Plant in Palm Bark

[Pegasus]

I have this tree growing in my palm bark (pseudobark).

is this something to worry about?

[flplantguy]

It appears to be a strangler fig so it could take over in time and they get very large. It would eventually outcompete the tree and most of that area, so removal before it gets larger is a good idea.  The plant is pretty cool but ends up in bad places like where this one is.

[Harry’s Palms]

I have one growing in my Butia and I haven’t figured out how to eradicate it. Harry

[Johnny Palmseed]

Can you reach it with a pole saw? If you cut the branches constantly it will eventually die off.

[Looking Glass]

1 minute ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

Can you reach it with a pole saw? If you cut the branches constantly it will eventually die off.

I had one like this.  It didn’t take many cut backs.  2-3x at most and then it just died off.  Get a ladder and some clippers and just cut as much of it back as you can, or the pole saw if that’s impossible. 

[Tracy]

18 hours ago, Pegasus said:

I have this tree growing in my palm bark (pseudobark).

is this something to worry about?

In LA, I wouldn't worry about a Ficus like that strangling your Phoenix palms.  We don't have enough humidity to allow it to really take over.  Worry more about the arrival of the South American palm weevil doing damage to Phoenix palms in the coming years.  They are here in San Diego County now and working their way north.

Enjoy the Ficus epiphyte, as they rarely become parasites here.

[Johnny Palmseed]

2 hours ago, Tracy said:

In LA, I wouldn't worry about a Ficus like that strangling your Phoenix palms.  We don't have enough humidity to allow it to really take over.  Worry more about the arrival of the South American palm weevil doing damage to Phoenix palms in the coming years.  They are here in San Diego County now and working their way north.

Enjoy the Ficus epiphyte, as they rarely become parasites here.

I was actually surprised that it was in L.A. I didn’t know they grew out there. I see them regularly here in Florida and they are listed as a native plant.

[Silas_Sancona]

2 hours ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

I was actually surprised that it was in L.A. I didn’t know they grew out there. I see them regularly here in Florida and they are listed as a native plant.

Not the same species as seen in FL...  F. aurea or citrifolia  Neither of which are grown in CA  ..to my knowledge at least.. 

Several Ficus cultivated in CA can start life as a Pseudo - epiphyte / produce aerial roots that can reach the ground and eventually strangle the " host " .

That said, agree w/ Tracy,  Any Ficus seedlings that might start out life up in trees in CA will have a tougher time producing long enough aerial roots that will reach the ground..

Not to say that it can't happen in time though,  esp. if the seedling were to sprout closer to the ground on say a Washingtonia or Sabal that still had boots on it.