If you're growing a larger palm tree, like a coconut palm (Cocos nucifera, USDA hardiness zones 10-12), you may need to prune it from time to time. Keeping your palm tree trimmed can be key to growing a large and healthy specimen. One area of palm pruning that can be controversial, though, is smoothing the trunk. Knowing how and when to safely prune your palm can help you make your palm tree smooth without harming it.
Why Palm Trunks Aren't Smooth
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In spite of common parlance, palms aren't actually trees and don't have wooden trunks. The foliage on palms grows from the top of the plant. As a palm grows taller, the places from which leaves once sprouted begin to form the stem itself.
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As the palm gets taller, its leaves will be higher on the plant's stem. The lower leaves will fall off, but the place where they grew will be marked. These markings are what make the distinctive scarred pattern on your palm tree trunk.
When to Trim the Trunk
It's generally advised to keep palm pruning to a minimum. Opening the trunk unnecessarily can leave your plant susceptible to disease, which can damage it. However, if your trunk is overwhelmed with old, dead fronds that make it look shaggy and rough, you can trim them back for a smoother, more uniform appearance. Trimming a shaggy palm trunk is particularly important if you live in an area where wildfires, hurricanes or rodent infestations are a concern.
How to Make a Palm Smooth
If you're attempting to prune a palm trunk, begin by wearing the correct safety gear. Thick gardening gloves are important, and wearing goggles can be helpful in protecting your eyes. You should also thoroughly clean the cutting tools you're planning to use and then sterilize the blades beforehand using rubbing alcohol, which doesn't have to be rinsed off. Pathogens on your tools can easily be transferred to your palm during the pruning process and can cause issues in the future.
A pruning saw is usually the best tool for cutting back fronds on your palm's trunk. Trim at the base close to the trunk but never make contact between your saw's blade and the trunk itself. Any cuts on your palm's trunk won't heal and will leave an easy access point for diseases or pests. If any fronds are growing at an angle greater than 90 degrees, they shouldn't be touched.
You can also use a chain saw to trim your palm tree, but extreme care is needed to ensure you don't accidentally cause lasting damage to your plant. If your palm is very tall or in need of extreme trimming with a chain saw, it's better to call a professional to keep yourself and your palm tree safe.
Although there are different types of palm trees with smoother-looking trunks than others, if you want a tree with a truly smooth and even trunk, it may be better to choose a different tree altogether. Some species of palms will always bear distinctive patterns and be prone to some level of shaggy growth, and overpruning for aesthetic reasons can damage your plant.