Bismark Question

[amazonman]

I got this 25 gallon bismark a 2 weeks ago, been watering by hand 2 times a week about 5-10 gallons each watering.  Notice upper fronds starting to have some yellowing, am I over watering or underwatering?  

[SeanK]

It's starving in that tiny pot so it's cannibalizing the oldest leaves

[FlaPalmLover]

Someone more familiar with bismarcks please correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like that's an ugly-looking bismarck in general. The fronds look stunted or something. It seems like you didn't buy the healthiest bismarck to begin with.

It should look more like this... 

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

15 minutes ago, FlaPalmLover said:

It should look more like this... 

It almost looks like it could be the green form. 

@amazonman I wouldn't be too worried about the watering on your Bizzie. Unless the potting soil is super soggy. In habitat these palms grow basically in desert conditions. Your palm looks fine to me from the picture. 

T J 

[James B]

Mike, your palm looks fine. It’s normal leaf burn due to being in direct sun. This happens. Over time as it produces more new leaves those will die off and be replaced. I’ve found in Socal that Bismarkia don’t really wake up until June. Then once I get consistent 90 plus days they take off.

[James B]

2 hours ago, FlaPalmLover said:

Someone more familiar with bismarcks please correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like that's an ugly-looking bismarck in general. The fronds look stunted or something. It seems like you didn't buy the healthiest bismarck to begin with.

It should look more like this... 

You have a palm growing in shade in Florida which is a completely different environment from a full sun palm in Corona, CA. 
It’s doesn’t many any sense to say it should look like yours. Being in shade stretches the petioles out. In CA when grown in full sun especially inland Bismarkia will have shorter petioles. 

[peachy]

As the petioles are so short, I would say somebody has been cutting it back too hard and not long ago either.  I think you may be over-watering slightly and it looks like it could use a good feed and some trace elements. If it was mine, just to play safe I would repot it in some good mix or plant in the ground where it gets full sun.  Our full sun in Sth East Queensland is ferociously strong and because of it Bismarckias are a popular and common garden plant hereabouts. Good luck with it anyhow.

Peachy

[amazonman]

It’s not the prettiest Bismark but it was given to me. Never kept an Bismark before but they look stunning.  Thanks everyone for your comments.  

[James B]

11 hours ago, amazonman said:

It’s not the prettiest Bismark but it was given to me. Never kept an Bismark before but they look stunning.  Thanks everyone for your comments.  

If you plant it and give it water and nutrients it will be a completely different palm in 2 years. It will be twice the size it is now.

[sonoranfans]

plant itamazonman, it hates that container.   Bismarckias hate containers, and containers grown in dry climates tend to collect a lot of salts that are left over from fertilization and watering.   I grew 6 small palm seedlings on my patio in Socal from 2012 to 2016.  It felt like they needed a lot of attention and flushing of the salt every couple months.   The palm in question looks like it has been in the container for years and hasnt seen good treatment.  But bismarckias are amazing in their ability to recover once in the ground.  They just need good drainage soil, no overhead water, they dont need or want it.  They grow in a very low nutrient "lateritic" soil on Madagascar, dont fertilize for 4-5 months.  I planted a 3 gallon 15-18" tall in 2010.  the palm was a big box store save from certain death.   was mold infected heavily on all open leaves, but the spear was intact.  Within 3 years it was 8' tall, today its 35' tall.

[Bkue]

Container for sure. 2nd and probably the immediate change is a change in sunlight conditions. Get it planted immediately and cross your fingers. They don’t transplant well but at that size should survive. May take a year or so to look healthy if it survives.