Mexico City is replacing its iconic date palms with native trees, reshaping the capital’s avenues and parks into greener, safer, and more sustainable spaces. The plan focuses on trees adapted to local soil and climate, creating a healthier urban landscape for residents and visitors.

The city’s palm trees, once a defining feature of boulevards like Paseo de la Reforma, are being removed after years of disease, pests, and poor adaptation to the high-altitude environment. Experts note that reintroducing resilient native trees will help restore ecological balance.

Iconic palms will disappear from Mexico City’s streets

The familiar palms that line the streets of Mexico City are an iconic part of the capital’s landscape. Residents and visitors alike have grown used to seeing these tall, elegant trees towering over avenues, plazas, and parks, offering shade and a sense of tropical charm.

Many of these palms are concentrated in central boroughs: Benito Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, Coyoacán, and Miguel Hidalgo. They punctuate the streets with their long trunks and feathery fronds, often standing alongside historic buildings, bustling markets, and leafy residential zones.

These palms have become a recognizable element of Mexico City’s visual identity. Tourists often photograph them as symbols of the capital, and locals associate their presence with familiar routes and everyday life, making the planned removal a noticeable change for many.

Why the change is happening

In 2025, authorities have decided to replace around 9,000 of these palms with native trees. Unlike palms, these species have root systems that won’t damage sidewalks, roads, or other urban infrastructure, ensuring a safer environment for pedestrians and vehicles.

The replacement is also part of a larger environmental plan to increase the city’s greenery and resilience. By planting native tree species, the government aims to enhance biodiversity, improve air quality, and create streetscapes that are both beautiful and sustainable.

Residents and visitors can expect more shade and seasonal variety in these areas. The new trees will not only preserve the charm of the city but also provide fruits, flowers, and foliage that reflect Mexico’s native ecosystems, enriching public spaces for years to come.

Impact on city aesthetics

The removal of palms will transform Mexico City’s visual landscape. Tourists walking along Reforma, Insurgentes, or the avenues of Coyoacán will notice a shift as familiar silhouettes give way to new greenery that blends more naturally with the urban environment.

New plantings will prioritize native trees, which not only thrive in Mexico City’s climate but also provide shade, absorb more carbon, and support local bird and insect populations. This reforestation project aims to combine aesthetics with environmental function.

Public parks, plazas, and streets in Miguel Hidalgo and Benito Juárez will gain a fresh look. Instead of the uniform tall palms, visitors will see a diverse palette of native trees that create more texture and color throughout the year, from flowering branches to autumnal foliage.

Over time, Mexico City’s cityscape will look both refreshed and harmonious thanks to these changes, which are designed to balance aesthetics with functionality, giving residents and visitors safer, more attractive streets while maintaining the iconic character of the capital.

Beyond safety and ecology, the project reflects Mexico City’s broader commitment to sustainability. As climate change intensifies, urban forestry plays a vital role in lowering temperatures, reducing pollution, and enhancing the quality of life.

The palm-lined image of the capital gives way to greener resilience.

A historical glimpse

Palms were first introduced in Mexico City during the 1940s under President Miguel Alemán. Inspired by the tropical beauty of Beverly Hills, Alemán requested their inclusion in urban designs to give the capital a modern, elegant look.

Miguel Alemán was inspired by a visit to Los Angeles, where he admired the tropical elegance of Beverly Hills. He wanted Mexico City to reflect a similar modern, exotic charm, combining the local urban layout with the appeal of tall, graceful palm trees.

Most palms were date palms, brought from the Canary Islands. They became a hallmark of luxury and sophistication, appearing along wide boulevards, in front of hotels, and around important civic spaces, creating an exotic contrast to native Mexican flora.

Mexico City

Over the decades, these palms grew into landmarks, shaping the character of neighborhoods such as Benito Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, Coyoacán, and Miguel Hidalgo. Their presence marked avenues with elegance, provided shade, and became integral to the city’s visual identity.

Gradual removal process

The first stage of replacement will take place between September and December 2025, when around 1,500 palms will be removed. The remaining palms will gradually be replaced over the next six years, ensuring a careful and steady transformation of the city’s landscape.

Specialized teams, including climbers, biologists, and arborists, will manage the removal safely. Advanced equipment like cranes and stump grinders will allow workers to dismantle the palms efficiently while minimizing disruption to traffic and pedestrian areas.

Every replacement tree will be carefully planted, watered, and monitored. The goal is to ensure that these native trees establish quickly and thrive, creating urban green spaces that are both safe and visually appealing for locals and tourists alike.

Preserving the urban forest

This initiative is more than infrastructure maintenance – it is a long-term effort to create a resilient urban forest. By planting native species, Mexico City ensures a healthier environment, reduces soil erosion, and strengthens biodiversity in urban areas.

For visitors, the streets will gradually feel more connected to Mexico’s natural heritage. The new trees will create shaded routes for walking, picturesque settings for photography, and lively seasonal changes that make city life more enjoyable.

The transformation of Mexico City’s streets and parks will be a visible reminder that urban planning and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand, offering both aesthetic beauty and functional benefits that improve life in the Mexican capital.