King Palm Trunk Splitting

[Hoochtastic]

Hello,

I have a triple King Palm that was planted six months ago in Ventura, CA a mile from the beach. The tree is healthy and has been growing a lot. It gets ~4 gallons of water a day in clay soil with wood chips on top. The soil stays soaked.

However, the trunk of one of the stalks is splitting in several spots. I attached a photo for reference. Is this from growing too fast or am I overwatering?  Should I be concerned, and if so do I need to put anything on the splits to protect the tree? Thanks.

Cheers!

 

[BayAndroid]

Too much water can cause the trunk to swell and then split. I think you can dial back on the water and it should be ok. 

[Harry’s Palms]

Hello and thank you for posting . I am in Santa Paula , about 10 miles east of you and a bit warmer . I water my Archontophoenix about every other day . I have wood chips as well , like you and that helps hold moisture . I have had some cracking on a couple palms before and it hasn’t hurt them . I guess my Kings and my Ravenna get the most water of all my palms and they are not cracked . I have heard that overwatering can cause problems like that but I have not had the issue from all the water I give the Kings. Harry

[Jim in Los Altos]

Out of the fifty plus King palms in my garden, four have some cracking and it hasn’t harmed them in any way. Not sure exactly what causes it since all my Kings are watered heavily and three are growing right in stagnant water 365 days per year with no cracks. 

[Harry’s Palms]

  On 12/5/2024 at 8:21 AM, Jim in Los Altos said:

Out of the fifty plus King palms in my garden, four have some cracking and it hasn’t harmed them in any way. Not sure exactly what causes it since all my Kings are watered heavily and three are growing right in stagnant water 365 days per year with no cracks. 

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That’s a pretty telling result. I was checking my large Alexandria King in my courtyard just because the trunk is getting very large ( large as my Venezuelan Royal!) and no cracks yet . It just keeps getting larger in diameter without cracking at all. It is very warm there so it gets a regular flood of water. My friend thinks it may be a Maxima . I only have a few but none have cracked. I just planted a few more Purperii and Maxima . Harry

[Hoochtastic]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Glad to hear the cracks should not be a problem. I'll reduce the amount I'm watering. Probably should've done that already with colder weather setting in.

Cheers

[Phoenikakias]

  On 12/5/2024 at 8:09 PM, Hoochtastic said:

Thanks for the replies everyone! Glad to hear the cracks should not be a problem. I'll reduce the amount I'm watering. Probably should've done that already with colder weather setting in.

Cheers

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You should see the cracks on my piccabeen palm! Yet it keeps growing a  healthy and  slender trunk and I expect it to bloom soon for the first time.