When to Trim Palm Trees in South Florida, and Why "Hurricane Cuts" Hurt Them

October 10, 2026

Palms are everywhere in Broward, and most of them get trimmed wrong. Here's when to trim, how much to take off, and why the popular "hurricane cut" does more harm than good.

The Best Time to Trim Palms

For most palms in South Florida, a cleanup once or twice a year is plenty. The ideal timing:

Late spring, before hurricane season: Remove dead fronds, seed pods and coconuts before they can become flying debris.
As needed for safety: Coconut palms over driveways, walkways, pools and play areas may need coconuts removed more often.

What Should Come Off

Brown, dead fronds hanging below the canopy
Seed pods and flower stalks, which are messy and heavy
Coconuts, which can weigh several pounds and fall from 30 feet or more

What Should Stay

Healthy green fronds. A palm's green fronds feed it. Cutting them off starves the palm, slows its growth and can leave the trunk with a thin, pinched spot called "pencil-pointing."

Why the "Hurricane Cut" Backfires

A hurricane cut strips a palm down to a few fronds pointing straight up, supposedly to protect it from wind. In reality:

Palms naturally handle wind well. Their full canopy bends and flexes.
Removing green fronds weakens the palm and makes it more vulnerable to stress and disease.
The palm uses energy regrowing fronds instead of staying healthy.

A simple rule: if you can draw a line across the palm at the "9 o'clock to 3 o'clock" position, fronds above that line should generally stay.

Never Climb Palms With Spikes

Climbing spikes leave wounds in the trunk that never heal and can let in pests and disease. Proper palm trimming uses ladders, bucket trucks or careful climbing without spikes.

Common Broward Palms and How Often

Coconut palms: Coconuts every few months if over high-traffic areas, fronds once or twice a year
Royal palms: Their heavy fronds usually drop on their own, but a cleanup prevents damage below
Queen palms: Once or twice a year, plus seed pod removal
Foxtail, Christmas and Adonidia: Light cleanup once a year

Get a Palm Quote by Text

Text a photo of each palm to (954) 730-1776 with your city and how many palms you have. You'll get a free price range back. Learn about our palm trimming.