When it comes to palms we need to be aware what a healthy, properly pruned palm looks like.
Contrary to popular belief, this picture is not a properly pruned palm tree. It is unattractive and is weaker than a full canopied palm tree.
A properly pruned and fertilized palm as in this picture, should have a round canopy with green fronds. Palms should have round crowns, not “feather-duster” crowns.
Older fronds in palms (the lowest row in the canopy) will die back and turn brown. They usually drop down and hang against the trunk when they die. If you have a palm that has dead fronds and they are remaining within the canopy, you should seek some advice. Most often this is a nutrient deficiency.
Often customers are advised by companies or landscapers to prune palms prior to hurricane season. “Hurricane cutting” the palms means most of their leaves are cut off, ostensibly to reduce wind resistance. However, it has been proven that these palms are more likely to have their crowns snapped off than fuller palms. This is NOT a recommended practice.
In short, what should be pruned? Removal of completely dead leaves, flowers and fruit stalks is never a problem. If you have half dead or discolored lower leaves that are staying in the canopy and not hanging, it is likely a potassium deficiency. Despite being unattractive, these fronds should be left on to provide potassium. Removal adds to the problem. Seek advice.
Another question we get asked about a lot is root “problems”. This is a perfectly normal occurrence for many palms. Sometimes the roots stay short as in this picture but sometimes as in Phoenix Palms (Sylvester and Pgymy Date Palms) it can extend several feet up.