While palm trees can be a beautiful feature in your garden, they can also be a total pain if you’ve got the wrong palm tree for your space, or a ‘problem palm’. They can also require a lot of work to maintain depending on the species. If you’ve made the decision to have a palm tree removed or you’re on the fence, you’ve probably got some questions about the process. Here we take a closer look at what’s involved with palm tree removal, what regulations there are and what you can expect to pay.
When Should A Palm Tree Be Removed?
There’s a number of reasons you may want to have your palm tree removed. Some of the more common reasons are:
- Your tree is sick or dying and at risk of falling over
- It’s dropping heaving fronds or fruit pods which can be highly dangerous if it’s in the wrong spot
- The tree roots are out of control and lifting paths or structures
- Pest or disease infestation
- Neighbour complaints
There are many signs your tree may be sick can include wilting or discoloured leaves, a thinning trunk, cracks in the trunk, loss of foliage and signs of pests. But often unless you’re looking or know what you’re looking for, they can go undetected. If you do notice any of these signs, it’s important to have a professional Arborist inspect your tree as soon as possible to see if the tree can be saved or if it needs to be removed. A sick tree that is left to die can become a major hazard that can do a great deal of damage to your house and property.
What’s The Process For Removing A Palm Tree?
Before removing any tree, you need to check that you’re allowed to do so with your local council. Certain ‘significant’ or very large trees can be protected and if you cut them down without permission you may face big fines.
Palm trees can be very difficult to remove. They can have extensive root systems that spread extensively outwards, they can have extremely sharp leaves, their trunks are often fairly smooth, making them difficult to climb, and they can have very large, heavy fruit pods and fronds that can drop easily. Not to mention they can be extremely high with relatively thin trunks. Removing a palm tree is often a highly dangerous task that should only be done by experienced professionals with the appropriate equipment and safety gear.
Your Arborist will start by assessing the tree itself and the surrounding area to determine the best course of action for bringing the tree down safely. If you have a small palm tree that is not located near to any buildings, structures, powerlines or other services and won’t cause damage when it falls, the Arborist will more than likely cut it down using a chainsaw. If however the tree is large, near to buildings, powerlines or anything else that you don’t want damaged, the Arborist will need to take it down using a different technique. They will generally make various cuts in the trunk to weaken it, before using ropes and other equipment to essentially pull the tree down safely. The Arborist will then chip the tree and dispose of any other waste. Depending on the tree, you may need to have the stump ground out which can be done using a specialist piece of equipment called a stump grinder.
In some cases, you may wish to have your palm tree transplanted to another spot – be sure to speak to your Arborist about whether this is possible when they are giving you a quote.
How Much Can I Expect To Pay?
How much you will pay for your palm tree removal will be dependant on a number of factors:
- The species of the palm tree
- The size of the tree
- Location of the tree
- Accessibility
- Condition of the tree
- Time required
Your Arborist will assess all of these factors and determine a price accordingly. Obviously the bigger the tree and the harder it is to access, the more you will pay, as it’s likely the job will require more time and potentially specialised machinery to complete. Very generally speaking, for a very small palm tree in an easy spot with great access you could pay as little as $200 for a removal, if you’ve got a large palm tree that’s tricky to get to you could pay thousands.
Let the professionals take care of your palm tree removal for your total peace of mind. Aussie Tree Solutions have been providing expert tree removal, stump grinding and consulting services for over 35 years. Our highly skilled team will take care of your palm tree removal safely and efficiently with the greatest of care for your home and property.
Call Aussie Tree Solutions anytime, 24/7 and ask for a free quote on our palm tree removal services.