Please can someone identify this species of tree/plant.
I have no idea how to take care of them. Should I cut off shoots etc. How much watering. They are currently fed with trickles from the retic system. The tips seem to be very brown. Should I cut these off? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Chop them down, they're horrible. No idea what they are but they should go

If they resemble a palm, you can peel the dead leaves away from the stem and if needed, trim back remaining leaves. Doing this each year will keep them to a required height.

Thanks. Could I chop the top off them...They also have large shoots, more like branches coming from them that make them look very untidy. Is it safe to cut these off?

Only if they are dead or weathered, if so, try pulling them out by hand. Any healthy looking green leaves should stay. Personally, if the tops you speak about are healthy, i wouldn't touch them - you don't want to risk damaging the trees.

I dont think they are horrible, they look like they need pruning a bit but otherwise they look nice.

Its amazing out here - lots of plants you just chop off and then push in the ground and they just grow again where you plant them.

I would guess, and I may be wrong, that you can find a joint in them, cut them as close as you can and paint the wound with sealer to stop any fungus infection. The parts you remove, you can strip the bottom leaves, paint with honey and then push them in some pots of earth and place in a quiet (cant see) part of the garden. Then when they are rooted sell them on ebay.

Good luck
Viv

Do you have a closer photograph of the plant - I think it may be some sort of draecena? These are really good for the air - they look quite overgrown though

Thanks. Will try to get a close up photo tomorrow. Looking at www.dracena.com, it doesnt appear to be similar.

If it's a palm, cutting the top shoot out will kill it stone dead. Palms are a sort of grass, apparently, but don't take to being mown!

That's what i was trying to say basically. If it's a palm or palm related, cutting the top off will result in disease.

It's the growing point, and if cut out nothing can sprout. We watched a palm being "trimmed" in Florida by a "professional" and complained that he'd cut the top too close. He told us that we knew nothing about it - and we saw the thing die over the next few weeks!

Yip, also take away those top leaves and the thing can't photosynthesize properly.

Cut the top out, cut the top out.

So once they get too tall they're for the bin?