Palms and utilities

18 years ago

Don't plant palms or any other prized plant above utilities if you can possibly help it. A large needle palm just two blocks from my house, which was over 20 years old, was recently removed as it was planted directly over water lines that are being replaced by the city. I go by this palm frequently and was shocked to see it gone a couple of weeks ago. All that remained was a pile of cut fronds. I don't know if it was removed by the owner or the city and didn't have the stomach to look whether it was transplanted or summarily cut to the ground, but I do know that it was big enough that digging it out would have been very difficult.

I guess it's better than having lead water pipes, but this was one of the oldest and most beautiful needle palms in the city. Rhapidophyllum hystrix, R.I.P.

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Comments (11)

anttisepp
18 years ago
Great loss. Thanks for memory. I do hate such deals.
jimhardy
18 years ago
Well the pictures sure are fun to look at that was a great palm!If I lived there I would try to find out where it went,but I live in a small town so maybe thats not possible where you are but still worth a try!Seach and rescue!
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zone_denial
18 years ago
JB

What a great loss of such a beautiful specimen :(

A couple of years ago we had a large stand of trunking yuccas down the street that I used to admire, then suddenly one day the whole thing was gone. New owners are nearly as bad as utility trimming contractors for leaving a trail of destruction.

Alan
watergal
18 years ago
So sad. That was one beautiful palm! But I must say that I don't understand why people plant valuable stuff in a utility easement, unless they aren't aware that it is indeed an easement.
josh_palm_crazy
18 years ago
(In the words of The Virginian) "GOOD NEWS GUYS!!! A VPS member who owns a construction company brought his crew down there and removed it with the help of some neighbors and some heavy equipment and a flatbed truck. They were able to get a nice sizable root ball and hoist it with chains onto the truck and take it to his place in Suburban Maryland where it has been replanted. It could not have gotten a nicer home and the VPS is planning to see it on a group visit to his place next month. I will try to get some pictures of it in its new home."

When I went to The Virginian's house to get my Chilly Palm order I heard someone was rescuing a needle palm in DC but I didn't realize it was this one. I'll definitely post pics when we visit it.

Jay
jimhardy
18 years ago
That is good news!Long live the needle palm!
stokesjl
18 years ago
holy macaroni! remember that yard!
anttisepp
18 years ago
The wonders happen sometimes, wish long life there!
Antti
the_virginian
18 years ago
Jay:

Yes, you were there while I was taking the call from another Virginia Palm Society member asking me if it could be transplanted. Everyone was busy with unloading the truck, but I gave the nod and they went to save it and as you point out, it was removed safely and has been given a new home far from any utility lines. As President of the VPS I am going to give the VPS member an award based on his heroic actions to save this very nice specimen of Needle Palm. It is better than seeing it put into a chipper eventhough it required such a Herculean effort to save it.
the_virginian
18 years ago
Perhaps another one will be planted in its place to start the whole process over again for another generation of palm growers to enjoy in Washington, DC.
topher2006
18 years ago
Good deal at least it wasn't destroyed. I hate to see people just because they don't know any better or maybe they do. cut down old specimans of beautiful trees and plants .