You generally don't have to cut date palms. This can actually be very harmful for the palm tree because it only has one point of vegetation. You may only cut brown leaves if they have dried out, or the roots when repotting.
Can you cut a date palm?
Date palms should not be shortened as they only have one point of vegetation. However, you can cut off dried brown leaves, brown leaf tips or trim the roots when repotting to control growth.
That's why you shouldn't cut a date palm
Date palms only have one vegetation point per trunk. When you shorten the palm, you remove the growing point so that the plant cannot continue to grow. As a rule, the date palm then dies.
There are only a few reasons to prune a date palm:
- remove brown leaves
- shorten brown leaf tips
- Reduce root balls
Cutting off brown leaves is allowed
If not cared for properly or in an unfavorable location, the date palm will sometimes develop brown leaves. Since these don't look very nice, you can grab scissors and cut them off.
But wait until the leaves are completely dry before cutting. Leave a small piece directly on the trunk and do not cut directly at the base.
How to trim brown tips of date palm
If the humidity is very low, the tips of the date palm leaves can also turn brown. You can easily cut off these brown tips with sharp scissors.
Make sure that the cut does not fray and only use clean and sharp tools.
To avoid brown tips, you should regularly spray the date palm with soft water. This will also prevent the palm tree from being infested by pests.
Cut roots to inhibit growth
With good care, date palms can grow huge even indoors. You can limit the growth somewhat if you prune the lateral roots.
This is best done in spring, when you have to repot the date palm anyway.
Only cut the side roots slightly into shape. You should never cut the taproots that grow downwards. When planting, also make sure that these roots are not bent or damaged.
Tip
Date palms are not poisonous and can therefore be kept indoors without any problems. However, the palm's sharp leaves can cause injuries. Therefore, keep a safe distance so that you do not cut yourself on the leaves.
