Palms WON’T damage concrete

[DoomsDave]

That’s a pretty regular- and reasonable - question here on Palm Talk.

Here’s a picture of my big Archontophoenix maxima right next to the front walkway, no damage at all.

Conan provides scale.

[flplantguy]

People in Florida never blame palms for anything, but an oak tree is always the culprit, even when its not.  And the funny part is i have no solid foundations for my plants to mess up anyway lol.  Even my driveway is shell since its cheaper and having the entire thng covered in concrete.  The new developments only have room for palms now, since they don't damage anything and the spaces are barely large enough to fit one.  The only thing i have ever seen is a large royal trunk pushing out an old block wall it was against.  The concrete walkway and foundation below was untouched.

[DoomsDave]

6 minutes ago, flplantguy said:

People in Florida never blame palms for anything, but an oak tree is always the culprit, even when its not. 
 

How about Ficus, coral trees or poinciana?

[idontknowhatnametuse]

5 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

How about Ficus, coral trees or poinciana?

Ficus and Poinciana have a very bad reputation here in Mexico, before the 2011 freeze my city Monterrey was full of Ficus benjamina. Every street would have at least 10 Ficus benjamina trees and it was common to see broken sidewalks, after the 2011 freeze wiped 99% of them, Delonix regia became popular and the same thing happened with sidewalks, Delonix haven't and I think will never be completely wiped out like the Ficus benjamina because they aren't as tender as Ficus benjamina and people like them because they produce a lot of shade. A lot of Delonix regia survived the 2021 freeze, a lot of them are pre-2011.

[flplantguy]

Too far north here for many of them, but yes they get ragged on too.  Coral trees i dont see any, i guess soil? San diego had some killer specimens and i was dissapointed to not see them here. Baldcypress sometimes, sycamores too but less often.  And with the sand and high water table most are shallow surface rooted and no one wants to root prune or use barrier even though its affordable to do.

[Bill H2DB]

   I took this pic about 45 days ago .  The palm is  slow motion  " oozing " over the curb .

I have no idea if the it was planted off center in the little island in the parking lot , or if it is a volunteer .  There's other Washingtonias in the same lot .

[happypalms]

3 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

That’s a pretty regular- and reasonable - question here on Palm Talk.

Here’s a picture of my big Archontophoenix maxima right next to the front walkway, no damage at all.

Conan provides scale.

Forget the palm canon is one cool ginger cat 🐈 The good old ginger Tabby 

[sonoranfans]

I have seen hundreds big palms withing inches of concrete, nothing.  A recent seller here has been curbing with rebar to solidify it.  Oaks mess it up good within 5-10 years, palms have done nothing.  When a 10-15 foot slab is lifted slightly intact that is not a invasive root problem, more like ground settling seen that many times with no trees at all.  Show me a crack not along a designed seam.  

[Harry’s Palms]

I had a neighbor cut down a palm that he swore lifted his driveway. I tried to convince him  otherwise to no avail, the palm came down . The driveway continued to lift! I told him what I was told at my other house. Water gets under the slab and causes the “lift”. Other trees can and will cause concrete and asphalt to lift but as has been displayed here , not any palms that I know of. I have a pathway on the side of my house that made with pavers and cobble and it hasn’t been disturbed by all the palms right next to it. Oh …. and Conan the cat knows this as well! Harry

You can see , I have two large Queens , as well as others ,that are very close to this pathway . The unevenness is my lack of masonry skill not the palm roots. Been this way for years!

[DoomsDave]

1 hour ago, happypalms said:

Forget the palm canon is one cool ginger cat 🐈 The good old ginger Tabby 

Conan named after the barabarian. He’s constantly touring his palm garden!

[Jim in Los Altos]

Parajubaea, Bismarckia, and Foxy Lady are just a few palms I have right next to hardscaping.