Few trees are more magnificent than palm trees. They come in a variety of sizes and can improve any Fresno property’s curbside appeal. But palm trees can get too tall, which makes many people wonder, “How do I stop my palm tree from getting taller?”
So, the tree experts at Cut Rite Tree Service put together a guide to show you how to keep your palm tree from getting too tall.
Cut Rite Tree Service is Fresno’s reliable tree service. We take great care of trees and provide other services all over the greater Fresno, CA area. Our prices are reasonable, and we’ll make your property look better than ever. Call Cut Rite Tree Service if you want to improve the look, health, and longevity of your tree.
Palm trees are iconic symbols of tropical locales, with their slender trunks and large, fan-shaped leaves. While they look great soaring 20-30 feet into the air in their native habitats, palm trees can quickly outgrow their space when planted in home landscapes or as houseplants. If your indoor or outdoor palm is getting too tall, you have a few options to limit its upward growth.
Why Palm Trees Grow So Tall
Palms are monocots, meaning they have a single embryonic seed leaf As monocots, they grow more like grasses than woody trees The trunk is not comprised of woody tissue but is an extension of the plant’s root system with the leaves growing right from the main stem.
This growth pattern leads to tall, slender palms rather than bushy, branching trees. In ideal conditions with adequate sunlight water and nutrients most palm varieties are genetically programmed to keep pushing skyward. Their natural height range depends on the species, but they won’t stop until they’ve reached their mature potential.
Problems with Overgrown Palms
Letting your indoor or outdoor palm grow unchecked can cause some issues:
-
Outdoors, tall palms can obstruct views, bump up against power lines, drop heavy fronds during storms or make too much shade for other landscape plants.
-
Indoors, a palm that grows too large looks out of proportion and can be difficult to maneuver around a room. Overgrown indoor palms often have to be pruned back or removed.
-
Palm fronds on both indoor and outdoor plants can get damaged by rubbing against walls and ceilings. Damaged fronds are unsightly and invite pests and diseases.
How to Stop Palm Trees from Growing Taller
You have several options for controlling the height of a palm tree:
Choose a Smaller Species
To avoid growing problems in the first place, select one of the many dwarf palm varieties suitable for your climate. Look for terms like “compact”, “dwarf”, “pygmy” or “miniature” when shopping for palms. Smaller species like pygmy date palms, miniature fishtail palms and dwarf palmetto palms top out under 10 feet tall.
Use Containers
Restricted root space keeps potted palms more compact. Leave them in small pots rather than repotting into larger containers. Choose a pot only 2-4 inches wider than the root ball and avoid overpotting. Water and fertilize regularly so the palm stays healthy despite its confined roots. When repotting is necessary, go up just one pot size.
Prune Selectively
Some palms like areca palms and bamboo palms have multiple shoots or stems. On these varieties, prune back the tallest stems to remove the growth point and force shorter stems to grow. Never remove more than 1/3 of the canopy. Single-trunked palms can’t tolerate having their tops cut off.
Remove Lower Fronds
As new leaves form at the top, older lower leaves die off naturally. Removing these excess lower fronds over time can limit palm height a bit by reducing photosynthesis and energy directed to upward growth. Never remove green leaves and don’t take off more than 2-3 at a time.
Limit Sun Exposure
Palms stretch for sunlight, so giving them less light keeps growth slower and more compact. Filtered sun through a sheer curtain or placing palms back from bright windows works indoors. Outdoors, use nearby buildings, trees or shrubs to shade them.
Root Pruning (Outdoors Only)
Carefully pruning back palm roots within 1 foot of the trunk can dwarf it by slowing water and nutrient uptake. However, improper or excessive root pruning can kill the palm. This advanced technique is only for experienced gardeners.
Fertilize Sparingly
Palms grow faster with regular fertilization. Limiting nutrients by using a low dose palm fertilizer only once yearly can modestly slow height gain. Avoid overdoing it, as starving a palm causes more problems than it solves.
When Height Control Won’t Work
Not all palm species respond well to efforts to curtail their height. Single-trunked varieties like majesty palms, kentia palms and queen palms have a strong natural impulse to grow tall. If these types outgrow their space, replacing them with a different palm variety is usually better than trying to stunt them.
Palms older than 10 years with a bare trunk won’t regenerate if severely pruned back. Attempting to remove most of the canopy could kill the palm. Relocating or removing overgrown mature specimens and starting over with younger, smaller palms is better.
With the right pruning, containers, lighting and fertilizing, you can keep most young indoor and outdoor palms under control. Limiting a palm’s height takes some trial and error to find the sweet spot between slowing its upward growth and damaging its health. Pay close attention and adjust your methods over time to keep your palm attractive at a smaller stature.
Plant a Short Palm Species
Again, palm trees come in several sizes, each ranging in height. Planting a short palm species is the best way to prevent overgrowth without altering normal growth patterns.
Licuala, palmetto, and parlour palm trees grow very slowly and don’t reach extreme heights. In fact, parlour palms are one of the shortest types of plants in the world. They only grow to be two feet tall.
Pruning a palm tree’s fronds is another efficient way to hinder growth. Cutting off the brown fronds with good pruning shears and the hurricane method will stop the plant’s growth so it doesn’t spread to other parts of your property.
But cutting back palm trees can make them more likely to get diseases that can hurt their health over time. It’s best to let a professional tree care service handle the job and make sure the end result is good.
Cut Rite Tree Service is the best at taking care of trees in Fresno. They can help you prune your palm trees so they stay healthy. For many years, we’ve helped Fresno homeowners take care of their properties, and we can take care of any tree care job you give us.
How To Stop Palm Trees from Growing Too Tall
Palm trees come in several varieties and can grow up to 200 feet tall in ideal conditions. However, many people don’t want their palm trees to grow that high and want to find efficient ways to impede growth without adversely affecting their health. Fortunately, you can take preventive measures to slow down the growing process while maintaining a gorgeous and healthy palm tree.
If you want to stop your palm tree from getting taller before you ask a professional arborist, try the following methods.
Tree & Plant Care : How to Stop a Tree From Growing
FAQ
How to stop a palm tree from growing too tall?
Do palm trees ever stop growing tall?
How do you stop a tree from growing taller?
How do I stop my palm tree from sprouting?
How to stop a palm tree from growing taller?
Another thing that you can do to stop your palm tree from growing taller is to manipulate your tree roots. Dig into the soil near the palm tree to expose the roots of the tree. Then, cut the extensive and intense roots of the tree and leave the small root. In this way, they will not get too many nutrients and stop growing taller.
How do you stop a palm tree from growing?
You can tweak the palm tree’s roots, so the plant can stop growing, but this is only a temporal solution. Wait for spring, and then with a wooden stick, get rid of dry soil off your palm tree’s root system. Use your tools to prune the palm tree roots. Cutaway all the big roots, and leave just the tendrils.
How do you keep a palm tree from growing tall?
Keep a palm from growing tall with careful and deliberate pruning practices. The key is to be selective about which fronds to remove. Remove yellow or brown fronds. The color change indicates the fronds are not healthy and will eventually fall off anyway. They are taking energy from the rest of the tree and are better off removed now.
What should I do if my palm tree is too big?
If the palm tree is grown too big for its planting site, you should thin it out. The point where the new growth joins the tree should be where you perform any pruning. When pruning palm trees, keep two rows with mature fronds in situ. A layer of this year’s blossoms hides the mature fronds.
Can a palm tree grow too tall?
Some people plant the palm for its beauty and do not need it to grow so tall. Allowing the palm tree to grow too tall is not necessary if they are indoor plants. If you allow the palm tree to grow as tall as it can, you may find it growing into people’s spaces.
How to grow a palm tree?
Use your tools to prune the palm tree roots. Cutaway all the big roots, and leave just the tendrils. When you have finished cutting, cover the palm’s roots with soil and leave it for seven days. Suppose seven days elapse, water the plant. This process will make your palm tree not to grow for 30 days. 4. Stress Train Your Palm Tree