Windmill Palm help

[Fond_Of_Fronds]

Hey yall! Long time reader, first time poster.

I live in Corpus Christi, TX and I've got 6x Windmill palms. These are my first inground palms I've ever had. My dirt is mostly clay and they are in nearly direct sunlight all day. They have been in the ground since around October2024. 

Four of them are doing great. With those plants, they all have constant new growth and color is normal. I water all of them about every fews days but I recently found out that it's a "no-no" to water the fronds and crown. Unfortunately I spent about a minute watering the crown directly on about every third watering and usually sprayed down the fronds quickly on most waterings. I won't be doing this anymore for obvious reasons.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure one is dead and another is struggling. I was able to pull the sear out of one and it's very moist inside the trunk. I started cutting it down and adding hydrogen peroxide, soaking it up, then adding copper fungicide. Pictures attached. Let me know if yall have any ideas to try and save it.

For the other tree, most of it's fronds are yellow/brown but some still have green. The spear is green (on the lighter side) and cannot be easily removed. I'm mostly concerned with this one and wonder what yall would recommend.

Please let me know how I can best save this tree and if there are any questions. I appreciate any help!

- Tom

[jwitt]

Just guessing, but looking at the pics of your problem palms, it looks like the roots are exposed.  Are they exposed like this on your "good" palms?

With that many roots exposed to the air, not soil, the palm may be unable to get enough water to the leaves.  Which I think the second pic portrays. 

Maybe build up the soil above the roots and keep consistently watered thru the summer for the one you are most concerned about.

 

[Cindy Adair]

Welcome Fond of Fronds!

I like your PT name.

First some disclaimers:

I don’t grow any of these in Puerto Rico, but they grew well for my decades in VA. 

I have no experience about growing palms in your conditions. 
 

That said I too noticed the surface roots and wondered if planting too high could be at least one issue.

Mounding high quality dirt over some of those roots seems reasonable to me. Perhaps a small circle of above ground landscape edging could hold the dirt in? 
 

I have had a fair number of palms recover despite looking pretty miserable with pulled spears due to root issues. In my case it was roots and/or stem being chewed up by rhino beetles but I would think any sort of root issue might look similar? 

The change in your overhead watering and use of H2O2 for spear pull is good advice that I too learned on PT.

I defer to others for more authoritative opinions. 

You might also want to check out the IPS President’s page for the next December travel to South Padre Island in your State.

 

[Allen]

18 hours ago, Fond_Of_Fronds said:

Hey yall! Long time reader, first time poster.

I live in Corpus Christi, TX and I've got 6x Windmill palms. These are my first inground palms I've ever had. My dirt is mostly clay and they are in nearly direct sunlight all day. They have been in the ground since around October2024. 

Four of them are doing great. With those plants, they all have constant new growth and color is normal. I water all of them about every fews days but I recently found out that it's a "no-no" to water the fronds and crown. Unfortunately I spent about a minute watering the crown directly on about every third watering and usually sprayed down the fronds quickly on most waterings. I won't be doing this anymore for obvious reasons.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure one is dead and another is struggling. I was able to pull the sear out of one and it's very moist inside the trunk. I started cutting it down and adding hydrogen peroxide, soaking it up, then adding copper fungicide. Pictures attached. Let me know if yall have any ideas to try and save it.

For the other tree, most of it's fronds are yellow/brown but some still have green. The spear is green (on the lighter side) and cannot be easily removed. I'm mostly concerned with this one and wonder what yall would recommend.

Please let me know how I can best save this tree and if there are any questions. I appreciate any help!

- Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pic 1 Trunk cut if not already

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQ9zPxk5EjY

A video on when I think you should trunk cut a palm When to cut: -Spear has Pulled and is 'mushy' -You don't see a new spear -The Cut won't cut green fronds - Especially needed if you see other newer fronds browning To cut: -Cut down till you see solid center -After cut treat one time with Hydrogen peroxide then with copper fungicide one time over whole area -Treat for insects if present (Sevin Dust) -Water sparingly unless ground is really dry, moisture has no where to go in palm

Pic 2 Likely spear pull keep checking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EwU4F-Gotw

Watering tips - Don't water unless dry for a week till temps warm more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9ZY7HPSRRQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAJyHU8X0YQ

 

[Fond_Of_Fronds]

Thanks everyone for all of the help. I'm going to get some topsoil to put down over the roots of the one still alive. I'll also build up the surrounding area a bit too.

The other trees root systems are mostly covered up.

As for the trunk cut, I'm going to watch the videos provided and look to do the technique mentioned. I already have the hydrogen peroxide and copper fungicide. I'll keep yall posted.

[Fond_Of_Fronds]

I went out and bought some Miracle Grow garden soil and put about one bag per tree, plus mulch as a moisture retainer. I think yall were correct. The best looking trees had the least amount of roots showing.

I also cut down the dead(ish) tree and replanted it in a planter. Pictures acttached. I'll keep yall posted. 🤞

[jwitt]

19 minutes ago, Fond_Of_Fronds said:

I went out and bought some Miracle Grow garden soil and put about one bag per tree, plus mulch as a moisture retainer. I think yall were correct. The best looking trees had the least amount of roots showing.

I also cut down the dead(ish) tree and replanted it in a planter. Pictures acttached. I'll keep yall posted. 🤞

You may want to put shade cloth over your "recovering" palm in the ground. Top growth will be slow until roots are re-established for a year or more 

 

[Allen]

Mistakes were planting in fall, overhead watering, not planting deep enough on a few.  Pulled up palm is dead

[Fusca]

On 3/6/2025 at 8:29 PM, Fond_Of_Fronds said:

Hey yall! Long time reader, first time poster.

I live in Corpus Christi, TX and I've got 6x Windmill palms. These are my first inground palms I've ever had. My dirt is mostly clay and they are in nearly direct sunlight all day. They have been in the ground since around October2024. 

Four of them are doing great. With those plants, they all have constant new growth and color is normal. I water all of them about every fews days but I recently found out that it's a "no-no" to water the fronds and crown. Unfortunately I spent about a minute watering the crown directly on about every third watering and usually sprayed down the fronds quickly on most waterings. I won't be doing this anymore for obvious reasons.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure one is dead and another is struggling. I was able to pull the sear out of one and it's very moist inside the trunk. I started cutting it down and adding hydrogen peroxide, soaking it up, then adding copper fungicide. Pictures attached. Let me know if yall have any ideas to try and save it.

For the other tree, most of it's fronds are yellow/brown but some still have green. The spear is green (on the lighter side) and cannot be easily removed. I'm mostly concerned with this one and wonder what yall would recommend.

Please let me know how I can best save this tree and if there are any questions. I appreciate any help!

- Tom

Hi Tom, welcome to Palmtalk!  Unfortunately windmill palms (Trachycarpus fortunei) grown in full South Texas sun will not look good.  They do much better in cooler climates.  Good news is that there are many better palm choices for your area.  Livistona decora and nitida are examples of fan palms that grow pretty fast in your conditions.  Livistona chinensis and saribus would also do well but these do look better with some shade from afternoon sun and don't grow very fast.  Let us know if you're interested in growing other palms because the list is long. 

[Fond_Of_Fronds]

I appreciate all of the replies. Ill try to cover the recovering palm but I also feel like it's probably dead 😔 even to the point where it was cut was still a bit mushy. I suppose its worth a shot though, its being replaced anyway. But lesson learned - I just wish I would have got on here earlier!

Fusca - I'm stuck with the Windmill palms for now but I'll keep that in mind. I had trouble making a decision because each of the past 4 years we've had 20 degree or less days each year. Corpus Christi is actually in a drought right now but once we get the water problem solved I'll be looking to get some more palms for sure.