LA Palm Trees

[Octoman]

Strange as it may seem, the future of the Palm trees in Los Angeles has made our national news this morning! It is being reported here in the UK that the LA authorities will no longer allow the planting on palms on public land due to their poor environmental footprint? Instead they will be planting Oaks. In addition, there are concerns that a disease is wiping out some of the current trees.

Now, our press here is not known for its integrity so I take it with a pinch of salt. That said there is no smoke without fire. Is there any truth in this?

[Elsongs]

Originally Posted by Octoman

Strange as it may seem, the future of the Palm trees in Los Angeles has made our national news this morning! It is being reported here in the UK that the LA authorities will no longer allow the planting on palms on public land due to their poor environmental footprint? Instead they will be planting Oaks. In addition, there are concerns that a disease is wiping out some of the current trees.

Now, our press here is not known for its integrity so I take it with a pinch of salt. That said there is no smoke without fire. Is there any truth in this?

Yes, but it's not like they're cutting down palm trees and planting oaks and sycamores the next day. It is true but you certainly won't notice it for at least 20 years. Most of those palms are nearing the end of their natural lives anyway (80-100 years).

I have nothing against palms, they defined 20th century Los Angeles, but it's time to move on. There were no palm trees here for the thousands of years the Gabrielino Indians roamed the land. Functionally the palms are useless -- they provide no shade and don't produce nearly as much oxygen.

If you want a city of palms, visit Las Vegas in 50 years, that's the place where they're planting them like crazy, which was similar to how they were planted here in the early 20th century... All the developments ordering baby palms from the nurseries are in Vegas.

[godblessbotox]

like someone said befor me. new projects and private landscaping will still use palm trees and i dont think they will ever completly disapear

[Joey313]

what do you guys think of these trees to replace plams trees

[godblessbotox]

eh... i still like the palms... but they do have a good point that they dont do much of anything other then look cool. and they leave all those damn sticky seeds everywere

[cmoonflyer]

Lovely palm trees !

[bruin787]

Originally Posted by Elsongs

...I have nothing against palms, they defined 20th century Los Angeles, but it's time to move on. There were no palm trees here for the thousands of years the Gabrielino Indians roamed the land. Functionally the palms are useless -- they provide no shade and don't produce nearly as much oxygen.

time to move on? c'mon man. whats so bad about the palms? like you said, they're a part of the LA image! so who cares if they dont provide any shade or a lot of oxygen. last i checked, neither did the Hollywood sign. if those two things are really of a concern to people, they really shouldnt be living in an urban environment to start with.

[jacobboyer]

Palm tree's make Los Angeles cool. Oaks are grown in every other city and there ugly compared to palms. Oak trees will grow pretty ugly in los angeles poor soil.

[jacobboyer]

Besides you know what happens to oaks, maple, and ash trees when it doesn't rain... They turn yellow colored.

[godblessbotox]

yah that shit happens all the time in burbank when i lived there... looked like an ugly version of fall

[Fern~Fern*]

Originally Posted by Joey313

what do you guys think of these trees to replace plams trees

^ Those trees are an eye soar if you ask me. I will always prefer Palm Trees for Los Angeles. BTW is that pix in the Hollywood Way area?

[godblessbotox]

north... i think that white building is the forest hill birth of liberty mosiac

id say somewere around victory blvd, and north mariposa

[Elsongs]

Originally Posted by bruin787

time to move on? c'mon man. whats so bad about the palms? like you said, they're a part of the LA image! so who cares if they dont provide any shade or a lot of oxygen. last i checked, neither did the Hollywood sign. if those two things are really of a concern to people, they really shouldnt be living in an urban environment to start with.

The Hollywood sign is man-made.

Shade and oxygen are important to the urban environment especially since this place has been paved over enough that heat levels have increased and there's no absorption of the water table. You probably never knew that it used to snow on the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign, but the last time was in the 1940s. And I think there's something called smog that's in the air of this city so the oxygen-producing trees help. If you plan on living a short, unhealthy life, then not to worry, there will still be a lot of palm trees in the city on the day of your funeral.

Los Angeles has been around for 225 years. The palms have only been a part of the city for less than 100. A speies of tree doesn't define a city, its people, culture and the built environment do. If this "image" is that important to preserve, then you're probably just as superficial as the bad Angeleno stereotype that the detractors of this city insist upon.

If you love the palms so much then go ahead and buy some and plant them on your own private property. You're free to do that. Only city-owned streets are affected by the planting ban.

I see your UCLA education has served you well . My condolences in advance for this Saturday's game. FIGHT ON SC!

[Joey313]

that pic is from hollywood way

[godblessbotox]

Originally Posted by Elsongs

You probably never knew that it used to snow on the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign, but the last time was in the 1940s.

..yah and back then it would snow 5 feet every winter in detroit.
now its mostly a dusting

Originally Posted by Joey313

that pic is from hollywood way

...i was close

[Facial]

Originally Posted by Elsongs

There were no palm trees here for the thousands of years the Gabrielino Indians roamed the land.

This is interesting. Are Washingtonia filifera native to this region?

[FROM LOS ANGELES]

The palm tree is LA's trademark advertiser. Replacing them is like taking Homer's D'oh! away.

[bruin787]

Originally Posted by Elsongs

The Hollywood sign is man-made.

Shade and oxygen are important to the urban environment especially since this place has been paved over enough that heat levels have increased and there's no absorption of the water table. You probably never knew that it used to snow on the Griffith Observatory and the Hollywood Sign, but the last time was in the 1940s. And I think there's something called smog that's in the air of this city so the oxygen-producing trees help. If you plan on living a short, unhealthy life, then not to worry, there will still be a lot of palm trees in the city on the day of your funeral.

Los Angeles has been around for 225 years. The palms have only been a part of the city for less than 100. A speies of tree doesn't define a city, its people, culture and the built environment do. If this "image" is that important to preserve, then you're probably just as superficial as the bad Angeleno stereotype that the detractors of this city insist upon.

If you love the palms so much then go ahead and buy some and plant them on your own private property. You're free to do that. Only city-owned streets are affected by the planting ban.

I see your UCLA education has served you well . My condolences in advance for this Saturday's game. FIGHT ON SC!

LOL
Give me a break. If I need a lecture on something I?ll talk to my professors, or my parents!! Stick to music.

Unfortunately for you, not all palm trees will be removed. Like you said, they helped define 20th century Los Angeles and the city council agrees with superficial me that palm trees continue to indeed be a staple of the Los Angeles skyline. It has included in its resolution for the actual preserving of palm trees in areas such as Hollywood, Venice Beach, etc, areas were tourist have come to see and love them.

Guess you?re losing those years off your life after all.

I did know of the snow, and it covered more than just the Griffith Observatory or the Hollywood sign. I've seen the same kinds of photographs of it that you have. They?re quite spectacular, but that?s for another discussion.

And my UCLA education has indeed served me well. I?m a student there and damn proud of it. Its level of academic excellence is certainly superior to that of USC?s, and it stands alone nationwide in athletic achievements. Being a USC fan, I know you already knew that.

[godblessbotox]

um... are all forms of punctuation ? marks now? what the hell is up with this site.

more on point. i love palm trees and i want more. just imagine koreatown with out the 3o ft palm trees lining all the streets... i would be like an alternate universe

[Octoman]

Perhaps you could follow the example of Birghton on the UK south coast. They have put in three quarter size plastic palms to give the town a Mediterranean vibe. Unfotunately under a plastic palm tree in 5 degree celcius and driving rain just doeant cut it

Seriously though, I think there is a place for everthing. A balance between the environmentally sound and the aesthetic is the best solution all round.