The coconut palm tree on your Kauai resort is 90 feet tall with a trunk that’s rail thin and full of holes — some large enough to fit your hand. The landscaper who last spiked the tree to prune coconuts warned you that the next time he climbs that tree, it will be to take it down. The question is, how much will it cost to remove a palm tree?
Reasons To Remove A Palm Tree
Parting with palm trees is part of the landscape cycle of life on Kauai. There are several reasons for removing palm trees. Here are two to start:
Trunk Damage
At No Ka Oi, we usually remove palm trees because their health is suffering, and that is often due to holes or a hollowed out trunk. Birds can peck holes into the trunks make a hobby of it until the openings are fist-sized and compromise the integrity of the tree. We have seen some holes much larger than a fist.
Poor Location
Another reason for removal is if a palm tree becomes overgrown and encroaches on a high-traffic area, where falling coconuts or palm leaves could injure a person. Some commercial properties might plant palms in landscape beds when the trees are small, paying little attention to the surroundings. Then when the tree matures and grows tall, it becomes a hazard.
If the palm was planted under electrical wires or too close to a building, the palms need to be removed once the leaves or trunk touch the building, the roof or the electrical wires.
A failing coconut palm is a serious danger, and the cost of tree removal is minor compared to what you could end up paying if the tree falls — not to mention, your insurance rates could climb.
So, what can you expect when it comes to the cost to remove a palm tree? The following lays out some numbers so you can budget accordingly.
Tree Size & Location
The size of the tree factors into the cost of removal because of the labor involved in scaling a tree that could be nearly 100 feet tall. But location is just as critical when determining tree removal cost. If the palm tree is located in a landscaping bed and you do not plan on planting something else in its place, the palm tree can be cut down without removing the stump. That cost is between $400 and $500.
If the palm tree is right, smack in the middle of a lawn area and you want the stump removed, you can add another $300 to $400 to that cost. So, your total could add up to $900.
If you want the palm tree roots removed so you can plant another tree or plant in its place, then you’re looking at thousands of dollars depending on the equipment used to dig out the root ball, such as a backhoe, and the potential of damaging surrounding infrastructure in the process, including walkways, driveways and groundcover.
So, the cost of removing a palm tree varies widely. Your total could be $400 for a simple cut-down or thousands if you plan to remove the root ball and replace landscaping and hardscapes after the root ball is removed.
Maintenance Matters
Maintaining coconut palms will keep the trees healthier longer, and you won’t be faced with any financial surprises if a landscaper is regularly climbing the tree to prune coconuts. A landscape professional will warn you if the tree is beginning to fail so you can plan for removal.
The thing with palm trees is, you can’t just let them grow on a commercial property without tending to maintenance activities, especially pruning the coconuts.
Consider Safety
Maybe you’re facing a tough decision: Remove the tree, or leave it and see what happens. We advise that you choose the former. Why risk someone’s life if the tree fails and falls?
And, concerning cost, you can bet the price tag on damage will trump that of simple tree removal. Make the wise choice for your landscape by caring for palm trees, and removing them when they develop health problems.
Conclusion
Palm trees need to be removed for a variety of reasons, but mostly because there’s something wrong with the tree from a plant health perspective. Don’t wait to remove a palm tree, otherwise you could risk further property (and personal) damage.
The cost to remove a palm depends on the labor involved in the process, and getting rid of roots that can branch underneath infrastructure like a parking lot will naturally increase the price. But for $400, you can hire a landscaper to spike and remove a tree—and you’ll gain peace of mind.
Let's talk more about ways to maintain and manage the palm trees on your commercial Kauai property. Call No Ka Oi any time at (808) 335-5887, or fill out this simple contact form and we’ll get in touch with you.
