Concern has been raised over the condition of the historic palm trees lining Larnaca’s Finikoudes promenade after they were heavily pruned.

In a social media post issued on Thursday, Dr Marios Kyriazis said the Washingtonia robusta palms were planted 106 years ago by his grandfather, Neoklis Kyriazis, giving them pa rticular personal significance.

He said he was alarmed after seeing the trees following the recent pruning.

“I saw them in such a state, stunted with only three or four leaves each, and I was afraid that we would lose them,” he wrote.

Kyriazis acknowledged that the palms are pruned in a similar way each year but said he sought further information about the possible consequences of such extensive trimming.

Citing information, he said he had received, he claimed that removing most of a palm’s foliage could place the tree under severe stress by reducing its ability to produce nutrients, slowing recovery and weakening its structure.

He also expressed concern that excessive pruning could make the trees more susceptible to pests, including the red palm weevil, which has caused significant damage to palm trees across Cyprus.

According to the information shared in his post, leaving “only three or four leaves” could weaken the palms’ natural defences and increase the risk of structural failure during severe weather.

Kyriazis said an open letter had been sent to Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras calling for the maintenance practices used on the historic trees to be reviewed.