The Treetop View for L.A. Homebuyers: Tall Palms Are a Headache

Five years ago, an unseasonal January windstorm snapped our neighbors’ 20 foot palm tree in half. If its fall hadn’t been broken by the roof of our neighbor’s SUV, the tree probably would have crashed into our front window.

The gently swaying palm tree, like those seen in a sunset photo yesterday on the Your Scene blog, is an icon for Southern California’s ideal climate and relaxed lifestyle. Curbed LA just reported a local protest at the removal of mature palm trees; taking the other side, one of its commenters shot back that palm tree fronds rain down on cars and pedestrians. I’m in that camp: these trees are far from care free.

Palm trees are supposed to sway in the wind, for example, but our neighbors’ did not. I believe the tree snapped because stringed lights tightly wound around it from the base to the top didn’t allow any flex.

If a tall palm graces a property you want to buy, take a close look at how many dried fronds are attached to its crown but lowered against the trunk. Dried up palm fronds are heavy and have sharp ridged edges. Strong winds hardly ever snap palm trees, but they often detach dead fronds and send these sharp, heavy objects plunging to the ground.

Once on the ground, they aren’t easy to get rid of. They are usually too large to fit in regular trash bins, and they are very difficult to cut up. Both Glendale and Los Angeles do not allow palm fronds placed in green waste recycling bins.

At a hillside home we lived in, we got a reasonable landscape estimate for removing dead fronds off a mid-size palm: $250. Since this was just one line item in our over-budget landscape estimate, we decided to just let the fronds fall where they may.

I found an informative blog post yesterday ranting about an expensive palm trimming estimate, but the language used in the post to describe it is, in my opinion (grammarians can correct me), unfit to link to.

I’m always fascinated to witness extra-long cherry pickers sending brave men high into the air to trim the extremely tall palm trees lining some Glendale parkways. This must be a high-cost municipal budget item.

The story of this man’s former palm tree, located right near power lines, reminded me of the fire that started in my parents’ back yard because of a power line that touched the crown of their palm tree. Homes on surrounding streets lost power for several hours.

My conclusion for those first time homebuyers looking at landscapes: Palm trees offer little shade, pose real hazards, and are no picnic to trim.

Here are some Redfin listings in Glendale north of Glenoaks and east of Brand (within sight of those extremely tall palm trees I mentioned):

939 N. Isabel Street
$739,000
3 bed/2.25 bath
1,728 sq.ft.
$428 per sq.ft.
On Redfin 4 days

1230 N. Howard Street
$900,000
4 bed/3 bath
3,280 sq.ft.
$274 per sq.ft.
On Redfin 146 days
This listing says that the home is priced $80,000 below a recent appraisal, is in need of some TLC, but “has great bones and could be spectacular.” It is well below the average price per square foot in the neighborhood.

105 W. Kenneth Road
$990,000
3 bed/1.75 bath
2,344 sq.ft.
$422 per sq.ft.
On Redfin 37 days
This home has views of Glendale and (in the distance) downtown Los Angeles skylines, past its views of the palm trees lining Brand Blvd.