Money in Your Yard: How to Sell Palm Trees For Cash

Advertiser Disclosure ▾

This page contains affiliate links from which we receive a compensation. Like many publications Wise Bread is supported by affiliate commission from partner companies whose products appear on our site. This may influence which products we write about and the location and order in which products appear. We aren't able to cover every product in the marketplace.

Wise Bread Picks

• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Cash Back Credit Cards
• 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Palm trees are ubiquitous in California and other states with a warm climate. Although they are beautiful trees, some homeowners find them to be a nuisance because they require routine maintenance when they get too large. The good news for these homeowners is that it is possible that their trees could be sold for hundreds to thousands of dollars.

If you want to sell your large palm trees, first you need to figure out if it is feasible to remove the tree. Some neighborhoods and cities have ordinances against removing large trees so it may not be worthwhile to sell your tree and be slapped with a large fine. You need to find out if there are any such rules where you live. If the tree is in an area that is not very accessible to a crane then it would be impossible to remove. Also if the tree is too close to any structures or power lines then it may be hazardous.

Next you should find out if your trees are worth anything. Take a photo of the trees and figure out what species of palm they belong to. Phil Bergman of Jungle Music Palms & Cycads has a great guide to the various palm species of Southern California and their values. Most people have the common variety of Mexican Fan Palm, and they usually do not have resale value because a digger's labor in removing such a tree outweighs the value of the tree.

If you do have a possibly valuable palm tree that you have the right to remove, start searching for a reputable nursery or palm digger in your area and get some quotes on how much you can get. You could also post photos of your trees on a site like Craigslist to see if there are any offers. Chances are you will not get the retail price for your palm tree since the digger needs to remove the tree, market it, sell it, and also transport it. You should get references from the nursery or digger to see that they are experienced in palm removal and that they are insured since there could be accidents in removing a large tree.

Unfortunately, palm trees are not selling extremely well now since they are part of landscaping and the real estate industry is currently not so hot. However, large trees take years to grow and there is still a market for them. If you are tired of maintaining your palm trees, it does not hurt to see if they are worth anything. You could end up a little richer and save much more in future tree trimming costs.

Like this article? Pin it!