Palmless California has begun

IrishEyes

IrishEyes

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Location
Midwest
My oldest son works for the City of Long Beach, Ca. They are replacing Palm trees with leafy type trees. His crew has already replaced
many of them and still more to go. Palm trees require much more water than leafy trees and do not emit oxygen, so they are not really
eco-friendly to the communities. Also a fire hazard as we saw in the fires recently. My son educated me a bit on them and turns out they
not actually a tree, but from the weed family. Having grown up there, it will seem so odd to not see them along the coastline if I ever visit there
again. But I can understand why they need replace them. (Clarification on me calling them from the weed family, there is not a weed family but they are called a weed when grown on city streets and no longer wanted due to large water consumption and being a fire hazard)
I hope this clears up further confusion.
 

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Palms are in the Arecaceae family. There is no taxonomic group of weeds, so no "weed family" exists.

In general weeds are plants growing where they are not wanted, so a palm in it's native environment is not a weed, OTOH, palms on city streets, now unwanted, that suck water and are fire hazards are weeds.

Wiki- "The Arecaceae (/ˌærəˈkeɪsi.iː, -ˌaɪ/) is a family of perennial, flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are colloquially called palm trees.[4] Currently, 181 genera with around 2,600 species are known,[5][6] most of which are restricted to tropical and subtropical climates. Most palms are distinguished by their large, compound, evergreen leaves, known as fronds, arranged at the top of an unbranched stem, except for the Hyphaene genus, who has branched palms. However, palms exhibit an enormous diversity in physical characteristics and inhabit nearly every type of habitat within their range, from rainforests to deserts."

Corn is a monocot as well.
 
againstthegrain said:
Palms are in the Arecaceae family. There is no taxonomic group of weeds, so no "weed family" exists.

In general weeds are plants growing where they are not wanted, so a palm in it's native environment is not a weed, OTOH, palms on city streets, now unwanted, that suck water and are fire hazards are weeds.

Wiki- "The Arecaceae (/ˌærəˈkeɪsi.iː, -ˌaɪ/) is a family of perennial, flowering plants in the monocot order Arecales. Their growth form can be climbers, shrubs, tree-like and stemless plants, all commonly known as palms. Those having a tree-like form are colloquially called palm trees.[4] Currently, 181 genera with around 2,600 species are known,[5][6] most of which are restricted to tropical and subtropical climates. Most palms are distinguished by their large, compound, evergreen leaves, known as fronds, arranged at the top of an unbranched stem, except for the Hyphaene genus, who has branched palms. However, palms exhibit an enormous diversity in physical characteristics and inhabit nearly every type of habitat within their range, from rainforests to deserts."

Corn is a monocot as well.
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Thanks for that clarification on weed family, I could not think of the proper name he called him, which he did. His reference to them being a weed was the later. We actually speak on the phone not text so that Arecaceae was a foreign name to me. Sorry for the misguidance on that and thank you for clearing it up.
 
IrishEyes said:
My oldest son works for the City of Long Beach, Ca. ... My son educated me a bit on them and turns out they
not actually a tree, but from the weed family. Having grown up there, it will seem so odd to not see them along the coastline if I ever visit there
again. But I can understand why they need replace them.
Click to expand...
That seems odd. I didn't know that weeds are a family. I thought that a weed is defined as any unwanted plant.

Weed: a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants. --Oxford Languages Dictionary
 
gruntlabor said:
That seems odd. I didn't know that weeds are a family. I thought that a weed is defined as any unwanted plant.

Weed: a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants. --Oxford Languages Dictionary
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I replied to againstthegrain on my misquote and thanked him for the clarification "Thanks for that clarification on weed family, I could not think of the proper name he called them, which he did. His reference to them being a weed was the later. We actually speak on the phone not text so that Arecaceae was a foreign name to me. Sorry for the misguidance on that and thank you for clearing it up."
 
Next will be constant complaints, leafy branches, half of a down tree blocking the highway, leaf fire burnings etc.
Cal. H2O, they have nothing. Then flooding!
 
Palm trees are a diverse group of perennial flowering plants characterized by their distinctive single trunk and large, evergreen leaves called fronds. They are primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions and belong to the Arecaceae family. While commonly associated with warm climates and beach scenery, some palm species can tolerate cooler temperatures and can even be grown indoors.

Here's a more detailed look at palm trees:
Key Characteristics:
  • Family: Arecaceae (also known as Palmae).

  • Growth Habit: Can be trees, shrubs, or lianas (vines).

    • Leaves: Large, evergreen, compound leaves called fronds.
    • Trunk: Typically unbranched, though some species like Hyphaene have branched trunks.
    • Habitat: Primarily tropical and subtropical regions, but some species can adapt to temperate areas.
    • Diversity: There are roughly 2,600 species of palms, exhibiting a wide range of sizes and appearances.
Popular Types:
    • Coconut Palm: A well-known palm with edible nuts and a tall, slender trunk.
    • Date Palm: Grows in arid regions and produces edible dates.
    • Areca Palm: Popular for indoor use due to its tolerance of low light.
    • Chinese Fan Palm: Another indoor favorite, known for its fan-shaped leaves.
    • Sago Palm: Actually a cycad, not a true palm, but often grouped with them.
    • Majesty Palm: Popular for landscaping, but requires specific care.
Uses:
    • Ornamental: Palm trees are widely used for landscaping in tropical and subtropical areas, and some are popular indoor plants.
    • Food: Coconuts, dates, and other palm products are important food sources.
    • Materials: Palm leaves, trunks, and other parts are used for building materials, crafts, and other products.
Care:
    • Sunlight: Most palms prefer full sun but some can tolerate partial shade.
    • Watering: Newly planted palms need regular watering, while established palms are relatively drought-tolerant.
    • Fertilizing: Use a slow-release fertilizer in early spring.
 
IrishEyes said:
Palm trees require much more water than leafy trees and do not emit oxygen
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That sounded questionable to me and I googled it, and to the extent that Google results can be trusted, it said palm trees don't as a category use more water, and they do produce oxygen. On the other hand, it said leafy trees sequester more carbon and their shade provides a cooling effect that is desirable to combat urban heat.
 
The street right near my childhood home is called Palm Ave. I walked it every school day for elementary learning in Monte Vista, California. It was lined with huge palm trees i think they were about 60ft tall. :)
 
I suspect California has a much more serious problem with its Eucalypt trees but I know Queensland councils tend to strip coconuts off trees in public spaces to reduce the danger of them falling on someone.
 
IrishEyes said:
My oldest son works for the City of Long Beach, Ca. They are replacing Palm trees with leafy type trees. His crew has already replaced
many of them and still more to go. Palm trees require much more water than leafy trees and do not emit oxygen, so they are not really
eco-friendly to the communities.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Actually, most palms are very drought resistant and require less water than deciduous trees. And like all green plants, palms absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen during photosynthesis. Personally, I've always been put off by palms as they're a favorite nesting site for rats (ick!).:(
 
I think palm trees are more of a symbol than a useful tree. It's like saying " Hey, look how nice the weather is here."

When we get our strong Santa Ana winds there are palm fronds all over the roads.

I've watched guys climb those skinny trunks to prune them. I wouldn't do that for a million bucks.
 

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