Q. We are next to Santa Cruz, Ca. A skilled gardener friend of ours suggested one could support the palm, dig a hole below it, and drop it down the necessary foot
or so. I haven’t explored the extent of the rooting, but I may attempt that if
it doesn’t have any depth to it.
A. Is that a broken container around the
base of the plant? It looks like the palm was in a container and rooted into
the soil beneath it. Then broke the clay container as it got larger and the
owners let it root. Queen palm? I am used to the Mojave Desert so that is my focus. It looks like queen
palm.
Problem
What worries me is how constricted the
trunk is from being in that container. I am not sure how weak the trunk is from
that constriction and how strong it will be in the future as the top gets
heavier.
Solution
To be on the safe side I would get rid of it or, if you want to be
daring…try burying the trunk as you replant it so the constriction is below
ground and hopefully the trunk will send out new roots from that area. That
does work in some palms as long as you don’t keep the soil around the trunk too
wet. Otherwise it looks like its in good health. I would be concerned what kind of liability this tree might have on other people who visit, property or neighbors. Good luck!
https://www.hunker.com/13428846/what-is-the-root-base-of-a-queen-palm-tree