Royal trunk soft at base

[Coasta]

Hello everyone. A few weeks ago I posted about my landscaper possibly planting my Cuban royal a little too deep. I left it alone and last night I noticed the base of the trunk is soft when I push into it and can see small cracks. I immediately removed excess soil as you can see where the original soil line was from when the landscaper planted it. I was trying to avoid the trunk flare where it splits apart the trunk. Is this what is happening? Am I too late? Thank you for your help.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Hector,

It may just be the old leaf base getting ready to fall off.  Since you live in Arizona, I can't imagine it having any fungal problems.  Maybe someone else on the forum with more experience with Royal Palms can chime in here.

John

[Coasta]

I am hoping so, I can push into it with my finger and it moves. I hope I didn't mess my palm up and its going to start to split. Thank you John

[aztropic]

Absolutely,peel that first brown leaf base away from the trunk.It should come off fairly easy at this point.Then you can make a better determination if there is really any problem.The living trunk should be solid.If it ever goes soft,the palm is on its way out...

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Coasta]

59 minutes ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Hector,

It may just be the old leaf base getting ready to fall off.  Since you live in Arizona, I can't imagine it having any fungal problems.  Maybe someone else on the forum with more experience with Royal Palms can chime in here.

John

 

47 minutes ago, aztropic said:

Absolutely,peel that first brown leaf base away from the trunk.It should come off fairly easy at this point.Then you can make a better determination if there is really any problem.The living trunk should be solid.If it ever goes soft,the palm is on its way out...

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

Hi Aztropic, I was worried for a second when you said if it goes soft its on its way out!

With some force I ripped off the old leaf base. (There are still little pieces of the leaf base that did not budge, but I will cut them out). To my surprise,  the trunk base remains hard! It was the old leaf that was turning soft. 

On a side note, is this its official first adult scar ring?  Also the trunk will still get bigger than this right? 

 

[AZPalms]

1 minute ago, Coasta said:

 

Hi Aztropic, I was worried for a second when you said if it goes soft its on its way out!

With some force I ripped off the old leaf base. (There are still little pieces of the leaf base that did not budge, but I will cut them out). To my surprise,  the trunk base remains hard! It was the old leaf that was turning soft. 

On a side note, is this its official first adult scar ring?  Also the trunk will still get bigger than this right? 

 

That ring is still the newer leaf base. Underneath it looks like a small wooden ring? Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me. 

As far as trunk size, oh yes! It will swell and well and grow and swell with water and our heat. Just hold on for the ride. 

 

Looking good 

[Coasta]

6 minutes ago, AZPalms said:

That ring is still the newer leaf base. Underneath it looks like a small wooden ring? Maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me. 

As far as trunk size, oh yes! It will swell and well and grow and swell with water and our heat. Just hold on for the ride. 

 

Looking good 

Ahh! That probably is part of the other leaf base that is still attached. So I know when I start to see wood, that is the trunk. 

 

Great!! I hope he gets nice and fat.

[aztropic]

Agree.Palm looks nice and healthy.When the next boot fully turns brown and peels off,that will be the first ring on the trunk.It was good to plant the palm on the deep side as these like to produce lots of arial roots that can be covered up later when planted in a hole.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[Coasta]

7 minutes ago, aztropic said:

Agree.Palm looks nice and healthy.When the next boot fully turns brown and peels off,that will be the first ring on the trunk.It was good to plant the palm on the deep side as these like to produce lots of arial roots that can be covered up later when planted in a hole.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

Thats great to hear! It puts my mind at ease that it was planted well and in the future it will actually benefit as well. 

Thanks Aztropic!

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

Hector, 

If you want the pretty trunk.of a Royal Palm, don't peel off any more leaf bases.  Let them fall off naturally when they are ready, so as to not injure the still tender tissue underneath.  This goes for any of the self shedding palms like Kings Palms, Foxtail Palms, Coconut Palms, Queen Palms, etc.

John

[DoomsDave]

10 

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1 

ignition!

we have liftoff!

This is Butch, my biggest, baddest, expletive screamin-est Royal.

This is a couple years ago; bigger now.

[Coasta]

1 hour ago, Mr. Coconut Palm said:

Hector, 

If you want the pretty trunk.of a Royal Palm, don't peel off any more leaf bases.  Let them fall off naturally when they are ready, so as to not injure the still tender tissue underneath.  This goes for any of the self shedding palms like Kings Palms, Foxtail Palms, Coconut Palms, Queen Palms, etc.

John

Wow I am glad you told me that. I feel like I am constantly learning how to do things properly with my palms lol. 

 

Does this explain why this royal I saw looks so rough and not smooth? 

[Coasta]

47 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

10 

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1 

ignition!

we have liftoff!

This is Butch, my biggest, baddest, expletive screamin-est Royal.

This is a couple years ago; bigger now.

He's a big guy!! How old is he??

[DoomsDave]

2 gallon October 2004

 

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

22 hours ago, Coasta said:

Wow I am glad you told me that. I feel like I am constantly learning how to do things properly with my palms lol. 

 

Does this explain why this royal I saw looks so rough and not smooth? 

Yes, I think so.