Dead queen palm (what killed it)

[Walt]

About a month ago I noticed that one of my queen palms just didn't look like the new fronds were filling out the crown. Then, two days ago, the entire crown snapped and fell over 90 degrees. The first pic shows this palm back in 2016 (I don't have a more recent photo). As queen palms go, it had a fairly stout trunk and was one of the better looking queen palms I have. In any event, I don't know what kind of disease my queen palm has (had, since it's now dead). I see no signs of ganoderma butt rot (no conks are dark stained bleeding in the lower trunk (see trunk base photos). I'm wondering if possibly it's been infected with palmetto weevils. I guess I will eventually find out. I plan to wait until the crown falls off the trunk, then I will check it out for weevils.

If anyone has an idea as to what killed my queen palm, please comment.

[Merlyn]

There have been 3 queens in my neighborhood that did the exact same thing.  I assumed Thielaviopsis, since the fallen crown is a typical sign.  

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PP143

[DoomsDave]

Whoa! Another horror to beset us!

[SeanK]

1 hour ago, Merlyn said:

There have been 3 queens in my neighborhood that did the exact same thing.  I assumed Thielaviopsis, since the fallen crown is a typical sign.  

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PP143

Looks just like the pix in the UFL bulletin.

[Walt]

I failed to mention I have another queen palm with the same problem. Today I noticed the entire crown lying on the ground. Tomorrow I'm going to start cleaning it up and will post pics of it.

[Plantking165]

On 12/30/2023 at 7:08 PM, Walt said:

I failed to mention I have another queen palm with the same problem. Today I noticed the entire crown lying on the ground. Tomorrow I'm going to start cleaning it up and will post pics of it.

Got a couple that had this recently around the neighborhood. Fallen crown and there's an old trunk they didn't remove and it has red stem bleeding symptoms. I'm quite concerned that this may hit my palms or my neighbors palms pretty quickly as it's not far at all and there are several woodpeckers in the neighborhood including one that mad a home out of the infected palms dead trunk they kinda act as a vector for the diseases spread. I've been researching thielaviopsis in palms quite a bit trying to understand how it acts and if it's gonna be a major problem for me when it comes around because I'm sure it will.

[Harry’s Palms]

As this is a fungal situation , I wonder if it is more prevalent in humid environments. I haven’t seen it in Southern California where most of us are in an arid environment . I have some very tall queens that I get trimmed at least once a year by a tree service and as fast as these guys work , I’m sure there are scars on the trunk when they are done. I don’t let the guys trim my Howea or any of my other palms , just the queens and the huge Washingtonia. 

[sonoranfans]

"Humans also create wounds when trimming leaves that are not yet dead. Leaf petioles are cut as close as possible to the trunk. If a leaf petiole has any green color associated with it, the leaf is still living. When that still living petiole is cut, a fresh wound is created that may be infected by the fungus. Trunks can be easily wounded during the trimming process with the careless use of the pruning tool. Pulling a leaf off the trunk when the leaf petiole still has green tissue can create a fresh wound."  A warning to the over trimmers that should be heeded.  I know Walt doesnt over trim, but some do.