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Gerstenberger: Get rid of ugly palm trees in Sun City West

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There have been several recent letters about palms.

Opinions vary, as do the reasons for the opinions. Many have some truth to them. Yes, young and full palm trees are beautiful. Yes, a lot of money could be saved by cutting them down and so forth. But it also costs a huge amount of money to remove them.

Trees recently over-pruned — read “butchered” — are ugly for some months. Trees too tall and pencil thin are ugly all the time. Butchering every year for 40 years is the culprit. It causes the tree to produce more fronds, and each new frond adds a little height and results in a thinner trunk.

Why do they do that? Was it the cockeyed idea of one of the original builders, or was it started by the pruners as the easy way to get at the seed stalks? I don’t believe anyone knows, yet it goes on year after year, even though the horticulture department of both the University of Arizona and the University of Nevada strongly recommend against it. Their articles put it this way, “Don’t remove anything green — the tree sucks back the nutrients as the frond dries and hangs down; don’t prune above the horizontal; don’t prune for purely cosmetic reasons,” etc.

What can be done to satisfy most residents? As a start, get the rec centers to remove 1,000 or so of the tallest and ugliest. They could get a better price if they took bids on 50 or 100 at a time. The area would not notice the loss, as the 1,500 or so left would be plenty. Try to get the same price for residents who would also like to get rid of some. I, for one, have four or five that fit the ugly moniker. From the house we just see bare elephant legs. Any green is way up there, out of sight.

Next, stop the butchering and let the poor things look natural. Isn’t that what beauty is all about? If the pruners can’t reach the seed stalk at the trunk, leave a little — with a full head of fronds you won’t notice.

Next, periodically plant a few new ones. Don’t butcher them and they will be beautiful for many years, all year long!

Please don’t stop the letters. It’s going to take a lot of effort to get any change.

Duane F. Gerstenberger

Sun City West