Coco Nuts

[sur4z]

The Town of Palm Beach in its infinite wisdom decided it needed more Palms (which isn't a bad thing), but all in a row and all the same size?? This stretch of County Road was lined with Queen Palms but they were very scruffy and were removed (which was a good thing), but the new Cocos look like ants marching. The following photos are a little dark and I will post better ones if this thread goes anywhere. The trees looked to be spaced 10-12 feet apart and cost $1500 each. (You hear that Ken?)

[paulgila]

i didnt know coco palms had legs.

[Mark Heath]

Wow, looks sweet! The lanscaper raped the county/city though! They should've costed about a third of the price! I wish they lined my street! All they plant here in Orlando is Sabals and Oak trees! I them both but it would be nice to see something different!

[TikiRick]

Wow...is this on your drive to or from your house? What a welcome!!!

But, $1,500 per palm is a bit steep. $250 goes to the palm and the rest for labor? Who is going to trim those bad boys up when they are dripping with seed hanging over car windshields whipping by?

The City of Coral Gables in Dade County (Miami metro) planted huge Royals in a tight space along a busy corridor of the city. When those fronds drop, they are trouble. So, they now have to trim relatively green fronds before they fall onto cars headed to Starbucks or Nordstroms! Oh my!

Edited July 25, 2008 by TikiRick

[sur4z]

Rick- The Town has a contract with a big tree company named Zimmerman and they trim all the Cocos and Royals in Town and also inoculate the Palms that are susceptible to lethal yellowing. The residents of the Town can piggy back on the Town's price per tree for inoculation, which is a prety good deal!

[Ken Johnson]

The price per palm is $250 if they are the best looking palm in the world. With the prices falling you can get a skinny one like that for $150.

[kahili]

it looks like right now, they have the fronds all tied up. As soon as they untie the fronds, those fronds are going to be in the lane. Coconut fronds are long and heavy, and grow pretty fast. What a strange choice for that close to the road.

Palm Beach-is this Fla or Ca that we are talking about? Will coconuts even grow that well in either place in the winter, esp considering the amt of leaves that will have to be cut off to stay out of the road?

[Walter John]

Please grab some pics after the untie. Thanks for posting.

[rozpalm]

it looks like right now, they have the fronds all tied up. As soon as they untie the fronds, those fronds are going to be in the lane. Coconut fronds are long and heavy, and grow pretty fast. What a strange choice for that close to the road.

Palm Beach-is this Fla or Ca that we are talking about? Will coconuts even grow that well in either place in the winter, esp considering the amt of leaves that will have to be cut off to stay out of the road?

Palm Beach is a very wealthy town in Palm Beach County, Florida. Most likely the bike riders will get the frond in their faces. I would guess that those are Malayans which don't have the super long fronds like the talls and Maypans do.

[PalmGuyWC]

The taxes that will be collected from the sale of Donald Trump's mansion for 95 million will pay for those palms and several other roads in Palm Beach. At $1500 per tree, sounds like they bought them from Trump.

Coconuts do sound like an odd choice. Why not Royals which look much more regal if planted in a row? If the Queens looked ratty, probably so will the coconuts if they are not watered and fertilized.

Dick

[ed110220]

It always amazes me when I see such large palms planted by local authorities. Of course it gives an instant effect, but how much money could be saved by planting small plants and having a little patience? Most palms used like this in landscaping are pretty fast growing anyway in the tropics and subtropics.

[Jim in Los Altos]

I wish my city planners would use palms...any kind would do. I see them being used more and more in bordering cities though, which I'm happy to see. At least those Cocos in the pictures will always look healthier than the queens must have considering how much fertilizer and water queens need to look good. I still like queens if well cared for but most public plantings of them are more neglected than the ones in private landscapes.

[rozpalm]

The taxes that will be collected from the sale of Donald Trump's mansion for 95 million will pay for those palms and several other roads in Palm Beach. At $1500 per tree, sounds like they bought them from Trump.

Coconuts do sound like an odd choice. Why not Royals which look much more regal if planted in a row? If the Queens looked ratty, probably so will the coconuts if they are not watered and fertilized.

Dick

They've already done the Royal thing. They have a street appropriately called Royal Palm Way that is lined in about a 1000 or so +60' Royals. Here is a little video I found driving down Royal Palm Way, which is the main enterance into Palm Beach from the main land.

[bubba]

Pedro, Good to see somebody dynamited your rear side out that dam green chair.Pictures are a little fuzzy.Are you sure those aren't Mangoes?

The Town of Palm Beach and those Cocoanuts are kind of funny.It starts with the horrible Lethal Yellowing situation in Palm Beach and the Manillian/Christmas tree palms on Worth Ave.Those Manillians had been on Worth Ave for over 50 years.Panic set in.Even though the palms looked great,Town officials got the scary hebe/gebes.After vast research,the answer was clear.Plant beautiful Queen Palms instead of those "not long for this world"Christmas Palms.

Even people who were not interested in Palms felt that the Queens were ugly and inapropriate for Worth Ave.The answer was clear.A new Palm had been discovered in Australia called a Woody.It would be perfect.The Queens were replanted along North County(oh the beauty) and Woody's were planted on Worth Ave.The charm of the Woody's did not last long when it was discovered that their droppings were much like that Alfred Hitchcock movie.Those Queens were continuing their beautification of North County.

As the world turns,the deadly Lethal Yellowing virus was less than expected.The Woody's had Town Officials on edge.The answer was clear.Let's replant Christmas Tree Palms! The history,the drama,the yesteryear thing.

Fast forward a few years.The beauty of those Queens was starting to wear a little thin even on those with poor eyesight.Simple solution.Let's plant $1500.00 Cocoanut palms three feet away from eachother.Next...

[DoomsDave]

Oomph!

Oh, gawd, broke my swooning sofa . . . .

Again!

Who cares how much they cost?

They'll be gorgeous when they root in.

Would that you could do that in Newport Beach!

Pulling out crying towel, . . . .

Hey, wait a minute, we've got parajubes (wipe wipe wipe )

[Kris]

Nice information,and i can see the road dept or the local corporation is taking keen intreast in beautifing that place to give a tropical look.but these trees need proper care and maintanence.since they are heavy on fertilizer consumtion & regular watering ! since if they are left without it can severely damage its grouth.

one thing i do not understand is why the goverment is keen on planting tall growing trees in roads...where cars & bike do travel in speed.and during stormy rains and wind,these can cause hazars to the road user.and old folks & kids are more susepetable to dangers of coconut strike...and its also expensive for the goverment to hire a palm doctor to regularly clean all the dried leaves & nuts..

love,

Kris

.

[sur4z]

on and on and on and on!

[fiji jim]

What a poor choice !

High maintenance.

I hope that they are not the extremely tall varieties or the mess after a serious storm will be more than serious.

[Mark Heath]

The Coconut palm is by far my favorite, but,,,,, i have to agree that it was a poor choice to plant them so close to the road! I still love to look at them and next year when i'm down there i'll have to check them out! I have a bunch oh of tall Queens and one Coconut lining my driveway and the Coconut hit my truck w/ it's fronds up untill a cpl of years ago! Keep in mind that it was larger than the ones in the pics! I'm still happy though that they chose Cocos Nuciferas, call it prejudice!!!

[Jeff in Costa Rica]

I agree they are going to be high maintenance and are not the best choice for planting along a road. But think how beautiful that drive will be in a few years when they gain some height!

[_Keith]

Look at the proximity to the street and the sidewalk. The first time one drops a nut on a car or a person, the city will get sued, and then whalla, again at the expense of the tax payer, out every one of them will go.

[Jeff Searle]

I love coconuts, a great symbol of the tropics. But......not only did the city get raped on the price, but what a poor choice on planting such a large tree so near the road. I wonder what city employee made that brilliant decission?

Jeff

[DoomsDave]

All right.

As a coco-nut-ista I admit favorable prejudice.

On the other hand, okay, there's a chance a nut may hit a nut.

Hmm.

I get a sense that these are not heavily traversed sidewalks.

I know, yes yes, yes, chance has no memory, but I'll bet there'll be few problems with nuts on noggins than many might think.

I'll just jog in my hard-hat . ... .

[Kris]

All right.

As a coco-nut-ista I admit favorable prejudice.

On the other hand, okay, there's a chance a nut may hit a nut.

Hmm.

I get a sense that these are not heavily traversed sidewalks.

I know, yes yes, yes, chance has no memory, but I'll bet there'll be few problems with nuts on noggins than many might think.

I'll just jog in my hard-hat . ... .

Dear Dave

i really laughed my lungs out reading the above comments....No doubt that i just love this forum so much

Dear Dave keep up the good work_my friend

lots of love,

Kris

[sur4z]

Please grab some pics after the untie. Thanks for posting.

Here you go. They look pretty good.

[Mark Heath]

Well i'll be darned!!! I guess if they keep them trimmed, then it's got my vote!!

Dave, i have a hardhat you can use to jog here with! And yes, we Floridians are jealous of you guys who can grow large

Parajubaeas! Keep up the funny stuff, i too was laughing my butt off at your reply!

[PalmGuyWC]

Dave, are you saying Newport Beach has a street lined with Parajubaeas, or that they COULD be lined with Parajubaas? I'd sure like to see a street lined with Parajubaeas (or Jubaeas) up my way. Better yet, Bujubaea X Syagrus would grow in my neighborhood and look great.

Dick

[bubba]

I agree.A street lined by 100 foot plus Parajub's interspersed with Rhopy's would cause an influx of folks from all over the world,including myself.

[_Keith]

I agree.A street lined by 100 foot plus Parajub's interspersed with Rhopy's would cause an influx of folks from all over the world,including myself.

To be accurate, it would draw your grandchildren to visit ;-)

[John Case]

We spent a couple of days at the Riveria Maya (translate,..Cancun). Coconut palms are all over the roads there,..and fully fruited as well. They may be using them for all of the adult drinks served there....

[bubba]

Keith,Not if they gave Ken Johnson the contract and $1500.00 a pop.He would move to Cali and start moving Jubea's from peoples yard at night together with Rhopies!

[Kris]

Keith,Not if they gave Ken Johnson the contract and $1500.00 a pop.He would move to Cali and start moving Jubea's from peoples yard at night together with Rhopies!