Windmill Palm Growth Problem

[MaxM]

I planted a Windmill palm(Trachycarpus fortunei) several years ago(2014) as small seedling. It’s located in Monticello, AR, zone 8a/8b. It has zero protection as it is planted out in the open in a rural area. In the winter of 2022, it received significant cold damage, but growth resumed normal. However after another freak winter, (2023), the plant has now a clustered growth habit with leaves not developing normally. Overall growth seems to be slow as well, as the clustered habit continued all of this year 2024. Has anyone seen this before with cold damage? Had the meristem been permanently damaged or will it eventually grow out if we have normal winters? Any help is great appreciated! I’m a horticulturist by trade and I don’t have any clues.
 

I am attaching photos for ease of diagnosis of the problem.

[Swolte]

Yes, getting dwarf growth for some time is not uncommon as a stress response. I have had it on my Washies and they went back to normal after a few months. 

[Harry’s Palms]

My experience and observation of these is that they are super resilient . I have seen a couple of large specimens unprotected in Oakherst California , covered in snow . I returned a year or so later and saw them healthy and growing just fine . I asked the people at the hotel where I saw them and was told they had been there for years. Harry

[jwitt]

Drought?

Root damage?

Just guessing.

[Annoynmouse]

My Windmill Palm has done the same. been like it for over a year :-/

In southwest Victoria, Australia. 

[Colin1110082]

I’m having the same problem mine is growing very short fronds they are opening up just above the trunk 

[jwitt]

Here are 2 windmill examples from late May 2021. Cleburne, TX.  Post palmageddon they are unirrigated and received just over 5" precip post event(Feb).  So three months.  

Yes the grass is green, but it had just began to rain.  

 So yes maybe cold related, maybe drought, or intermittent moisture.  Or all 3. 

[Las Palmas Norte]

^^^ Yikes! Those look pathetic. ^^^

[Las Palmas Norte]

14 hours ago, MaxM said:

I planted a Windmill palm(Trachycarpus fortunei) several years ago(2014) as small seedling. It’s located in Monticello, AR, zone 8a/8b. It has zero protection as it is planted out in the open in a rural area. In the winter of 2022, it received significant cold damage, but growth resumed normal. However after another freak winter, (2023), the plant has now a clustered growth habit with leaves not developing normally. Overall growth seems to be slow as well, as the clustered habit continued all of this year 2024. Has anyone seen this before with cold damage? Had the meristem been permanently damaged or will it eventually grow out if we have normal winters? Any help is great appreciated! I’m a horticulturist by trade and I don’t have any clues.
 

I am attaching photos for ease of diagnosis of the problem.

 

I had that happen to one of mine 10 years or so ago. Turned out there was a fungal infection in the soil, and it kicked the bucket over the course of 3 years.

[MaxM]

13 hours ago, jwitt said:

Drought?

Root damage?

Just guessing.

We have had droughts after the freezes but they still get irrigation water. No root damage.

[CascadiaPalms]

3 hours ago, Colin1110082 said:

I’m having the same problem mine is growing very short fronds they are opening up just above the trunk 

It's not too uncommon, usually means the palm went through a stressful event, but it looks decently healthy beside that.  Maybe give it some fertilizer?  It could also be a sign that it's getting a lot sun and the petioles aren't needing to stretch to search for it.  I made a video about that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI6PbSClIdA

[jwitt]

2 hours ago, Las Palmas Norte said:

^^^ Yikes! Those look pathetic. ^^^

Coming back from complete defoliation.  3 months post event w drier than usual conditions. 

At least the 2 or three that survived to that point.   

And yeah,  I don't really like pics of palms in that condition. 

[jwitt]

2 hours ago, MaxM said:

We have had droughts after the freezes but they still get irrigation water. No root damage.

I see it here locally(NM) and I assume it is from the lack of precip. Properly irrigated here look normal. 

This looks like the last normal leaf on yours and I see the leaf tips...looks like drought die back.  Just my thoughts. 

 

[Colin1110082]

4 hours ago, CascadiaPalms said:

It's not too uncommon, usually means the palm went through a stressful event, but it looks decently healthy beside that.  Maybe give it some fertilizer?  It could also be a sign that it's getting a lot sun and the petioles aren't needing to stretch to search for it.  I made a video about that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI6PbSClIdA

I have two in 3 gallon pots I had shipped bare root. One looks great with a full crown and the other has the short frond issues. I put osmocote in them back in june or july and both got water maybe 3 or 4 times a week and full sun from sunrise to around 4-5 PM..

[Swolte]

Took this pic during my nighttime garden stroll. Its Dwarf growth (see highlighted) from last winter stress on a Livistona Nitida. It has recovered very well! 

[jwitt]

I looked back at my Trachy.  Post it's unprotected -10f in 2/2011 and 0f(also unprotected) in 12/2011 and I kind of see the same growth issue as the OP and others have seen. So maybe normal?

 

 2013-clustered?

11/16/24 - normal2024

[MaxM]

1 hour ago, jwitt said:

I looked back at my Trachy.  Post it's unprotected -10f in 2/2011 and 0f(also unprotected) in 12/2011 and I kind of see the same growth issue as the OP and others have seen. So maybe normal?

 

 2013-clustered?

11/16/24 - normal2024

Ok this gives me hope! Looks like time will just have to heal the wound. That clustering is the exact same as mine.

[jwitt]

44 minutes ago, MaxM said:

Ok this gives me hope! Looks like time will just have to heal the wound. That clustering is the exact same as mine.

Hopefully it grows out.  Mine did. I did not pay much attention other than being thrilled it was alive!

Ultimately I do not know what the exact cause is. I kind of suspect roots( slight dieback from cold?) as drought stressed trachies here will also show the same clustering.  So that is my hunch, right or wrong. 

[Allen]

Just baby it with fertilizer and water in spring, get rid of the plant competition 2' out.  It will take 1-2 years to look good.