Mule Palm with slow growth

[Peachs]

It seems to grow slowly the thickness of the trunk, without new leaves. I water and fertilize regularly.

 

Photo from 1 year ago:

Washingtonia, Livistona, Trachycarpus... They grow much faster. The Mule palm was planted 2 years ago.

 

Any advice?
 

 

[Robbertico18]

Looks like decent growth for a year to me

was it planted just last year?

[Las Palmas Norte]

If it where me, I wouldn't have the artificial turf covering the root zone. 

Year 1 - sleep. Year 2 - creep. Year 3 - leap. ... or so it's been said.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

3 hours ago, Peachs said:

It seems to grow slowly

How pot bound was this palm ? Sometimes large palms take longer to put down roots when stuck in a pot for a long time. 

T J 

[Peachs]

9 hours ago, Robbertico18 said:

Looks like decent growth for a year to me

was it planted just last year?

2 years

8 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

How pot bound was this palm ? Sometimes large palms take longer to put down roots when stuck in a pot for a long time. 

T J 

At that size, photo just as it was planted:

[Peachs]

9 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

If it where me, I wouldn't have the artificial turf covering the root zone. 

Year 1 - sleep. Year 2 - creep. Year 3 - leap. ... or so it's been said.

I have more than 10 palms like this and they grow very fast. This one looks dormant and only fattens the trunk.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

6 hours ago, Peachs said:

I have more than 10 palms like this and they grow very fast. This one looks dormant and only fattens the trunk.

Most likely it's been putting down roots instead of fronds. 

T J 

[Merlyn]

The lighter green color of the leaves might be a sign of a nutrient deficiency.  It's hard to say for sure, but they look uniformly light green.  That might just be "too hot and sunny" for it to be happy, so it's sort of blanched out.  It could also be a lack of nitrogen, iron, or maybe even manganese. 

[sonoranfans]

9 hours ago, Peachs said:

I have more than 10 palms like this and they grow very fast. This one looks dormant and only fattens the trunk.

Are there differences in sun exposure, are all your mules up against the building like that one?  That site could have dessicating radiant heat from the nasonry and poor drainage and limited root space up against a building.  Big roots grow big palms, constricted root areas are expected to lead to slower growth and possibly smaller adult size.  Planting site also can determine sun exposure which can influence growth rate.  Last but not least all mule palms are not genetically identical since they are F1 crosses and some variation will occur, some will lean to faster growth and some will lean slower as the parent genetics have greatly differing growth rates.  Another aspect of mules is that one parent S Romanzoffiana loves cintinually wet roots, while the other parent butias hate them.  This means their offspring can lean either way.

[Peachs]

2 hours ago, OC2Texaspalmlvr said:

Most likely it's been putting down roots instead of fronds. 

T J 

Yes, it seems to be still settling in since the transplant....

46 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

The lighter green color of the leaves might be a sign of a nutrient deficiency.  It's hard to say for sure, but they look uniformly light green.  That might just be "too hot and sunny" for it to be happy, so it's sort of blanched out.  It could also be a lack of nitrogen, iron, or maybe even manganese. 

The color is a medium green, not clear. It may confuse the photo.

 

8 minutes ago, sonoranfans said:

Are there differences in sun exposure, are all your mules up against the building like that one?  That site could have dessicating radiant heat from the nasonry and poor drainage and limited root space up against a building.  Big roots grow big palms, constricted root areas are expected to lead to slower growth and possibly smaller adult size.  Planting site also can determine sun exposure which can influence growth rate.  Last but not least all mule palms are not genetically identical since they are F1 crosses and some variation will occur, some will lean to faster growth and some will lean slower as the parent genetics have greatly differing growth rates.  Another aspect of mules is that one parent S Romanzoffiana loves cintinually wet roots, while the other parent butias hate them.  This means their offspring can lean either way.

Yes, similar characteristics in all other palms. For example, a Livistona Nitida grows like a rocket (only 1 year since transplanting). I hope it can grow well in that location, albeit slowly. The crystals project a lot of heat, and for the moment until it outgrows them in height it will suffer.

[SeanK]

Pull up a piece of that AstroTurf and do a soil test. Cement construction can raise the pH of surrounding soil to about 10.0

[Peachs]

4 hours ago, SeanK said:

Pull up a piece of that AstroTurf and do a soil test. Cement construction can raise the pH of surrounding soil to about 10.0

Ph7

[Peachs]

 

 

Now it seems to be growing  

[Peachs]

 

mule palm - livistona nitida

[sonoranfans]

how many hours of direct sun a day there?  Cant be very many.  Limited sun certainly will impact growth till it is up over the buildings.

[Peachs]

2 hours ago, sonoranfans said:

how many hours of direct sun a day there?  Cant be very many.  Limited sun certainly will impact growth till it is up over the buildings.

Half day, west facing.