4.9 · 462 Google reviews · Licensed & Insured
Washingtonia (Mexican Fan Palm): Height, Skirts & Storm Risk
Washingtonia palms grow far taller than the lift most companies own, and their dead frond skirts are both a fire and a wind hazard. (727) 365-1803.
“We were looking for a tree service with a certified arborist. We got just what we needed with Happy Tree Service. Steve gave an estimate and knowledgeable advice. They arrived on time did an excellent job and cleaned up all debris. We recommend them and will use them again.”
- 462 Google reviews
- Licensed & Insured
- ISA Certified Arborist on staff
- Pinellas since 1989
Walk or drive past a stand of washingtonia palms, the tall, slender fan palms that tower well above roofline in a lot of older Pinellas neighborhoods and coastal streets, and the first thing you notice is height. That’s also the reason this species turns into an equipment problem for a lot of tree companies.
Height is the whole story
A standard bucket truck has a working reach that a mature washingtonia will eventually outgrow. When that happens, a company without a taller man lift or a crane is left with two options: send a climber up on rope and spikes, which is slower and carries more risk on a tall, smooth palm trunk with no real limbs to work from, or decline the job outright. Man lifts come with the crew and a crane goes on the picks that need one, so the tallest washingtonia on your property isn’t a reason to turn the job away. There is more on how palm work actually gets done across everything we do.
The frond skirt is a real hazard, not just an eyesore
Unlike a sabal palm, which tends to shed dead fronds cleanly, washingtonia doesn’t self-clean well, dead fronds stay attached and hang down against the trunk, building into a dense, thatched "skirt" over time. That skirt is genuinely dangerous in two separate ways. It’s a fire hazard: dry palm thatch catches embers easily and burns fast, and a skirted palm next to a structure is a real exposure. It’s also a wind hazard: a large, dense mat of dead fronds can detach as a single heavy unit in a storm rather than shedding gradually, which is a different failure mode than most other palms on this site present.
Removing a tall palm is a sectioning job, not a fell
Because of the height involved, taking down a mature washingtonia isn’t a conventional felling operation. It’s worked top-down in controlled sections using the man lift or crane, with each piece lowered rather than dropped, the same approach we use on any tree with no safe lay-down room, just applied to a species where height, not tight access, is the reason. See the crane-assisted removal page for how that process works in practice.
Start here
Send us a photo of the tree.
You do not have to know whether it needs to come down. That is the part we are for.
- One photo, whole tree in frameTrunk base to top. A close-up of anything that looks wrong helps.
- Text us the photoThe text button below opens the right thread. Add your street and city.
- We come out and lookEvery estimate is in person, free, sometimes the answer is that it needs nothing.
Managing the skirt without over-trimming
The skirt should be cleared on a reasonable schedule so it doesn’t build into a real hazard, but that’s a different thing from stripping the whole crown down for a "cleaner" look, a mistake this species is just as vulnerable to as any other palm we maintain. See our hurricane-cut palm myths page and our palm trimming page for what a correct trim actually removes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t every tree company handle a mature washingtonia? Height. A mature fan palm routinely outgrows a standard bucket truck’s reach, and a company without a taller lift or a crane either climbs it by rope or turns the job down.
What’s the dead frond skirt, and why does it matter? Dead fronds stay attached and build into a dense skirt, a real fire hazard and a wind hazard, since it can detach as a heavy unit in a storm.
How do you remove a very tall palm safely? In sections, worked top-down with a lift or crane, never felled whole.
Do washingtonia palms need frequent trimming? The skirt should be managed on a schedule, but that’s different from stripping the whole crown.
Next step
Call (727) 365-1803 or request a free estimate, height is not a reason we turn a palm job down.
Google reviews
Rated 4.9 by 462 of your neighbors.
Reviews · Washingtonia (Mexican Fan Palm): Height, Skirts & Storm Risk
4.9
462 reviews on Google, the count on our public Google listing
“Happy trees did an amazing job cutting my trees and providing information. Steve was really nice and knowledgeable. Great communication and pricing. Definitely will be using their service again!!”
“Fast quote and when we decided it was time to remove our Oak, they were there on time and ready to get to work. They have all the equipment necessary for this huge job and work very efficiently.”
Every one of these lives on our public Google listing, where we cannot edit or delete a word. Read them all on Google →
Frequently asked
Questions we get asked on this one.
Why can't every tree company handle a mature washingtonia?
Height. A mature Mexican fan palm routinely grows well beyond the working reach of a standard bucket truck, and a company that doesn’t own a taller lift or a crane either has to climb it by rope, slower and riskier on a tall, smooth-trunked palm, or turn the job down. Man lifts come with the crew, with a crane on the big picks, so reach isn’t the limiting factor here.
What's the dead frond skirt, and why does it matter?
Washingtonia palms don’t self-clean the way some palms do, dead fronds stay attached and hang down against the trunk instead of dropping off, building up into a dense "skirt." That skirt is a genuine fire hazard (it catches embers and burns readily) and a wind hazard, since a large mat of dead material can detach as a heavy unit in a storm.
How do you remove a very tall palm safely?
In sections, worked from the top down with a lift or crane, not felled whole. A tall washingtonia coming down uncontrolled is a lot of weight falling from real height, so it’s a controlled, sectioned descent, see the crane-assisted removal page.
Do washingtonia palms need frequent trimming?
The skirt should be managed on a schedule rather than left to build up indefinitely, but that’s different from stripping the whole crown, see our palm trimming page for what correct trimming actually looks like.