Palm trees are unbranched ‘trees’ with several leaflets forming a V shape. These trees are primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions and are known for their strength against tropical windstorms.
Palm trees have a strong root system, so they are almost unbreakable. No matter how strong the winds are, they will not break the palm tree. Hurricanes and storms can bend the trunk of palm trees but breaking them is the rarest natural phenomenon.
In this article, you will find out whether palm trees can break or not and what makes palm tree trunks so solid and resistant to the wind. So, keep reading!
Can Palm Trees Break?
Palm trees have strong, long, branchless trunks with immense flexibility and strength. Although their trunks may bend back and forth in extremely windy conditions, they rarely break and fall apart. This fascinating phenomenon has garnered the attention of many arborists and the general public.
Their bunched-up, spaghetti-like roots are widespread across the land. Even in the shallow lands or areas restricted by the concrete pavement, their roots form a complex structure that ensures optimal strength. This complex network of roots forms into a ball that holds the tree in place even in the most extreme conditions.
However, not all palm trees are wind and breakage resistant. Some are more fragile, like Queen Palm and Washington Palm trees. Some of the strongest palm trees that can efficiently withstand strong winds, earthquakes, and hurricanes are:
- Canary Island Date Palm
- Pygmy Date Palm
- Sabal Palm
Some palm trees may lose their leaves in strong winds, but that does not mean they are broken. In fact, losing leaves is one of the ways these trees may survive better in harsh, windy weather. Furthermore, these trees get their resources from nearby lawns and do not require much care.
The Strongest Palm Trees
As mentioned above, some palm trees are stronger than others. Here is what you need to know about the most wind-resistant palms:
Canary Island Date Palm
This date palm is native to the Canary Islands and has a thick trunk. It is one of the strongest palm tree species as it successfully resisted the effects of Hurricane Andrew and Wilma. These trees are usually used for ornamental purposes but hold quite well in the winds that even the strongest houses can’t survive.
Pygmy Date Palm
This multi-branch date palm is shorter in height, with thick luscious leaves. Even though they are native to Southeastern Asia and Southwestern China, they can be found worldwide. In fact, these trees easily survived the hurricanes – Wilma and Andrew – while standing tall at Vero Beach, Florida, during wind storms.
Sabal Palm
The Sabal Palm or the Sabal Palmetto is the official tree of South Carolina and Florida. This relatively taller palm tree is native to the Southern United States, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Cuba, and the Bahamas. It also efficiently resisted the two famous hurricanes and stood tall during harsh wind conditions.
What Causes a Palm Tree to Fall?
While we have understood that palm trees are basically wind-resistant, some factors can still make them fall. These include some environmental and internal factors, which weaken the tree trunk and roots from within, causing the tree to collapse.
Here is what makes a palm tree fall:
Shallow Planting
One of the reasons why a palm tree may fall is improper planting. Palm trees have a massive network of bulb-like roots that don’t go deep into the soil, they will spread horizontally instead. If you plant the tree too shallow, the roots can start to grow above the soil level and prevent the plant from standing strong against the winds.
On the other hand, if you plant it too deeply, the palm will also struggle, as it can’t access the nutrients and water it needs.
If you are replanting a palm tree, make sure its root ball goes as deep as the previous location. It will allow the plant to grow as strong as before to withstand hurricanes and wind storms.
Fungal Infection
Palm trees are prone to certain fungal infections. One of the main fungal infections slowly decays the palm tree trunk from within, which hollows it out without showing the decay on the surface.
When the tree is hollow from the inside, it can’t withstand any environmental pressure and falls. Since the bark becomes so thin, even the slightest impact can make the tree collapse. This condition can be avoided with proper plant care.
Beetle Infestation
Palm trees can also be affected by beetle infestation. These insects, also known as borers, live in the form of yellowish larvae in the plant’s ‘trunk’. The larvae turn into blackish brown beetles that feast on the tree’s trunk.
This can leave holes in the trunk measuring at least half an inch. As a result, it becomes hollow and delicate. This infestation eventually leads the plant to die and fall.
Consistent Flooding
The palm trees have strong roots, but these do need firm land to hold on to. So even though they can survive occasional floods, living in consistently flooded areas can be a problem for them.
It will weaken the land underneath, causing the plant to fall. Also, when the roots are filled with excessive water, they begin to die, weakening the plant in general.
Final Thoughts
Palm trees are strong plants that don’t require a lot of care. But can palm trees break? No, they don’t, as they are heavily wind-resistant due to their solid yet flexible trunk.
These trees have mastered the art of standing tall no matter how hard the winds try to bring them down.
However, other environmental factors like flooding, fungus, and a pest infestation can weaken the roots and trunk of the tree, causing it to fall.