To Trim or not to trim? ...that is my question.

[Tracy]

The new flush on the Cycas thouarsii x cupida was a little longer that I expected, while the Caryota is holding almost all its fronds, including the one right over the Cycas.  I know everyone says "don't remove green" from palms.  I also know that the Cycas will appreciate more sun, and I can't even see the top sides of the leaflets on the Cycas now.  The Caryota has plenty of other leaves above, and is a vigorous grower.  It shows no signs that this frond or the one immediate below it (the two lowest its holding) will be turning brown and prepared to drop on their own, any time soon. 

I also considered where to post this, and decided to favor the "tropical plants other than palms" page rather than the palm page, since the offense would be to the palm, and the protected plant is the non-palm.  So what would you do, follow the common wisdom of leaving everything on the palm, or not stress and remove the offending frond?  To trim... or not to trim?  That is my question.

[Tracy]

When I planted them in 2015, I expected that the Caryota would be significantly overhead of the Cycas in no time.  While it is way overhead now, it also has retained almost all the lower leaves.  This is 2015..

So, would you trim the Caryota?

[Darold Petty]

Your Caryota looks quite vigorous, so I would remove the one frond. 

[5150cycad]

I agree and would cut the one frond off the Caryota. I can’t believe how fast your cycas hybrid is growing. It seems to almost double in size every year. Wow!

[Tracy]

2 hours ago, 5150cycad said:

I agree and would cut the one frond off the Caryota. I can’t believe how fast your cycas hybrid is growing. It seems to almost double in size every year. Wow!

 

6 hours ago, Darold Petty said:

Your Caryota looks quite vigorous, so I would remove the one frond. 

 

6 hours ago, Tracy said:

When I planted them in 2015, I expected that the Caryota would be significantly overhead of the Cycas in no time.  While it is way overhead now, it also has retained almost all the lower leaves.  This is 2015..

So, would you trim the Caryota?

Thank you Darold and Bryan.  That was the nudge I needed.  Yes both the Caryota and the Cycas thouarsii x cupida have been vigorous growers.  The lopping shears will come out tomorrow!  Off with the offending frond!  You can see how both have grown since planted almost 3 years ago, so I don't think this will set back the Caryota.

[Palm Tree Jim]

Trim it.

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Cut it

[Tracy]

3 hours ago, Palm Tree Jim said:

Trim it.

 

2 hours ago, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

Cut it

"And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."  I always liked the end of that movie, "The Man with the X-Ray Eyes", so I plucked that frond right out!

[Firepalm]

Looks way better!  That Caryota won't even notice that missing leaf  

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Much Better!!!!!!!

[Tracy]

Upping the ante... what if it were your prized Dypsis prestoniana and an Encephalartos princeps?

[Darold Petty]

Compare the leaf surface area of the offending frond to the overall amount of newer fronds.  I would remove that one also !

[Josue Diaz]

Good call on trimming. Looks great, and I'm sure the palm won't flinch. 

I'd give ol' prestoniana the same treatment. 

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Trim it! Off with the frond!

[Tracy]

On 6/1/2018, 8:36:38, Darold Petty said:

Compare the leaf surface area of the offending frond to the overall amount of newer fronds.  I would remove that one also !

 

On 6/1/2018, 11:44:56, Josue Diaz said:

I'd give ol' prestoniana the same treatment. 

 

On 6/4/2018, 6:35:19, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

Trim it! Off with the frond!

 

On 6/1/2018, 7:55:28, Tracy said:

Upping the ante... what if it were your prized Dypsis prestoniana and an Encephalartos princeps?

 

Initially I just trimmed a few leaflets hanging down.  As the entire leaf kept getting lower and the flush kept stretching it became apparent the Encephalartos princeps needed more room to reach up to clear sun.  So I did it today!