Cocos nucifera - check lower trunk dammage

[Al in Kona]

My friend Garrett took this pic of a damaged lower trunk on this Coconut palm in someone's front street-facing yard in Kona. Note the big gauge missing from the lower trunk and yet the tree stands and looks reasonably well. Is it doomed with time or can something be done to strengthen it? How about filling the cavity with concrete? Any comments or advise?

[Neel]

Wow, never seen anything like that before. Looks almost like an illusion, not to mention a healthy looking crown

Edited July 30, 2014 by Neel

[Tyrone]

I think one day it will snap there. As it gets taller, the wind will get more and more leverage on the thing and away it will go. If it was mine, I would build a raised planter around it and fill the soil up to cover the crack. Hopefully roots will push out of the disconnected bit and it will gain strength.

[Zeeth]

Coconuts grow so well in Hawaii I'd just remove it and start fresh. It won't be long until it's that size again if it's watered and a tall type is selected.

[redant]

Coconuts grow so well in Hawaii I'd just remove it and start fresh. It won't be long until it's that size again if it's watered and a tall type is selected.

exactly, plant a small one next to it and when it gets bigger get rid of that one. It's amazing it looks that good but I don't think it's long term survival is very good.

[Jim in Los Altos]

I would have sworn that that was photoshopped. It's hard to imagine that palm surviving on such a small remainder of trunk. I wonder what caused that crater of a chunk taken out of its trunk? I'd replace it if it were mine but I'd leave it for a while as an interesting oddity while it's replacement gained some size.

[tropicbreeze]

Most likely that chunk out of that palm is a work in progress, and likely in time nature will take its course. I had one, much taller than the one in the photo, had a smaller chunk missing, but the hole was progressively enlarging. However, lightning took it out before it got to the falling stage.