Fronds opening too early

[Rtrw]

Hello all!   I have an areca palm and a few of the fronds are opening prematurely.  Instead of coming out as a spike and then opening, they are opening in the crown.   I also have a kentia that is doing the same.   Does anyone know what's going on?  Why this is happening?   Is this a bad thing?   

[steve99]

I've had the same thing happen to several of my palms in the past.   Someone told me it was due to cold weather over winter.  Whether that's true or not, who knows ?

 

 

 

[Mohsen]

My Kentia did the same,my guess is that it was in darker location and full shade and now get more light so get shorter fronds?

[Tyrone]

It can be a result of cold weather, or a trace element deficiency such as zinc. Zinc deficiency can cause little leaf syndrome. In cold weather cold roots can't always absorb trace elements properly so sometimes little leaf happens in the winter. Maybe worth taking a pH test of the soil or giving a few trace elements to the soil may help.

 

Some of my Kentias have started doing this. Kentias like a neutral to slightly alkaline pH and my soil is very acid. Acid soils lock up calcium so I've just given them some lime. A few months back I gave them some trace elements and most responded except for a couple so I reckon I've a low calcium issue as well. Other species seem to be growing fine around them though.

[XYZ]

I agree that it looks like it's a micronutrient deficiency of some sort. Lack of available (to the plant) B, Mn, Ca, and Zn can all do this. Cool weather will also exacerbate the issue for tropical lowland spp. Applications of a high quality, readily soluble palm specific fertilizer with beefy micro content (e.g. Palmgain) shud sort it out.

J

[Jesse]

I have experienced the same thing in many of my palms since planting 6 months ago.  I assumed it was due to transplant shock. Did you just plant your Dypsis or is it already established?

On a side note, if it is some sort of PH problem or nutrient deficiency, what is the best way to test for this?

[XYZ]

Soil and leaf tissue samples off to your nearest/cheapest/most reliable lab. See then follow their collection and delivery protocols. Note that leaf tissue from older and newer leaves will usually generate widely variant results, so be usually recommend that you take samples from last undamaged, fully expanded and hardened leaf.