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Question: problem with European Fan Palm

racerxrick

By racerxrick
in COLD HARDY PALMS

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racerxrick Rookie

racerxrick

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi,

First post, I had palms installed around my pool landscape in Dallas, TX four years ago and we just love them!

Over the winter my Mediterranean/European Fan Palm had all the leaves go brown.  Late winter/early spring I cut the branches/leaves off and discarded.  About 30 days ago I became concerned as one of the "trunks" wasn't producing.  As I inspected this problem the center pulled completely out leaving it open.  At least 30-45+ days have went by and I still don't see any green shoots coming out.  I will attach photos.

QUESTION:  Is there anything I can do?  (This is arguably our favorite palm!)

Thank you in advance,

Rick 

palm1.jpg

palm2.jpg

palm3.jpg

Edited by racerxrick
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Fusca Grand Master

Fusca

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These are pretty tough palms.  It sounds like you pulled the spear on one of the suckers over a month ago which was probably due to fungus.  Applying some hydrogen peroxide would have helped at that time, but I'm not sure about the time delay.  It wouldn't hurt to try it now, but it may not do much good.  Hopefully it will recover with time.  Was it a wet winter up there?  I know that extended cold temps + rain can be more harmful than an extremely low temp.  My European fan is constantly putting out new suckers around the bottom of the plant and I keep cutting them off trying to get more energy to the main trunk and keep the suckers to a minimum.  Good luck with it - the rest of it looks like it's coming back pretty well...

Jon

Jon Sunder

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racerxrick Rookie

racerxrick

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4 minutes ago, Fusca said:

These are pretty tough palms.  It sounds like you pulled the spear on one of the suckers over a month ago which was probably due to fungus.  Applying some hydrogen peroxide would have helped at that time, but I'm not sure about the time delay.  It wouldn't hurt to try it now, but it may not do much good.  Hopefully it will recover with time.  Was it a wet winter up there?  I know that extended cold temps + rain can be more harmful than an extremely low temp.  My European fan is constantly putting out new suckers around the bottom of the plant and I keep cutting them off trying to get more energy to the main trunk and keep the suckers to a minimum.  Good luck with it - the rest of it looks like it's coming back pretty well...

Jon

Yes, the center (spear?) pulled out with little to no resistance and my heart dropped when that happened.  I read about using hydrogen peroxide and will try that (directly into the crown if I recall).  I don't recall this winter being exceptionally cold as you may be correct regarding wetness.  

If the third trunk doesn't come back it will sure hurt the aesthetics.

Thanks for your reply

 

Rick

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racerxrick Rookie

racerxrick

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...our little Oasis (added benefit is low pool maintenance as there was originally a Bradford Pear tree and two Crepe Myrtels and all three made a mess!)

landscape palms.JPG

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Fusca Grand Master

Fusca

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I forgot to welcome you to the forum!  You might want to contact Joe on this forum TexasColdHardyPalms - he is in the DFW area and has a nice collection of different palms if you are interested in any additional specimens.  He can let you know what will work in your area and you can avoid shipping fees!  I recently bought a nice small palm from him.

Jon

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Jon Sunder

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Jimhardy Mentor

Jimhardy

Posted
Posted

Try cutting down on the trunk a little at a time...they will usually

come back but sometimes if the fungus gets deep enough it can

destroy any new growth....you will be able to

see how far the rot extends after cutting.

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Hammer Grand Master

Hammer

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27 minutes ago, Jimhardy said:

Try cutting down on the trunk a little at a time...they will usually

come back but sometimes if the fungus gets deep enough it can

destroy any new growth....you will be able to

see how far the rot extends after cutting.

Good suggestion Jim.  Sanitize your cutting tools after the fact!

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DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted

OUCH!

RacerX; your palm looks like toast!

Good friends tell same the facts, alas.

I could be wrong . . . Give a nudge at the base of the trunk with your toe. If it's wobbly,  just pull it out and get another. If it's tight there may still be a chance. But, it does not look good. I;ve grown and murdered many many palms.

Welcome to Palmtalk! See my PM.

Hmm. Are you a "Speed Racer" fan?

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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racerxrick Rookie

racerxrick

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On 6/23/2017, 9:47:50, DoomsDave said:

OUCH!

RacerX; your palm looks like toast!

Good friends tell same the facts, alas.

I could be wrong . . . Give a nudge at the base of the trunk with your toe. If it's wobbly,  just pull it out and get another. If it's tight there may still be a chance. But, it does not look good. I;ve grown and murdered many many palms.

Welcome to Palmtalk! See my PM.

Hmm. Are you a "Speed Racer" fan?

I'll nudge the poor thing...thanks.

And sure i watched Speed Racer and I've always been a big car guy.

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racerxrick Rookie

racerxrick

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On 6/23/2017, 2:41:45, Fusca said:

I forgot to welcome you to the forum!  You might want to contact Joe on this forum TexasColdHardyPalms - he is in the DFW area and has a nice collection of different palms if you are interested in any additional specimens.  He can let you know what will work in your area and you can avoid shipping fees!  I recently bought a nice small palm from him.

Jon

thanks Jon

On 6/23/2017, 4:49:24, Jimhardy said:

Try cutting down on the trunk a little at a time...they will usually

come back but sometimes if the fungus gets deep enough it can

destroy any new growth....you will be able to

see how far the rot extends after cutting.

 

On 6/23/2017, 5:17:34, Hammer said:

Good suggestion Jim.  Sanitize your cutting tools after the fact!

thanks for the suggestions though a little unsure on a procedure for cutting the trunk...ouch

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PalmatierMeg Grand Master

PalmatierMeg

Posted
Posted

Make a horizontal cut through the trunk a few inches below the spear pull. If you see rot, sanitize your saw with bleach and water, then cut again below the rot. Repeat as necessary until you reach healthy meristem or run out of trunk. If the meristem is viable you should see the growing point move vertically within a day or so. Even slow growing palms can accelerate growth when they are fighting to stay alive.

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Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

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lapalmeraie Collaborator

lapalmeraie

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I've several European Fan palms here in the garden in Belgium, Europe and did had several similar occassions where I could easily pull out the spears. Always due to wet winters indeed. You should probably see brown dots on the other leaves as well. Another symtome of too much humidity during winter. 

As said, they are quite amazing when it comes to recovery. Using a fungicide could be helpfull but I only use it dry and do not disolve the powder in liquid as mentioned on the product as you want to keep the gazing hole as dry as you can...

Take some little stick and put it down the hole to see how far it goes. This depth is also the part you can cut. Though, by precaution start just a but higher. Place a regular wood saw horizontally and start sowing. When it comes of you still should see a little hole but now you can estimate much better if more sowing is needed. Try to stop just above the heart/new leaf. So just leaving a hole without much depth. <1 inch. 

I honestly didn't even sanitized my saw and also cutted one sucker as low as I could and it also came back! Quite amazing :wink:

good luck

Niek

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racerxrick Rookie

racerxrick

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On 7/11/2017, 12:42:54, lapalmeraie said:

I've several European Fan palms here in the garden in Belgium, Europe and did had several similar occassions where I could easily pull out the spears. Always due to wet winters indeed. You should probably see brown dots on the other leaves as well. Another symtome of too much humidity during winter. 

As said, they are quite amazing when it comes to recovery. Using a fungicide could be helpfull but I only use it dry and do not disolve the powder in liquid as mentioned on the product as you want to keep the gazing hole as dry as you can...

Take some little stick and put it down the hole to see how far it goes. This depth is also the part you can cut. Though, by precaution start just a but higher. Place a regular wood saw horizontally and start sowing. When it comes of you still should see a little hole but now you can estimate much better if more sowing is needed. Try to stop just above the heart/new leaf. So just leaving a hole without much depth. <1 inch. 

I honestly didn't even sanitized my saw and also cutted one sucker as low as I could and it also came back! Quite amazing :wink:

good luck

Niek

Thanks for your responses as well...I have observed the other small trunk is not producing as expected.  Heading out to do surgery on my favorite palm right after this reply!

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TexasColdHardyPalms Grand Master

TexasColdHardyPalms

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The little trunk died from the cold and there is nothing you can do now to save it.  There was a lot of damage to palms, trees, hedges, shrubs around the metroplex from the cold front in January.  

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Axel Amsterdam Mentor

Axel Amsterdam

Posted
Posted
On 13-7-2017 15:18:56, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

The little trunk died from the cold and there is nothing you can do now to save it.  There was a lot of damage to palms, trees, hedges, shrubs around the metroplex from the cold front in January.  

Yes, I have seen it multiple times here in severe cold winters. It will probably produce some new suckers, it's part of their survival strategy. It's not a humidity problem since this never happens in milder wet winters and we have some wet winters without sun in Amsterdam.

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DCA_Palm_Fan Mentor

DCA_Palm_Fan

Posted
Posted
On 7/13/2017, 9:18:56, TexasColdHardyPalms said:

The little trunk died from the cold and there is nothing you can do now to save it.  There was a lot of damage to palms, trees, hedges, shrubs around the metroplex from the cold front in January.  

I have to agree with that.    Any update from the OP?

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