Mexican Fan Palm

[Jerry Price]

I live in the metro Houston area. After the freeze, i trimmed my palms that are about 4 years old and a 5.5’ truck and have always been healthy. I marked all of my trees with a sharpie to monitor growth. They we all growin daily and then the center spear of one came out as i was checking them. Now that particular tree has stopped growing and is turning brown in the center where the spear came out. Is it a gonner?

[Steve Mac]

Hi Jerry welcome to the forum.  A bit hard to tell without a picture, and even then we would still all be guessing.

But you could fill the centre with 3% Hydrogen peroxide that seems to help some palms with crown rot.

But I'd guess that it has a 50/50 chance. 

[NBTX11]

We need a picture to see what is going on.  Spear pulls and spears coming out is not uncommon after a bad freeze.  Palms can come back from that, but we need to find out if the center growing point is moving.  Many treat their palms with copper fungicide or hydrogen peroxide.  Some take drastic measure such as performing "surgery", to get the palm moving again.  This entails cutting down the trunk a few inches until you get to the growing point.  That is a drastic step, but one that has worked for some people.  Basically we would need to see photos of the palm to see what is going on to give you advice. 

[Jerry Price]

[Jerry Price]

These are photos of the tree

[Steve Mac]

OMG, I think that plant has gone to the beautiful nursery in the sky.  Insert sad face icon here.

[NBTX11]

If it were me, I’d cut a few inches off the top, try to get to the growing bud, and treat with hydrogen peroxide. I would literally saw off the top 6 inches and see what is going on in that hole. You need to find out somehow if that spear is moving. 

Edited April 22, 2021 by NBTX11

[Collectorpalms]

On 4/21/2021 at 10:15 AM, Jerry Price said:

These are photos of the tree

I would go ahead cut horizontally down to where the center spear pulled and treat it with peroxide for a few days. Post updated picture after you trunk cut it.

You are not alone, several of my of palms that looked alive the week after the freeze, went downhill.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Collectorpalms

[PricklyPearSATC]

The "surgery" that everyone is talking about is last ditch effort.  If you don't do it, you palm is a goner.  If you do, it might make it.  I just did it on my Livistona chinensis (Chinese fan palm).  However, mine was growing, but it was barely growing and the newest spear was strawlike and had mold on the base. 


I have no idea if I did it right now. 

[NBTX11]

Based on his photos, drastic measures are required.  Cut away.  Otherwise it's a goner anyways.