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One of 48 nikau palms gracing the $43.5 million upgrade of Auckland's Queen St has died less than a year after being planted.
The cause of death remains a mystery but the contractor responsible for the native palms, Stuart Barton of the Specimen Tree Council, said the others were flourishing in their urban environment.
"Trees and living things do die, but sometimes you can't figure out what it is," Mr Barton said.
Auckland City Council CBD project manager David Jones said it could be that the palm was simply a weak specimen.
The tree, in a cluster of three nikau palms near the bottom of Wyndham St, was being removed yesterday and will be replaced at the weekend.
It is unclear who will pick up the $8000 tab for a new palm, plus replacement costs.
The Specimen Tree Company is contracted to replace any trees that die within 12 months. Mr Barton said the tree was supplied by another nursery, which he would not name.
All up, the 48 palms cost $454,000. Twenty-five came from a farm near Karamea, on the West Coast of the South Island. Farmer Selwyn Lowe sold the palms for $562.50 each but by the time they were removed, transported and maintained, they were sold to the Auckland City Council for $8800.
The Specimen Tree Company sourced 18 palms from Taranaki and the rest came from other sources.
