Palm trees are commonly seen throughout the Vegas valley. In this city, there are two different types of palms: California Fan Palm and Canary Island Palm trees. Understanding the differences of the two and how to maintain them is essential for properly caring for you Las Vegas landscaping.
Different Types of Palm Trees
The California Fan Palm is distinguished by the fan palms on the top of the tree. When the tree is trimmed down, you are able to see the braided look on the trunk of the tree, which is caused by the old pieces of palms that were pruned off.
The Canary Island Date Palm has more feathery looking palm leaves and the tree is pruned differently. On these palm trees, there is usually a thicker area at the top which makes the tree appear similar to a pineapple.
Maintenance for both types of trees is fairly simple. They do need to be watered, but not too often. Twice a year, you will need to mix water with palm tree fertilizer to give it some extra nutrients. Palm trees thrive when planted in sandy soil. Since palm trees get most of their nutrition through photosynthesis, the fertilizer acts as micro nutrients.
The root system of these two types of palm trees differs from other trees. Instead of a root system that spreads beneath them, palm trees just have a small root ball. As opposed to most types of trees, palm trees do not have branches. Palm trees are considered monocots because of the lack of extra branches growing from them.
Keeping Trees Healthy
In order to stay healthy, palm trees need to be trimmed on a regular basis. However, there is a myth that the more you cut off, the faster it will grow. This is not true. In fact, if you over trim a palm tree, it can actually stunt the growth of it. The less fronds on the top of the palm tree make it more susceptible to parasites, wind damage and fatal infections. You do need to remove any brown, dead palms. Leaving dead palms on the tree can also harm it.
Typically, palm trees need to be trimmed about once a year. Palm trees should have a least two rows of fronds on them after trimming. Never cut off any green, healthy palms, making sure to only trim the brown and yellow ones.
Trimming palm trees can be dangerous for the tree and the person cutting it. If the person does not know how to properly cut the fronds, they could end up killing the tree. Also, palm trees tend to be very tall. The person cutting them needs to have all the proper safety equipment to ensure no one gets hurt.
Don’t risk hurting yourself or the tree by trying to trim them yourself. A landscaper at Showcase Land Care can trim your trees so you won’t risk damaging them. They have been serving Las Vegas residents for over 10 years providing the highest standard of quality and workmanship at an affordable rate. For more information about Las Vegas landscaping, contact 702.531.6789.
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