Disease/fungal problem?

[RedRabbit]

Several of my potted palms have had some sort of condition where the stems and foliage turn white. It started with some veitchia then moved on to archontophoenix and now I seem my chambreyonia, which looked perfect last weekend, is in really bad shape now. It is alarming to see how quickly it has gone down hill... Anyone know what the heck is going on?

 

 

[palmad Merc]

Have you treated them with fungicide yet?

 

[RedRabbit]

17 minutes ago, palmad Merc said:

Have you treated them with fungicide yet?

 

Nope, not yet. Any recommendations?

[Gonzer]

Looks like you've got a bad case of Thrips.

[kinzyjr]

I just went out to check on my archontophoenix and the spear pulled.  For me, it looks like a secondary fungal infection from cold damage.  Your plant looks identical to mine in regard to damage and symptoms (minus spear pull).  I poured some peroxide in the hole and it fizzed so much the peroxide started pushing out.  Treated it with fungicide after the peroxide was done doing its thing.  I'll probably lose it, but we'll see.

[Steve Mac]

It may also be mites, sorry that I can't tell you how to differentiate but a fungicide or an insecticide will not kill them. If it is mites, you would need a miticide, which I have found more expensive than expensive fungicide. Trial and error is time consuming and expensive.  I would take a pot to several nurseries and have a few Horts (qualified seniors) to identify it for you, for the specific problem and remedy.

I have found that sometimes throwing out, disinfecting the whole area and starting again to be the quickest, simplest and cheapest way of eliminating some pests which I did not have accurately identified. I hated to do it but due to my lack of specific knowledge, and lack of time to find an experienced horticulturist, once that was best for me.

If it is thrips you will need a systemic neonicotinoid insecticide.

 

[richnorm]

Looks like thrips.  Are they growing under cover?  Simply exposing them to the rain or hosing down regularly can help but you have reached the point where they must be treated.

[RedRabbit]

21 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

I just went out to check on my archontophoenix and the spear pulled.  

Sorry to hear that, hope it pulls through.

14 hours ago, richnorm said:

Looks like thrips.  Are they growing under cover?  Simply exposing them to the rain or hosing down regularly can help but you have reached the point where they must be treated.

Yep, I've got them on my porch to keep them out of the sun. 

 

Thanks for all the feedback guys! I went to a local nursery and they told me they thought it was probably mites. I purchased insect poison that should take care of mites, thrips, and a list of other stuff. I just applied it this afternoon so hopefully they'll start recovering. If not, I'll get some fungicide next weekend. 

[Gonzer]

What kills thrips won't kill mites. If it's mites (I doubt) then you need a miticide.

[Steve Mac]

I will be difficult to tell in a week how much the product helped unless you cut off all of the dead bits first.

Don't cut off any green stuff more than necessary, or just a tiny bit, carefully cut off down to the bottom of the white parts 

I can see that is not easy but then you will be able to tell more easily.

[richnorm]

Agreed, cut off dead parts, wipe each remaining leaflet then spray.  They will be happier relocated outside where they see some weather otherwise you will need to spray regularly.  Fungicide wont help imo.

[RedRabbit]

Thanks again everyone. I took the advice here and more than half winded up recovering. The survivors are all in the ground now.