what's wrong with my Ravenea rivularis

[Mohsen]

anyone knows what's wrong with my Ravenea rivularis...it is in full sun but I am not sure it is sun burnt? I thought it might be nutrition deficiencies ( Potassium,...)?

I gave it liquid and slow release fertilizer ...

[Monòver]

Don't worry i am sure this is sun burn.

This is a fast palm, the next new leaves will be sun tolerant and will be healthy.

Now the most important is, water,water and more water....  And fertilicer!

[Pip]

A pic of the whole plant might be useful. Are there new spears? If so I wouldn't worry new leaves will replace the fugly one soon enough.

I actually believe that it is unrealistic to expect palm leaves to look flawless for very long.

[PalmatierMeg]

Sunburn. These are water and fertilizer hogs. And I'm with Pip - perfection is unobtainable for palms as well as people.

[Hammer]

The brown is sun burn as others have said.

The black spots may be some damage due to cold weather.  Wouldn't worry too much.

[DoomsDave]

give us a full-monty picture, too

 

[Mohsen]

Thanks guys for the input, I took some more pics...

It has not seen the cold yet as I planted it about 6 weeks ago ...

[Pip]

It is adjusting to its new location and is looking ok. Keep the soil moist

[Moose]

12 hours ago, Pip said:

It is adjusting to its new location and is looking ok. Keep the soil moist

Yep, good advice

[Mohsen]

Thanks Pip and Moose...I am watering it every other day ...my worry was if it is a sign of any nutritional deficiency which seems is not the case ...

[Tyrone]

It's looking good. It's been shade grown I would say. The trunk width will get very big. I estimate it will hit your rock wall there. When happy, they fatten right up.

[Mohsen]

On 12/30/2015, 8:06:28, Tyrone said:

It's looking good. It's been shade grown I would say. The trunk width will get very big. I estimate it will hit your rock wall there. When happy, they fatten right up.

Thanks, I acclimated it gradually to sun but yes I bought it from Coles so I assume they raised in shade from the seed...

It doesn't have a good drainage and might not be a good position but I thought  if I want o plant any palm there it should be Ravenea rivularis as it might even like wet feet.. we will see...

[Tyrone]

It will LOVE wet feet. They do much better in clay and loam than sand. Sydney's climate is very much to their liking too. Stand back and watch that thing explode. :)

[Mohsen]

I just noticed today that it's been a while since  I saw a new shoot on my Ravenea rivularis!

i checked today and the small new shoot is black ...definitely something should be wrong here ...what should I do ?is applying oxygen peroxide gonna help?

 

[Steve Mac]

"is applying oxygen peroxide gonna help? "

It's not going to hurt.

[Mohsen]

Thanks Steve

will do it tomorrow 

[palmad Merc]

Nice palm Mohsen,

I planted 3 out the front of my in-laws place down at Dolls point, they love water,as name sake ,they live along river banks and suck plenty of water.

 

 

[Nakheel1412]

It looks gorgeous ! In France, many use the Bordeaux mixture (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bordeaux_mixture) to fight fungal diseases (it's only preventive, not curative) after spear losses (caused by confined humidity/cold), if you find this product in your area applying it after the h2o2 has completely dried away might help ;

No matter what caused this, hopefully your palm will recover quickly

[Mohsen]

Thanks for the comments 

any suggestion what concentration should  be applied (Oxygen Proxide)?

[Mohsen]

could it be of too much watering? but they grow beside rivers ?

[Mohsen]

I had similar issue exactly last year Dec, this is the same now :

We thought something was munching it but now I think I know its should be something else?

 

[Nakheel1412]

What's recommanded for human beings is 3% (aka 10 volumes), above might be too corrosive ;

Since you live in Australia, you guys are in summer now, even with lots of water it shouldn't be doing this, unless that emerging spear has been damaged during winter and only shows now ; Did any spear open normally recently before this one emerged?

[Mohsen]

2 hours ago, Nakheel1412 said:

What's recommanded for human beings is 3% (aka 10 volumes), above might be too corrosive ;

Since you live in Australia, you guys are in summer now, even with lots of water it shouldn't be doing this, unless that emerging spear has been damaged during winter and only shows now ; Did any spear open normally recently before this one emerged?

no, I haven't seen new spear recently...last time ( last year Dec) it had new shoots after the issue , but i'm afraid this time is worst...:( 

[Nakheel1412]

Okay, this is probably some winter damage ; Try pulling the spear (gently) : if it detaches, apply hydrogen peroxide, wait until it has completely dried, than apply some long term fungicide ; If not, leave it there, still apply h2o2 and long term fungicide (I have seen French people use similar protocols a lot to fix winter damage);

Whatever the case, I think we need to wait, since the summer has just begun ; What might be happening is that Raveneas require high temperatures to start growing, thus healing, which would explain no new spear has emerged ;

Does the crown receive lots of water during winter?

Found this on palmpedia (author : Geoff Stein) :
"It is a relatively fast palm for Southern California, and grows faster the more heat and water it gets. It eventually grows to 50' or more in the US, but in Madagascar, it's home, it can get up to nearly 100'. As the name suggests, it grows along rivers and loves to have its roots constantly moist. The only major dangers to this palm are cold (can't handle temps below the mid 20sF) and snails LOVE it, and will quickly shred the leaves to bits. Watering the crown, particulaly in the cooler months of the year, and especially the cool months to warm month period, is risky (though rain water seems to be OK... tap water is the problem). Rot/bud damage is very common in this species, at it is in many of the non-crownshafted feather-leaf palms, from tap water on the crowns ANY time of the year... but mostly in late winter/spring, as the palm starts to grow again... so if you plant this palm in your lawn, try to avoid having the sprinkler hit the crown. It is nearly impossible to overwater the roots of this plant (unless maybe planted in a very heavy clay soil)... but the crown is very sensitive to being 'overwatered'."

Edited December 20, 2017 by Nakheel1412

[Mohsen]

17 hours ago, Nakheel1412 said:

Okay, this is probably some winter damage ; Try pulling the spear (gently) : if it detaches, apply hydrogen peroxide, wait until it has completely dried, than apply some long term fungicide ; If not, leave it there, still apply h2o2 and long term fungicide (I have seen French people use similar protocols a lot to fix winter damage);

Whatever the case, I think we need to wait, since the summer has just begun ; What might be happening is that Raveneas require high temperatures to start growing, thus healing, which would explain no new spear has emerged ;

Does the crown receive lots of water during winter?

Found this on palmpedia (author : Geoff Stein) :
"It is a relatively fast palm for Southern California, and grows faster the more heat and water it gets. It eventually grows to 50' or more in the US, but in Madagascar, it's home, it can get up to nearly 100'. As the name suggests, it grows along rivers and loves to have its roots constantly moist. The only major dangers to this palm are cold (can't handle temps below the mid 20sF) and snails LOVE it, and will quickly shred the leaves to bits. Watering the crown, particulaly in the cooler months of the year, and especially the cool months to warm month period, is risky (though rain water seems to be OK... tap water is the problem). Rot/bud damage is very common in this species, at it is in many of the non-crownshafted feather-leaf palms, from tap water on the crowns ANY time of the year... but mostly in late winter/spring, as the palm starts to grow again... so if you plant this palm in your lawn, try to avoid having the sprinkler hit the crown. It is nearly impossible to overwater the roots of this plant (unless maybe planted in a very heavy clay soil)... but the crown is very sensitive to being 'overwatered'."

i tried to pull out the bad shoot but I noticed some part of it is green and was snot possible to be pulled out so hopefully it is not that bad I thought...I poured H2O2 but then there was rain after 1 hour  

[Nakheel1412]

7 hours ago, Mohsen said:

i tried to pull out the bad shoot but I noticed some part of it is green and was snot possible to be pulled out so hopefully it is not that bad I thought...I poured H2O2 but then there was rain after 1 hour  

Cool, don't worry about the rain getting inside, in 1 hour the h2o2 has already done its job, and rain doesn't hold fungi ; What you can do is cover the bud with a plastic bottle put upside down (after cutting the upper part) ; That will let water evaporate, and prevent rain from entering ;

[DoomsDave]

Dang, can't imagine R. rivs getting pissed off at water in the crown.

Water water everywhere, and all of it to drink! And become Mega Hawg!

[Kris]

On 12/20/2017, 2:31:53, Mohsen said:

could it be of too much watering? but they grow beside rivers ?

Most of the Rot problem is due to that red bark chip mulch seen around the trunk,This traps moisture and heat but in winters it breads fungus infection too.In high humid zones and excess watering with the hope it will help the palm to grow big quickly can have adverse effects..

Here is a video link to what i said :

Death by watering !

And as Dave has said do you have the habit of washing the crown of the palm using water hose just to remove the dust that accumulates over a period of time.Or do you use water sprinklers which wet the young spear of this palm.Even excess fertz can cause this to happen.

Love,

Kris.

 

[Nakheel1412]

How is your palm doing now, @Mohsen?

[Mohsen]

On 4/13/2018, 3:05:48, Nakheel1412 said:

How is your palm doing now, @Mohsen?

Omar, I don't know whats wrong with it, it has new opened spears but they look compressed and shorter than before?

 

 

[Mohsen]

On 12/28/2017, 6:17:46, Kris said:

Most of the Rot problem is due to that red bark chip mulch seen around the trunk,This traps moisture and heat but in winters it breads fungus infection too.In high humid zones and excess watering with the hope it will help the palm to grow big quickly can have adverse effects..

Here is a video link to what i said :

Death by watering !

And as Dave has said do you have the habit of washing the crown of the palm using water hose just to remove the dust that accumulates over a period of time.Or do you use water sprinklers which wet the young spear of this palm.Even excess fertz can cause this to happen.

Love,

Kris.

 

Thanks Kris

 

I always avid watering the Crown but also I was told by  Colin Wilson , Sydney water is not causing any rot like S California ?

[Nakheel1412]

11 hours ago, Mohsen said:

Omar, I don't know whats wrong with it, it has new opened spears but they look compressed and shorter than before?

 

 

I can't exactly tell what is going on, but since this is happening on multiple fronds, I wouldn't rule out the possibility of a boron/manganese deficiency (more info here : http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep273 )

 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Ravenea rivularis need lots more magnesium than most other palm species. I was having similar problems with three of mine until I started giving each one a cup up Epsom salts three times per year. That made a HUGE difference in growth rate and leaf size even though mine are in full shade. 

Edited April 20, 2018 by Jim in Los Altos

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

That is probably Boron deficiency.  Manganese would probably have dead streaks/patches and chlorosis in addition to stunting.  When we get boron deficiency here, we use a product called 20 mule team borax which is sold as a laundry detergent.  All you need is a few mg or so in 20 liters of water...apply only once and wait at least 6 months to see if the palm recovers before applying any more.  Boron becomes a powerful herbicide if you apply too much.  In fact, when I treated a Copernicia alba just a tiny pinch in 5 gallons (approx 20 liters) of water killed the grass at the base of the palm.  But the palm did start pushing out normal fronds again and i’ve never had to re-treat.  Just be careful.

[Steve Mac]

"I don't know what's wrong with it,"

Well you should. You know what it is growing in don't you, Remember, you knew years ago that this day would come.

If I remember correctly, this one is growing in 6" of dirt on solid sandstone? 

[Phoenikakias]

On 21/4/2018, 12:29:32, Jim in Los Altos said:

Ravenea rivularis need lots more magnesium than most other palm species. I was having similar problems with three of mine until I started giving each one a cup up Epsom salts three times per year. That made a HUGE difference in growth rate and leaf size even though mine are in full shade. 

Do you mean cup literally or as metric unit?

[Tyrone]

Mohsen it probably has a zinc or boron deficiency. Ravenna rivularis really do recover well and want to live. Go down to Bunnings and get a complete trace element mix and follow the instructions. The problem with boron deficiencies is that it is a fine line between a boron deficit and a boron overdose. A boron overdose with just borax for example could kill it. But if you apply a complete trace element mix everything is in the right proportions and that sucker will suck it all up and recover. Give it a complete trace element fix and it will recover. 

[Mohsen]

5 hours ago, gtsteve said:

"I don't know what's wrong with it,"

Well you should. You know what it is growing in don't you, Remember, you knew years ago that this day would come.

If I remember correctly, this one is growing in 6" of dirt on solid sandstone? 

Steve

Not sure that is the reason ? Or maybe it is , I will get the complete trace element to see the effect as Tyrone suggested,,,

[Jim in Los Altos]

21 hours ago, Phoenikakias said:

Do you mean cup literally or as metric unit?

A full cup around drip line. 

[Keith N Tampa (ex SoJax)]

On 4/23/2018, 2:48:37, Jim in Los Altos said:

A full cup around drip line. 

Jim, Epsom Salts contain Magnesium, not Manganese.  Magnesium deficiency will express on oldest fronds first and it will appear as a bright yellow band that begins at the tip of the fronds and moves inward.  Whats happening is the plant is breaking down the chlorophyll molecule and moving the Magnesium to the young, leaves that are more photosynthetically efficient.  Where Magnesium is mobile in plants, Manganese is considered immobile and thats why you see Manganese deficiency on new leaves.  The plants can't take the manganese from an old leaf and relocate it to a young leaf the way they can with Magnesium.