Misconceptions - Pruning Palms - Hurricane Cuts

Friends don’t let friends massacre palms.

Professionals shouldn’t massacre them either.

The problem with so-called ‘hurricane cuts’ (top photo) is that when lots of people see lots of palms pruned this way, they come to believe that the ‘hurricane cut’ or ‘indian cut’ is the proper way to prune palms. So that’s what they expect to see and even ask for. Then even professionals that know the right way to prune palms (bottom photo) may be asked to prune palms the wrong way, even when they know better.

Here are the facts. Hurricane cuts compromise palms in several ways. First, it doesn’t help, and may compromise palms in high winds. Second, it compromises the ability of palms to create food. Fewer fronds mean less food. Plus, when palms run out of nutrients in the soil due to too much rain or other conditions, they can pull mobile nutrients from lower fronds. Where do they pull those nutrients when there are NO lower fronds? 

Hurricane cuts can remove so much foliage that the trunk becomes constricted and a potential weak point.  Trees that have been severely pruned for a time and then left to grow have an hourglass figure; this constriction can snap off in high winds.

More information: 
Hurricane cuts compromise palm health – http://bit.ly/mAhwif