What Happens When You Cut The Top Off A Palm Tree?

Will a palm tree die if you cut the top off? Yes. Palm trees aren’t real trees, at least not in their growth and body structure. For example, when you trim an apple, pine, or oak tree, the dominant buds growing on branches sprout even better.

But this does not happen with palm trees. So, YES! If you cut off the palm tree’s top, it will die because a new green frond cannot form.

The foliage component of the plant is responsible for photosynthesis so when you cut the palm’s top, which also houses the fronds, photosynthesis cannot tale place. Hence, the plant cannot make its food for growth or storage as fruits. And gradually, the plant will die.

In today’s article, we will be looking at what happens when you cut off the palm tree’s top as well as other things that can stop the growth of a palm tree.

Will A Palm Tree Die If You Cut the Top Off?

YES, plan trees will die if you cut off the top. When you cut off the palm’s top, you have just a pole that can do any stuff poles do. Palms grow only at buds, and this bud is at the end of stems and trunks.

These tips of stems and trunks are known as crownshafts. The crownshafts are green, long, and plump columns that sit on top of the trunk. New leaves grow from developing crownshaft or tips.

If you cut off the crown of the trunk or stem of any palm tree, you have succeeded in cutting off its growing point. You have brought an end to the stem’s growth, and nothing else can grow at that stem or trunk.

This is especially true for palms with single stems. For clustering palms, a lower basal growth occurs to replace the stem or trunk.

You should only cut the palmtop if the intention is to eliminate the palm tree. If this is not your intention, then do not try cutting the top off.

If the goal is to cut down the palm, it has to happen safely and controlled by the tree. The palm is tall and could pose a hazard if not handled properly. One of the ways to safely cut the palm is to cut the palm in sections. This is particularly important in high traffic areas.

It is better also to remove palms without tops. The trunk will keep rotting away if left standing and this will lead to insects and other animals that love dirt to live therein. A cluster of insects is always a menace.

Lastly, the palms without heads have to be cut because they are dangerous to passersby. Due to instability and lack of life, the trunk can bend or break, then fall on a property or human close by.

Original post here https://gardeningbank.com/will-palm-tree-die-if-you-cut-the-top-off/.