Large Queen Palm Died

[gsytch]

This is my second Queen Palm to die in the past year. It was planted about 6 years ago and was appx 25' tall and helped to summer shade my growing areas, already under shadecloth, from the summer sun. Is it Palm Weevil? I'd show a pic but it is just brown, and took about two months to show concern before it went brown. I have about 15 Queens on the property. Is there anything that I can do to protect my other, much larger Queens? I lost my two big oaks in the hurricanes, in '04, and these Palms provide me with vital shade. Thanks for any assistance.

[SubTropicRay]

Were they sickly to begin with?  I know they are affected by Fusarium further south but that hasn't been very prevalent up here.   

[Eric in Orlando]

Probably Fusarium. Its killing  Queen Palms around Orlando. We just lost a couple of Syagrus romanzoffiana and a Syagrus botryophora here at Leu Gardens.

 

 

 

[gsytch]

No, both were healthy and about 5-6 years old from 3 gal. The current one occurred fast. Any remedy? I do not want the other s to get affected. :-))

[PalmatierMeg]

Please post photos.

Fusarium wilt kills within weeks of first symptoms. Tell-tale sign is fronds that die on one side first, then the other. In addition, fusarium-killed palms turn a peculiar color of light gray-brown that is different from leaf die-back of healthy palms. I've lost all my queens, my mule and my Washy in the past two years. Disease is incurable and unstoppable once it hits. Sorry to say this: if it is wilt - and I'm hoping it's not - expect to lose all your queens.

Fusarium affected leaf

Fusarium-killed queen (note dead frond on larger queen to left - palm is also dying)

 

[PalmTreeDude]

How are these palms getting the disease? From the root system or damages to living tissue? 

[PalmatierMeg]

I'm not totally sure. Mine may have been introduced by an insect vector. But once established, it jumped from palm to palm relentlessly so it may also spread with wind, rain or direct contact with infected material, i.e., unsterilized pruning tools. My last victim, the Washy, hadn't been pruned in nearly 20 years so the infected tool excuse doesn't apply.

[Sandy Loam]

I have the same question. I had two Canary Island Date palms that caught Fusarium Wilt (or, instead, the palms may have been infected when I bought them), but nothing else on my property has been infected so far.  There are several washingtonia robusta dying within a stone's throw of my house (fusarium? TPPD? Other?) but I have managed to escape the pathogen thus far.

Also, I seem to recall that only the following palms are susceptible. Is this correct?: syagrus, washingtonia, bismarckia, phoenix. If so, my plan is to avoid these palms forever.

I agree. The infected tool theory must be false because the dead palms in my immmediate area are not being pruned by the same people, and some are not being pruned at all.  I suspect that there may be something spreading through the soil or an airborne pathogen, but I truly have no clue.

 

 

 

[palmislandRandy]

I lost 5 queens about 6 years ago to Fusarium.  I did plant a variety of other palms right over the ground stumps of the removed queens without any issues, which I thought might eliminate the thoughts of a soil borne pathogen. 

Queens in South Florida are slowly disappearing & I see groups of Washingtonias looking the same way. 

[DCA_Palm_Fan]

Im just curious, is there not enough research on some of these big diseases?  Are plants / trees that become infected being tested to be sure what it is?   Just seems that there are far far many more questions about these things rather than answers. Why is that?  

[PalmTreeDude]

32 minutes ago, DCA_Palm_Fan said:

Im just curious, is there not enough research on some of these big diseases?  Are plants / trees that become infected being tested to be sure what it is?   Just seems that there are far far many more questions about these things rather than answers. Why is that?  

Here is a link to people looking into palms with diseases, it is not the wilt, but it is still good to see.

 

https://youtu.be/CU8x5Attv3Y