Florida Palm Trees

Acoelorrhaphe wrightii
Archontophoenix alexandrae
Archontophoenix purpurea
Areca vestiaria
Beaucarnea recurvata
Bismarckia nobilis
Brahea armata
Brahea dulcis
Brahea edulis
Butia capitata
Carpentaria acuminata
Caryota mitis
Chamaedorea seifrizii
Chamaerops humilis
Chambeyronia macrocarpa
Chrysalidocarpus lutescens
Coccothrinax crinita
Cocos nucifera
Copernicia alba
Cycas revoluta
Cyrtostachys renda
Dypsis decaryi
Dypsis leptocheilos
Howea forsteriana
Hyophorbe lagenicaulis
Hyophorbe verschaffeltii
Johannesteijsmannia altifrons
Latania lontaroides
Licuala grandis
Livistona chinensis
Musa
Nannorrhops ritchiana
Neodypsis lastelliana
Phoenix canariensis
Phoenix dactylifera
Phoenix roebelenii
Phoenix sylvestris
Pritchardia pacifica
Ravenala madagascariensis
Ravenea rivularis
Rhapidophyllum hystrix
Rhapis excelsa
Roystonea oleracea
Sabal palmetto
Serenoa repens
Syagrus romanzoffiana
Thrinax radiata
Trachycarpus fortunei
Trachycarpus wagnerianus
Veitchia Merrillii
Washingtonia filifera
Washingtonia robusta
Wodyetia bifurcata
Zamia furfuracea

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Palm trees nutritional deficiencies are easily prevented by following a yearly fertilization program. Mature palms in the landscape should be fertilized with a complete granular fertilizer formulated for palms.

3 to 4 applications of a palm fertilizer are recommended to provide a constant supply of nutrients during the growing season. Be sure to only fertilize during the growing season (end of March through end of October). If you are using slow release fertilizer, apply it twice a year.

Newly planted palms should not be fertilized until after they put out a new spear, I would say about 2 month after planting.

Providing your palm tree with a quality fertilizer or plant food “supplements” is important, so it can maintain its good “health.” Some places like South Florida has very little nutrient in the soil which is very important for palm tree growth.

You will usually want to use a fertilizer that has nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. I recommend not to buy cheap fertilizer because they simply don’t work. It’s better to use fertilizer that has continues release formula that feeds your palm tree for few months rather than using a cheap fertilizer that will wash away after 2-3 rains.

Jobe’s Palm Fertilizer

One of the products that I personally love is Jobe’s Palm Fertilizer. This product promotes root development and the long-term vitality of all types of palms. Jobe’s Fertilizer Spikes have a slow release formula that is design to effectively fertilize your palms while protecting them from the common deficiencies of Manganese, Magnesium, Potassium and Iron.

When placed underground near the feeder roots of your palm, the spikes release their nutrients where the tree can best use them. Special binders ensure that the fertilizer dissolves slowly and safely and feeds your tree for up to 6 months.

This is one of the best palm tree fertilizers on today’s market. It is fast, efficient, long lasting method of fertilizing palm trees and has all the nutrients your palm trees need. To avoid nutrient deficiencies, apply Jobe’s Palm Fertilizer spikes twice a year. It can take 6 months or more for a palm to recover from nutritional deficiencies.

Here is Jobe’s Outdoor Palm Fertilizer and Jobe’s Indoor Palm Fertilizer.

~Susan Brian

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Filed under: Palm Tree Care by Susan Brian
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Boron deficiency in palm trees can cause leaves to appear small and crumpled. Other symptoms are sharp bends in the trunk with horizontal growth and bud necrosis or death.

Prevention and Treatment of Boron Deficiency

Boron can also be toxic even in small amounts, so generally fertilizers for palms should contain only very small amounts of boron. Sodium borates, boric acid, borax or Solubar can be applied at 2 to 4 ounces per tree.

Related articles:

• Palm Tree Nutrition
• Palm Tree Fertilization

Filed under: Palm Tree Care by Susan Brian
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Magnesium deficiency is never fatal and is primarily a cosmetic problem in landscape palms. Classic symptoms are marginal chlorosis on the oldest leaves which progress upward to younger foliage.

Magnesium deficiency in Palm Trees is distinguished by a typically broad lemon-yellow band along the margin of older leaves with a green center and a distinct boundary between the yellow and green portions. If leaflet tips are also necrotic (brown dead tissue), this indicates the presence of potassium deficiency on the same leaves. As with potassium deficiency, leaves with a magnesium deficiency will not recover, and must be replaced by new healthy foliage.

Prevention and Treatment of Magnesium Deficiency

Coated or uncoated “prilled” (pelletized) kieserite can be applied to prevent or correct magnesium deficiency, but may be difficult to find. Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) is very water soluble, and tends to leach from sandy soils very quickly. However, the use of 2 to 4 pounds of magnesium sulfate per tree along with controlled-release potassium four times per year should prevent further symptoms from occurring. If the soil pH is low, adjust using dolomitic limestone based on soil test results. Avoid the use of magnesium oxide as a treatment if the soil has a neutral or alkaline pH, as it is quite insoluble in soils with a high pH.

Related articles:

• Palm Tree Nutrition
• Palm Tree Fertilization

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Nitrogen deficiency is not a major problem in landscape palm trees unless soils are nitrogen-poor. Most palm trees generally require low levels of Nitrogen, especially in comparison to turfgrass. Symptoms of nitrogen deficiency are uniform light green color foliage and a decrease in growth.

Nitrogen deficiencies are more common on light or sandy soils. This is the nutrient deficiency that is most common in container-grown palms, whereas potassium, manganese and magnesium deficiencies are more pevalent in landscape situations.

Prevention and Treatment of Nitrogen Deficiency

Treatment with any fertilizer containing N will quickly improve leaf color. The fertilizer nitrogen should be in a slow-release form.

Related articles:

• Palm Tree Nutrition
• Palm Tree Fertilization

Filed under: Palm Tree Care by Susan Brian
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