I Need Help!! Weird Growth on my Palm Tree...

[kiran]

Hi! I am looking for some assistance with my palm tree... Does anyone know what this is?? It started growing a little while ago and I have no idea what it is. It appears to be some type of fungus but honestly I'm not sure. Lmk if you can help!

[idontknowhatnametuse]

The crown is completely deformed, I think it's a goner. The cause could be boron deficiency.

[Jim in Los Altos]

You’re in Southern California so I’m going to say manganese (not magnesium) deficiency. I think the palm is still salvageable but would need to be fed ASAP. Have you fed the palm ever in the past? A quality fertilizer such as PalmGain will help. You can also go online to Lutz Fertilizer spikes and order manganese spikes to pound into the ground at the base of the palm. 

[TropicsEnjoyer]

I agree with boron deficiency. Telltale sign is the grotesque looking crown of leaves that are trying to grow.

However, if you have some borax maybe you could fix it? I’d like to believe it’s not a goner because it’s still pushing and isn’t leaning. It’d at least be interesting to see if a recovery is possible before straight up chopping it down. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Just now, TropicsEnjoyer said:

I agree with boron deficiency. Telltale sign is the grotesque looking crown of leaves that are trying to grow.

However, if you have some borax maybe you could fix it? I’d like to believe it’s not a goner because it’s still pushing and isn’t leaning. It’d at least be interesting to see if a recovery is possible before straight up chopping it down. 

LG, boron deficiency is much more a Florida thing than California thing, that’s why I suggested a manganese deficiency which I’ve seen here in California on many occasions. The palm in question is in Southern CA. 

[TropicsEnjoyer]

1 minute ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

LG, boron deficiency is much more a Florida thing than California thing, that’s why I suggested a manganese deficiency which I’ve seen here in California on many occasions. The palm in question is in Southern CA. 

oh my bad, i’ll leave it up to the locals 😅

[Looking Glass]

8 hours ago, kiran said:

Hi! I am looking for some assistance with my palm tree... Does anyone know what this is?? It started growing a little while ago and I have no idea what it is. It appears to be some type of fungus but honestly I'm not sure. Lmk if you can help!

Boron vs Manganese deficiency for a new growth issue like this.  Looks quite a bit like boron deficiency would here with preserved green and not much necrosis.  

Boron vs Manganese deficiency for a new growth issue like this.  Looks quite a bit like Boron deficiency would here in FL, with preserved green and not much other leaf necrosis.  

My first question is what is the soil composition below those rocks how long ago were these planted, and what is the fertilization schedule?  Palms are living things, not just decorations, so they require proper nutrients and living conditions.  What soil prep for the plants was done for these beds?  Do the roots have access to good soil and drainage down in that cutout hole?

Concrete, plaster, stucco, and limestone are all super high pH materials.  A high pH will kill magnesium absorption in most palms.  All of that concrete and whatever base they used may have created very high pH soil, depending on how the planting bed was amended.  High calcium will interfere with Boron uptake.  Pool water exposure is also poorly tolerated by some palms.  

I’d get Manganese granules and put a cup+ scattered around each tree and water that in.  I’d also get some Borax and put 2 big tablespoons in a watering can, mix it up, and water all around the each tree a few feet, ASAP.    

Then I’d consider making sure those beds have proper soil underneath the lava rock mulch.   If necessary, dig it all up and prepare proper bedding and top mulch that will provide an appropriate growth medium for your specific plants.  Fertilize with high quality palm fertilizer regularly.  

Good luck and welcome to PT.  This is pretty advanced disease.  

https://discover.pbcgov.org/coextension/horticulture/pdf/commercial/Nutrient Deficiencies of Landscape and Fieldgrown Palms in Florida.pdf

[kiran]

Thank you all for your suggestions, I will get on this ASAP!

[kiran]

Do I need to remove the diseased part of the tree or should I just leave it alone for now?

 

[Merlyn]

I agree with @Looking Glass, that's a classic looking boron deficiency.  If you look at pictures 7, 8 and 11 they are very similar with accordion leaf and severe deformation of the new spears:  https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP264

Manganese could be a contributing factor, but it always causes leaflet browning on the new fronds too.  There's almost no browning, just weird distortion.  See common photos here:  https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP267

@kiran it technically isn't a disease, and sure isn't a fungus.  It's worth trying to save it, since boron is a transient or chronic deficiency just caused by lack of availability in the soil.  In this case it looks like there are 3 or 4 spears trying to grow up through the tangled mess.  I'm inclined to *carefully* slice off the upper section and see if a new frond will grow out through the old stuff okay.  My guess (others PLEASE comment) is maybe here would be a good spot:

I'm waffling on cut height, because there won't be much to support any new spear structurally.   But I suspect if you cut much higher any new spear will just get stuck in that huge bend.  You could cut just above the big 180 bend and see if it straightens out as the new spear grows.

[awkonradi]

This is freaky.  Am I correct, there are two palms, of the same species (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, I think), planted right next to each other, and one is deformed, and the other is not?  If so, then that argues against a micronutrient deficiency.  Presumably both palms would have access to the same micronutrients.

Acknowledging that the other commenters are profoundly more experienced horticulturalists than I am, I think we need to consider hypotheses other than micronutrient deficiency for the origin of the deformity.

The deformed palm appears to have been ailing for a while, given the close spacing of rings at the top.  Has the deformed palm ever produced any normal fronds in your experience?  Would you like to post more pictures of both palms?

If you want to run some experiments to save that palm, then I support that.  If you want a healthy double Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, then I think you should remove those two, and plant another pair, and probably water them MUCH more.

[awkonradi]

Off-topic:  Kiran, welcome to PalmTalk!  Your pool area looks really cool, and clearly you have some other palms.  I think if you post more pictures of your pool area, then wise PalmTalkers may have good suggestions for how to make all your palms thrive, and probably for some new palms to plant!

[Looking Glass]

9 minutes ago, awkonradi said:

This is freaky.  Am I correct, there are two palms, of the same species (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, I think), planted right next to each other, and one is deformed, and the other is not?  If so, then that argues against a micronutrient deficiency.  Presumably both palms would have access to the same micronutrients.

Acknowledging that the other commenters are profoundly more experienced horticulturalists than I am, I think we need to consider hypotheses other than micronutrient deficiency for the origin of the deformity.

Has the deformed palm ever produced any normal fronds in your experience?

It’s a valid point.  Since both crowns kind of line up front to back in the picture, it looked initially to me like they both had deformities.  I see this might not be the case now.   I’d still treat for B/Mn deficiencies, to eliminate that possibility.   

The palm could also have fugal crown rot, or damage from previous in the crown, and is trying to power through it.  Here in FL, I’d treat simultaneously for the brown colored rot we get, with topical peroxide, copper, Daconil, and push new growth with water and fertilizer.  In California, I think you get “pink rot”, which might not be approached the same.   Perhaps California people could weigh in on possible fungal issues/treatments?   

48 minutes ago, Merlyn said:

 

I'm waffling on cut height, because there won't be much to support any new spear structurally.   But I suspect if you cut much higher any new spear will just get stuck in that huge bend.  You could cut just above the big 180 bend and see if it straightens out as the new spear grows.

@Merlyn your surgical option is an interesting one.  On the one hand, it will free up any physical obstruction….  But there is not much left for photosynthesis on the palm except the crumpled mess.  Perhaps there is little to lose in this case, as that palm trunk will forever be deformed there, even if it recovers.  Thinking about it, I’d go all the way, with orange.  

As @awkonradi said, it’s actually helpful to see all of your palms/plants.   Your hardscaping looks great.  But the Pavers, and even Landscapers rarely know or care about growing things.  

….Hope those fires are far away and headed in the other direction.  

[kiran]

@awkonradi I will for sure post more pictures later, thank you for the kind words  This forum has been so so helpful already so I can't wait to hear what else you all have to say!

[TomJ]

If it's a King Palm...  might make sense just to replace it and amend the soil.

 

[kiran]

@awkonradi @Looking Glass @Merlyn Here are some additional photos to help diagnose the issue. As you can see there is some crinkling on the second palm, it is just not nearly as severe. So, micronutrient deficiency? I am by no means an expert, so I greatly appreciate all the advice as I am just trying to best care for my plants.

Also I apologize for the state of my backyard, we have a massive windstorm lol.

[kiran]

Additionally, here are some photos of the other plants in my yard.

 

 

[awkonradi]

Looks like there is some crinkling on the second palm too.  So micronutrient deficiency could be involved.  However, I think both of those palms have been suffering from insufficient water.  Given that king palms are cheap, I would seriously consider digging up those two, and amending the soil (as suggested by others), which should address any micronutrient deficiency, and planting two new palms, and watering the new ones MUCH more.

[Tomas]

I 100 % agree with boron deficiency. Regarding the only one of multiple palms affected, it seems to be not so unusual, it happened some times to me too. I had five Chamaedorea radicalis together in one pot, one of them was dying from boron deficiency, the other growing happily. I treated them all, they are fine now. Beside that, here is a confirmation from CTAHR University, see page 4, image bottom left

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/PD-83.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiUndzX9uaKAxUyxQIHHTGELDUQFnoECBMQBg&usg=AOvVaw24P1sGnL8CIaO9Ln2dxGBo

[Looking Glass]

Boron deficiency shows up in the leaves very delayed from the event, which can be transient from heavy rains, or chronic, from soil conditions, or both.  It’s a problem in the developing leaf in the crown, as it grows out and matures you then see the effects in leaf structure months later.   

I get it in, of all things, native Pseudophoenix Sargentii planted down by the road.  This palm can normally suck nutrients from alkaline limestone, but I think it’s from construction debris, crushed limestone topdressing, and the water flow down there.   I treat about every 5 months now, prophylactic, but if not, hook leaf starts to show up to remind me.  Still the actual damage was probably from 6 months ago in the pre-emergent frond.  

 

When it gets real bad, you’ll get accordion leaf and then crown issues, so it’s best to treat right away, but not too much or too often, as the therapeutic range is tight and toxicity occurs with too much.  

[Allen]

5 hours ago, Merlyn said:

I agree with @Looking Glass, that's a classic looking boron deficiency.  If you look at pictures 7, 8 and 11 they are very similar with accordion leaf and severe deformation of the new spears:  https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP264

Manganese could be a contributing factor, but it always causes leaflet browning on the new fronds too.  There's almost no browning, just weird distortion.  See common photos here:  https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP267

@kiran it technically isn't a disease, and sure isn't a fungus.  It's worth trying to save it, since boron is a transient or chronic deficiency just caused by lack of availability in the soil.  In this case it looks like there are 3 or 4 spears trying to grow up through the tangled mess.  I'm inclined to *carefully* slice off the upper section and see if a new frond will grow out through the old stuff okay.  My guess (others PLEASE comment) is maybe here would be a good spot:

I'm waffling on cut height, because there won't be much to support any new spear structurally.   But I suspect if you cut much higher any new spear will just get stuck in that huge bend.  You could cut just above the big 180 bend and see if it straightens out as the new spear grows.

I agree you need to cut it on the lower line above

I've had to do worse and it lived

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zn4BirZYqhE

 

[happypalms]

I wouldn’t say you need help. But that palm certainly has psychological problems way beyond any analysis good luck with that one 😄