed me that Oases are known for harboring snakes so from that point on I admired Oases from afar. :o

Reality; I obviously have lived around palms; my Mother-in-law has a tall, stately stand of Areca Palms along the fence between her property and the neighboring house and once a year we thin them and clean up all the dead palm fronds, etc. So far I've never seen a snake..... in the palms that is lol, but I do remember the lawn guy saying that he'd seen a snake wriggling away from the lawn mower and into the AC housing :yikes: in her back yard. I was hoping perhaps that the compressor fan might chop the thing up as it was identified it as a poisonous one :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

Handie, I'll get some of that tomorrow. Thanks much for the advice!!

Re: Palm Trees ?
 

I finally got some truth about palms from the lady landscaper ( Kim Ph. 233-8621) with All American. Honest quotes with no suprises and no payment til you are 100% satisfied. Beware of deals on palms !!! A couple of landscapers mentioned in recent messages keep changing their names to ditch their poor reputations !!! Talk to people with good looking landscapes , forget bargains and remember, it is a lot of hard work!!!