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I have questioned often in my blog the beauty of palms except in certain contexts.
The size of their leaves, the excessive amount of seeds are unsightly. No one has
discussed seriously the hazards of palm trees.
Palms should no be planted in roads, sidewalks, close to houses or highways unless
a real good maintenance service is available at all times. When those leaves fall
the could harm many things: people, animals and property. This type of organic
material is hard to dispose, impossible to compost.
On the other hand, palm trees unless you can observe, appreciate them from a distance
are just like a light post with a wig.
My blog is endemismotrasnochado.blogspot.com, now in English.
On the rest of your excellent article I have no comments since I agree
with your observations. Until, next.
Most palms in this area do not produce too many unsightly seeds- Queen palms are really the only ones I can think of that litter seeds to an annoying level that might create an unsightly problem, though Washingtonias certainly litter massive numbers of seeds that end up as weeds. As for safety, that is not really much of an issue here in my climate as most trees are pruned before (usually WAY before) the leaves are at risk for falling. The species in the article are not prolific leaf shedders and none have leaves that would be a risk when falling except perhaps a very old, unpruned Phoenix palm. The rest really are not hazardous at all. Perhaps in the tropics where you are the very tall palms with very heavy leaves are a danger. Most other trees here with heavy branches are the danger trees.. No one ever hears of a palm crushing a house, car or killing someone, yet pines, sycamores, magnolias, camphor trees and Eucalyptus do that all the time. If we're talking safety, palms would really be the ONLY tall trees planted in southern California.
Some Queen Palms have caused injuries and law suits here in the Los Angeles area, so now you may see some of them planted with a trellis under the canopy to catch any fallen foliage or even a crown that dies and drops suddenly. Keeping the Queens away from walking and parking zones is a good idea and those that are already planted need to be monitored or reviewed for modification for safety.
I rest my case. After the response from another CA gardener's opinion.
Reality bites. We need a W I D E focus to comment in our views, tropical or
else. Palms are a pain in the neck no matter what some think/say/write/believe.
What do palms do regarding pollution, for our environment? Air/Noise and waste management in most
city dumpsters...??
