Bismarkia showing odd damage

[trickledown]

I have 3 Bismarkias planted here in Port Orange FL. One of them is showing signs of damage not related to the short freeze we had two weeks ago. I've attached some photos in hopes that somebody in our group can diagnose the problem and suggest a remedy.

Only the center palm is showing this problem the other two are healthy.

Any help would be appreciated.

Stuart

[mnorell]

That looks like some sort of insect damage to me (mixed with either dirt or fungus)...and I have no direct knowledge of what it might be, but it's worth noting that Rhynchophorus cruentatus has been known to cause damage and death of Bismarckia in Florida. I have heard of whole crowns/heads (size of a small car) known to come crashing down. I believe it was my arborist in Key West who told me of this, that when such a thing happens during a hurricane it has nothing to do with the palm's innate strength but rather with weakening from these weevils. (And this is why I would never plant one within throw of my house.) I always discourage people in the Keys who love Bismarckia...and steer them instead to the bulletproof Latania that is so much more suited to the average home landscape there, for this and a number of other reasons. See also this info sheet.

[palmsOrl]

4 hours ago, trickledown said:

I have 3 Bismarkias planted here in Port Orange FL. One of them is showing signs of damage not related to the short freeze we had two weeks ago. I've attached some photos in hopes that somebody in our group can diagnose the problem and suggest a remedy.

Only the center palm is showing this problem the other two are healthy.

Any help would be appreciated.

Stuart

Not sure what exactly to describe the damage as but my "wimpy bizzie" at my parent's former home defoliated below 32 F every time (like 31F and the foliage was gray and dead, always came back though, even from two consecutive nights of 24F).

How long have you been observing yours?  You might also have a genetic weakling.

-Michael

[trickledown]

Oddly enough, the Bismark in question is the largest in the "middle" of the other two. It came from a different nursery than the other two. It has a slightly greener color and was never quite as healthy as the others although it was larger... 

It has gotten considerably worse in the two weeks since the freeze. Don't know whether to treat it as a fungus or insect damage.  I guess I could try both.. Thanks for your response.

BTW, i am a member of IPS, do you know how I can add that badge to my account?

Stuart

[96720]

They say the greener ones aren’t as tough as the bluer ones but I haven’t had any experience with green ones.

[Reyes Vargas]

1 hour ago, trickledown said:

Oddly enough, the Bismark in question is the largest in the "middle" of the other two. It came from a different nursery than the other two. It has a slightly greener color and was never quite as healthy as the others although it was larger... 

It has gotten considerably worse in the two weeks since the freeze. Don't know whether to treat it as a fungus or insect damage.  I guess I could try both.. Thanks for your response.

BTW, i am a member of IPS, do you know how I can add that badge to my account?

Stuart

If you are an IPS Member, you must request this designation. It is not automatic. Contact the Moderator.

[Merlyn]

The damaged one looks a little bit more greenish than the others, but the new spear looks fairly silver-blue.  My guess would be a significant fungal infection, at least that's what it looks like on the leaves.  The damage on the rachis/petiole looks more like abrasion when transplanting, or insect damage.  Maybe they had the fronds tied up with a rope when they were moving it, and the rope ripped up part of the tissue on the rachis?  That could have been the entry point for the fungus.  If it really is a silver one, then I wouldn't guess the freeze was the cause, since Port Orange only got down to around 28F.  Some green ones take a lot of damage around 30F, so it could be a "genetic weakling."

I'd recommend a systemic fungicide, I use Banrot (etradizole + thiophanate-methyl) on my palms and cycads.  Other ones like Agri-Fos (potassium salts of phosphoric acid) and Fosetyl-AL (aluminum salts of phosphoric acid) may also work, as well as copper-based ones.  Given that the fungus seems to be on several fronds I would treat it and the other palms nearby. 

[sonoranfans]

the smutt looks like a fungus.  These palms dont like lots of rain/water in the cool months.  I had one in arizona that got that smutt fungus, it was in a rose garden getting too frequent watering.  I would remove the leave(s) covered in the stuff, they will not recover and may spread the infection.  I'd also treat all spotting on any other leaf with daconil fungicide once a week for a 3 weeks.  These palms want good drainage and infrequent watering in winter.  They might have dug up a bunch of field grown ones, piled them in a group(upright) an watered them too much.  All that dead air space and continual wetness is asking for a fungus with these palms.  Might work for royals, but not for bismarckias.  10 years ago my 3 gallon home depot rescue bizzie had that fungus on the lower leaves.  I cut them off, applied the fungicide and that 12" plant grew into the ~30' palm it is today.  It had that fungus and is among the whitest/waxist bizzies you will see.  Bismarckia leaves lose their wax in shade and wet, no surprise.  One may have been especially shaded in the interior of the bunch they dug and set out for sale..