Florida Palm Trees

How To Transplant European Fan Palms From The Containers Into The Ground

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:53:09 +0000

Question: We live in Seattle, WA and have two European fan palms in containers on our deck. These palms have outgrown every pot we’ve been able to buy and they are now about 6’ tall and ready to be planted in the ground next to the deck where they’ve been living for the last couple of years. The palms have each produced a couple of extra trunks and plants. Can these be divided or should the whole potted plant be planted in the ground and not divided? My instinct is to just transplant them intact and not take a change on ruining these beautiful plants but my husband thought they might be dividable.

Answer: You can divide European Fan Palm if there is a way to do it without damaging the main trunk. If multiple trunks were developed a while a go, it might be difficult to separate them without severely damaging one of them. If you don’t want to risk it, just plant the whole palm. It is usually easier to separate offsets before they develop a trunk. Here is an article I wrote on transplanting palm tree from a container into the ground. ~Susan Brian

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.

How To Fight Sabal Palm Tree Fungus Problem

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:32:19 +0000

Question: A Sabal palm on our property started getting yellow spots all over the older fronds about 4-5 months ago. It has progressed so that the older fronds are dying and dropping off and even the new growth shows signs of this yellow spotting, which seems to eventually cover the entire frond. There are 2 other plams about 10-12 feet away that seem to be unaffected. These plams have been here for 24 years. This is Ocala, Florida. Now the tree, in the part below the growth (where the older fronds have been cut off) appears to have a mold or fungus (white/yellow) on it.

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.

Can Areca Palm Survive in Georgia State?

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:48:55 +0000

Question: Hi, I just bought an Areca Palm yesterday from my local Home Depot store. My intention for buying the Palm is to provide some screening or camouflage for my above ground swimming pool sand filer and the PVC pipes attached to it. They are in the middle of my pool and the yard and stick out like a sore thumb. I have not put the Palm in the ground yet, cause I need your advice. I hope I did not buy the wrong thing.

I read about the Palm on your site and I am a little scared to plant it. I do not think it is even rated for my planting zone. I live in middle Georgia, Warner Robins. I think we are in Zone 8. It does gets below freezing here, so I am concerned about the Palm’s survival. I am also concerned that it’s root system will spread out to much and mess up my liner under my pool. Can you give me some advice before I plant this thing? Should I keep it or take it back? If so, what would you have recommended for a screen or camouflage for the items I listed. Thanks for your help.

Answer: I would not recommend buying palm trees from Home Depot. They don’t acclimatize palms and a lot of times mislabel them. The coldest zone that Areca Palm can tolerate is 9a. If you live in zone 8, it is way too cold. There are other palms that can survive in zone 8:

Saw Palmetto Palm Tree – Zones 7a -11 (0 to 5 F)
Silver Saw Palmetto Palm Tree – Zones 7a – 11 (0 to 5 F)
European Fan Palm Tree – Zones 7b – 11 (5 to 10 F)

Or you can just keep the palm in the container indoors and take it outside during warm days. Here is more information on what palm trees can grow in Georgia. ~Susan Brian

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.

How To Save Cold Damaged Coconut Palm

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:37:48 +0000

Question: Hi Susan. I have a big 12 years-old Coconut Palm. After hard winter the palm became brown and drooped down to the ground. I cut them off. But now the brown dying look is progressing to the top. I don’t know what to do. Should I water a lot with epsons salt? My neighbor across the street has 2 palm trees and one is almost all brown. Any quick suggestions? Thank you for your help.

Answer: Coconut Palm Trees can’t tolerate temperatures below 20F. I would even say 25F is too cold for them. They are warmth loving palms that grow best in zone 10-11. Even mature palms have hard time tolerating low temperatures. At this point, there is not much you can do. There is no quick way of fixing it. Keep watering your palm. Don’t cut the leaves unless they are completely dry or if you see that they are rotting.

The most important part of the palm is its bud. If the bud was damaged by cold, your palm will most likely die. If bud was not damaged, it should recover, but it might take over 6 months. Fertilizing will not help. It could put even more stress on your palm. Cold damage palms have weaker immune system and could get fungus infection. To prevent that from happening spray the palm with Copper Fungicide. ~Susan Brian

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.

Why Are My Sylvester Date Palms Dying?

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:44:52 +0000

Question: Hi there. 6 weeks ago I bought 16 2&3ft Sylvester Date Palms. Its been hell keeping them alive! I have sandy well drained soil. One died and was replaced 2 are on life support. All have new green shoots coming from the center. Problem is that the outer and some new shoots have died and the outer dies about a third from end looks horrible. Yesterday I trimmed all the brown and today more brown! Should I trim a partly brown limb? Today I concluded that the problem might have been the continuous watering with house water which is soft water with 3ppm chlorine in it. So I switched to well water which is very hard with lots of lime and Iron in it. Could this have been it? The tree farm said to keep them tied but the brown outers were keeping light from the new center growth so I untied them. Help! Thanks.

Answer: There are few things that could be happening. They could have been planted too deep, or not acclimatized for the area (if you live in a colder climate), or the watering schedule is wrong. It is hard to figure out from a distance. Palms usually lose a lot of roots during transplanting. Few roots that are left have to work extra hard to provide tree with enough water until it develops new roots system. They should be watered every day for the first week and every other day for the second week. Here is my article on palm watering. Don’t cut brown leaves, palms use them for nutrients. Just water them with well water. Fertilizing will not help. ~Susan Brian

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.

Newly Planted Pindo Palms Are Turning Brown

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:40:23 +0000

Question: Two weeks ago I purchased 4 Pindo Palms. They were planted properly in an area that has good drainage. They have been maintained per the instructions I was given which was to water them 3 times a week watering them per the tree gallons (ours our 30 gallon trees). I have ensured that the fronds are not watered due to sunburning and turning the fronds brown. I have noticed a few not many fronds on two of my trees turning brown. Should I be worrying?

Answer: Palm tree often experience “transplant shock” because they lose a lot of roots during transplanting and have to rely on few roots to supply them with water until the new root system is developed. I wouldn’t worry at this point. Don’t trim the leaves. Let them naturally die. You can cut them when they are completely dry. Keep watering. It should be find. ~Susan Brian

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.

How To Save an Over-fertilized Palm Tree

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:41:54 +0000

Question: Hi. I read your notes on fertilization and I feel certain the tree got fertilizer close to the roots. This winter was bitter cold (Jacksonville, fl) and some of the tips of the fronds got frozen I think, but now all the fronds have crispy brown tips moving toward the middle of the frond. I can’t tell if the new shoots in the middle are brown as well. It has been raining a lot, but its super dry these days. Should we cut the fronds. It may have also been over-fertilized. Is there anything we can do to ameliorate the problem? Thanks!

Answer: It sounds like your palm was damaged by cold and over-fertilized. Over-fertilizing can kill your palm. You need to water it a lot for a few days to wash out the fertilizer. Cold damaged palms is very hard to treat. Fertilizing will not help. It might take palm over 6 months to recover. The only thing you can do is wait. Make sure you have a regular watering schedule and protect it from cold. ~Susan Brian

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.

How To Treat Cold Damaged Foxtail Palm Trees

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:21:28 +0000

Question: Hi. I have 3 Foxtail Palms that are approx. 15 feet tall. They were planted approx. 3 years ago. I live in Florida and as you know we had a long, cold winter. All of the branches were brown, so we trimmed all of them off. There is new green growth coming out of the top. The problem is, the new branches seem very weak. They will come out and then either fall over (hanging against the trunk) or break off about 6-8 inches from the top. Could you suggest anything that I could do to prevent this? Anything that would make the tree branches stronger? Thanks for your help!

Answer: Sorry to hear about your palm trees. There is little you can do. Since there is a new growth, I think your palms will survive. It might take them a full year to recover. Keep watering and protect them from cold during winter. Florida doesn’t get a lot of cold days but those cold snaps can do even more damage than just cold temperatures. When it gradually gets colder every day, palms have enough time to adjust to the winter season and slow down their process. When it is a sudden cold, palms are not prepared and that is why the cold damage can be greater. If you know that a cold snap is coming, spray your palm with Freeze Pruf. This great spray will create a protective layer around your palm. Here is more info on how to protect palm trees from cold.

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.

Why Is My Red Latan Palm Tree Turning Black?

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:18:41 +0000

Question: I have a Red Latan Palm. Recently, the new shoots are underdeveloped, turning black at the tips and opening early. The recent fronds that have developed more fully have turned black at the base of the stalk. It almost appears to be a magnesium deficiency or a frizzle top problem that you might see in a Queen Palm. Are these susceptible to the same condition? Do you have any advice as to whether I can try something to save this tree? It is just starting to achieve some size and has enjoyed healthy growth for a few years until now. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Answer: I don’t think it is a frizzle top problem. This sound like a fungal infection. You should prune infected fronds and discard them. Spray the palm with Bonide Products Copper Fungicide. This is a great product that helps to prevent fungal infection from spreading. If this is an indoor palm, keep away from other plants. ~Susan Brian

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.

How Do I Save Cold Damaged Windmill Palm Trees?

Susan Brian — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:13:23 +0000

Question: I have 2 palms that are 7 years old and about 15 feet tall. They are not producing any leaves so far this year, by this time they would be going crazy. We are in TX and we had a cold winter this year with temps below freezing for 4 days or more. The wind beat all the old dead leaves so this year it started with no dead to draw from. Is it in shock ? Will they start to grow this year or next, or have we lost them? The trunk and the rest of the tree looks good. Can you help?

Answer: I am very sorry to hear about your Windmill Palms. A lot of people lost palm trees due to cold winter. The survival of your palms depends on how sever the cold damage is. If the bud was not damaged, palms should survive. If the bud is badly damaged, they might die. From what you telling me in, your trees should recover. Since they have been damaged by the cold, their immune system might be weak creating an opportunity for fungus and insects to attach. Spray your palm with Bonide Products Copper Fungicide. This should keep the fungal infections away.

Also, make sure to protect your palm from cold. Since your palms are already weak, they don’t need more cold damage. There are few ways you can do it. The quick and easiest way is to spray it with cold protective spray called Freeze Pruf. This spray will increase palm’s cold tolerance by 9F. Here is my article on how to protect palm tree from cold. ~Susan Brian

Know the answer to this question? Please write your answer in the comment box below.