# Palm tree hanging over fireplace..



## tripflex (Sep 15, 2009)

So as you can see the palm tree just loves to hang over my fireplace...always paid someone to do my landscaping for me but after buying this house those funds don't really exist anymore..

Anyways, how far down can i cut the palms without killing the tree? Should i just pay someone to take the whole damn thing out?

What do you guys suggest?


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

The tree will look really goofy if you chop off only the fronds on the chimney side and it looks to be too close to the house in the first place. I guess my rec would be to take it out. The good news is they are not deep rooted.


----------



## tripflex (Sep 15, 2009)

sdsester said:


> The tree will look really goofy if you chop off only the fronds on the chimney side and it looks to be too close to the house in the first place. I guess my rec would be to take it out. The good news is they are not deep rooted.



Yeah that's what i was afraid of. My assumption was when someone planted it years ago it looked good on the side of the chimney but now it has grown above the chimney :-\


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

tripflex said:


> Yeah that's what i was afraid of. My assumption was when someone planted it years ago it looked good on the side of the chimney but now it has grown above the chimney :-\


Happens all the time. People forget to plant for the mature dimensions of plants because they think they look silly when they are tiny and far from the house. Next thing you know...


----------



## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

They are not deep rooted, so 2 options:

Dig it up & move it
Offer it for free to someone if they dig it up
Landscape companies may want to take it

Do you plan on using the fireplace?
If not I'd leave it, cut the dead stuff off


----------



## tripflex (Sep 15, 2009)

Scuba_Dave said:


> They are not deep rooted, so 2 options:
> 
> Dig it up & move it
> Offer it for free to someone if they dig it up
> ...



Use fireplace...no probably never. I mean i live in Florida...i mean i guess maybe during the winter? I guess i'll make a posting on craigslist and see if any landscape companies want it...i know if you want to buy those things straight up they are MAD expensive...haha ill pull it out myself and sell it on craigslist lol


----------



## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I'd bet if you put it on Craigslist for a couple hundred someone would buy it

I think they can run into the thousands for a mature tree


----------



## tripflex (Sep 15, 2009)

Scuba_Dave said:


> I'd bet if you put it on Craigslist for a couple hundred someone would buy it
> 
> I think they can run into the thousands for a mature tree



Really? Did not know that...

Any landscaping professionals on here know what a tree like this would be worth?

Like if i offer it to a landscaping company should i charge them for it too?

What would be a reasonable price (with and without removal by the company)?

What i essentially would like to do would be take this one out and put a smaller one in its place...maybe do a trade with a company if they remove that one and put a new smaller one in?

Should i look for a certain type of palm to put there? So i wouldn't have this issue again?

Thanks guys!


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Call a nursery and shop a little I guess. Feel them out and maybe they will want it or know of someone who might and that would help you with the trade. 

I had not thought about the approach but it is a good idea. Can they get to the thing and get it moved out without tearing apart your whole yard though?

Might try floating it on eBay to see what you could get for it too if you think it worth the fees.

You could see if there is palm you like that would grow smaller. And/or plant it further from the house this next time.


----------



## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Check this site toi see if it has any value
Some are quite common & apparently worthless per site

http://www.junglemusic.net/palmadvice/palms-selling-your-large-palm.htm


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Had not considered the obvious. If you like it, and you have room, why not just have it relocated on your own property?


----------



## tripflex (Sep 15, 2009)

Okay, so i had my buddy come over and look at it....and i also didn't think about the obvious, but there is no room to even get that thing out of there! It's right by my pool, so looks like she is in for a limb trimming


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Bummer. If you still want to get rid of it the tree removal folks can cut it into sections and get it out the way. Probably will not cost you much more than it will to have them come out and scale the tree to trim the branches. Too bad you couldn't save it intact. Maybe it will not look too bad as half a tree.


----------



## tripflex (Sep 15, 2009)

sdsester said:


> Bummer. If you still want to get rid of it the tree removal folks can cut it into sections and get it out the way. Probably will not cost you much more than it will to have them come out and scale the tree to trim the branches. Too bad you couldn't save it intact. Maybe it will not look too bad as half a tree.



True...crazy thing i figured out today too...that for some reason i didn't notice before and i have no idea how, but there are two of them right next to each other! It was so overgrown with weeds and some other ugly plant i couldn't even see it! 

Yeah it's crazy, the palms are so big, one of them i can grab with my hand because it hangs so low...these palms are HUGE!

I'm probably just going to hold off on them and clear out the rest of brush and weeds...because there is a lot to do. 

Literally the weeds grew on top of the fence them somehow branched out to my AC unit and all the way up the palm tree! I cleared everything out from my AC unit today, we'll see what i can get done tomorrow!


----------



## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

tripflex said:


> I'm probably just going to hold off on them and clear out the rest of brush and weeds...because there is a lot to do.


Not that we have palm trees where I am but the critters love trees we do have to provide a way into the house via the chimney. Hope you don't have that issue.


----------



## Kap (Jun 20, 2008)

Mature palms can get pretty pricey. Over here, the landscape companies/nurseries with the capabilities to deal with something that size buy them from homeowners, AND clean up after themselves to make it look as if the ground was never touched. Whenever I get a call to remove something bigger than I can handle, I call in the big boys. 

For me, craigslist would be a last resort. Start with the phonebook. Make a few bucks.


----------



## Kap (Jun 20, 2008)

tripflex said:


> Like if i offer it to a landscaping company should i charge them for it too?


Call and ask how much they pay (not if they pay) for a mature palm.



> ..maybe do a trade with a company if they remove that one and put a new smaller one in?


That should be very easily negotiated. 



> Should i look for a certain type of palm to put there? So i wouldn't have this issue again?


Samoan coconut is nice. I've rarely seen cocnuts on them higher than about 8ft. They're really nice trees, and the cocos won't be high enough to cause concern.

Bottle palms would be anothewr great choice. They mature at about ten feet. They look great lining a driveway as well, planted in line at 8-10 feet apart.


----------

