Palms can grow in a range of climates depending on the cultivar and on the microclimate. If you have a section of yard that is sheltered and warm, or if you live in a warm climate, chances are there is a palm tree waving its fronds on your property. However, palm trees come with their own problems. The trees might bring to mind visions of beaches and Hollywood, but they can also tear up soil and harbor pests—and many urban and suburban growing environments prevent the trees from forming normal root systems. If you have palm trees, you might want to consider removing them, even if they appear to be healthy.
Wind and Soil-Saturation Problems
Palm trees have strong root systems in general. A palm tree growing wild in a grove will have deep roots and a wide trunk base that allow it to withstand literal hurricane-force winds. In a suburban or urban environment, however, sidewalks, bedrock, and barriers meant to block roots from growing toward underground pipes or foundations can all stunt the growth of the palm's root system. You end up with palms that don't have an appropriate base to give the tree any strength, and winds can knock those palms over. It gets even worse if it's been raining a lot and the soil is saturated. The palm ends up with little to stabilize it, and it can topple over. If you think the tree is in a situation where the root system has not been able to grow as it should, then you should remove the tree.
What's Living in Those Trees?
Palm trees, unfortunately, are a favorite place for roof rats to hang out. They like to nibble on the fruits of the palm and hang out in piles of dead fronds. It can be very difficult to get rid of roof rats as long as they have places to hide in your yard. Not all palm trees host rats, of course, but if you've heard of problems in the neighborhood, you might consider giving up that palm tree to reduce the number of places the rats can go.
Maintenance Problems and Your Safety
All palms need to be trimmed and maintained, but tall palms, especially, need dead fronds removed. The fronds die on the tree and end up forming a very shaggy collar around the trunk. Eventually, the fronds loosen and fall, and if they fall from a great height, they can hurt someone below or cause damage. Those fronds can be weighty, even when dead. You can avoid this by having dead fronds trimmed away. However, if you don't have trimmers look at the tree often, the dead fronds could build up, creating a hazard. You may want to have the tree removed to ensure that no one gets hurt.
Speak with a tree removal service about removing these palm trees if necessary. The arborists and other tree specialists can evaluate the tree and see if it's in better shape than you think, or if it's a tree that needs to be removed asap.
