Should I cut this one off?

[Dave_E]

Hi All,

My 10 year old Windmill Palm is doing well this winter, seems to have made it through our cold spell OK. There is one fan that has taken a serious dip from the crown and wonder if I should cut it off now? Can that hurt the crown if I leave it?  Dave

[Allen]

You mean the frond on the left?  Leave it

[Las Palmas Norte]

If it's green leave it. These are the fronds that are providing nutrients for the overall health of your palm.

[SeanK]

I can only speak for SE z8a, but Trachies can carry up to 60 leaves in the canopy. Hopefully @Las Palmas Norte can tell you what is normal for your corner of the country.

[Allen]

https://youtu.be/cOOhgmWnqRA?t=2729

Take a look here

[Chester B]

Your palm is pretty devoid of fronds, I agree with the others it should stay.  I would remove green fronds from my Trachies sometimes for aesthetic reasons, but they usually had at least 20 fronds if not way more.  It's serving a function and you take too many off your palm will grow more slowly and may end up too thin.  A couple pictures of mine after a trim.

Edited February 7, 2024 by Chester B

[Cody Salem]

I think Trachys look very awkward when they are trimmed heavily.  I really love the skirted look, I think it makes them look much more tropical.

[Trustandi]

Ditto.

@Cody Salem I like that trachy look. It reminds me of Washingtonia. 

[WSimpson]

17 hours ago, Cody Salem said:

I think Trachys look very awkward when they are trimmed heavily.  I really love the skirted look, I think it makes them look much more tropical.

Nice skirt ; I want some of mine to have a skirt like that , and others I might defiber some and prune off the skirts . 

Will

[Chester B]

With all the tens of thousands of Trachys in the PNW,  it's very rare to see one with a skirt.  They usually are the neglected ones.  Too bad I moved mine were at the height where I was going to let the skirt form...

[Cody Salem]

This is a 2023 photo of the first palm I ever planted.  The new owners defiantly neglected it, but I really like how full it looks now.

 

This is another neglected one that I liked.    circa 2012

 

 

same one circa 2023  skirt trimmed off, but still left lots of old fronds

 

 

Edited February 9, 2024 by Cody Salem
added date

[Cody Salem]

One more from Roseburg.  I love the wild look,  makes them seem like they are there naturally.

 

[ZPalms]

I still don't understand how the Y cut became popular because it's ugly. I love a big healthy crown and some skirting; it just looks more tropical. 😍

Edited February 9, 2024 by ZPalms

[PalmatierMeg]

Agree: leave it. That Trachy is way overtrimmed. Give it some slack. It's a living entity not a fashion statement.

[Las Palmas Norte]

I planted these two palms in circa 1998 as 5 gal palms (25 yrs ago). We sold this house in 2001 and would never have laid eyes on them again, until photos recently came up from a real estate listing. They don't really look as cared for as they should be. Alive just the same.

I did plant two on opposite sides of the driveway, but no pics of those.