Pritchardia beccariana leaf spotting

[Tracy]

My pritchardia beccariana is treated similar relative to nutrients and water as my other pritchardias, however it has always been prone to yellow leaf spots and recently showing some damage running down the center of the fan leaves.  I feed with a slow release fertilizer with micros quarterly.  New leaves open flawlessly, and it never has hurt its growth, but anything but the newest leaves always look a little less than desirable.  Any thoughts on what is going on and how to keep the retained leaves to keep up there uniform green longer?  Are beccariana's more prone to leaf spotting than other pritchardias?  The last question would be even more pertinent for those living in my same climate area of Southern California.  Thanks in advance for any thoughts. 

[quaman58]

Tracy,  

I've seen this as well, especially on beccariana for some reason. There's one next door that is beginning to fruit, grows like crazy, and has that same spotted look on the older leaves. Probably at least as bad as yours. But none of the other species seem to have that issue as much as that beccariana. I never gave it much thought until seeing yours. So, in conclusion, I have no idea what ails them. Ain't I the helpful one?

Bret

[Matt in OC]

I had a similar issue with what I bought as Napaliensis: weak new growth, lots of leaf spotting, particularly after winter. I think I've finally got it corrected this past season with some PalmGain and a few applications of the chelated iron. That stuff is miraculous! I'll try to dig out some pictures.

[colin Peters]

Seen this in the wild on P. bakeri at the top of our valley, but it only lasted a few leaves and the new growth is healthy, so it  recovered on its own.

aloha

[colin Peters]

[MattyB]

Hi Tracy.  I'm pretty sure you got a potassium deficiency that's progressed into basic sunburn of the yellow areas.  I've been able to fix potassium deficiency in my Pritchardias by using Sul-Po-Mag.  It'll take a year or two for you to see results because it'll only affect the new leaves so basically you'll need to grow a new crown, but it works.  As a side note: I read somewhere that too much magnesium might inhibit potassium uptake and since my rocky soil is supposed to have a lot of magnesium I started using an "ultra bloom" that has potassium in it but no magnesium.  I don't think you'll have to worry about that though.  The key is that neither has nitrogen so you're not going to burn the plants or give them too much N with these products.  I'd continue using your well balanced palm fertilizer and then add the Sul-Po-Mag in addition.

Edited December 13, 2017 by MattyB

[Matt in OC]

Before: 

 

After, 2 years later. You can still see the old damage:

[TexasColdHardyPalms]

Thats a big difference!

[Palm Tree Jim]

Matt,

That is some difference!

 

[Tracy]

Vielen Dank, merci beaucoup, gracias and thank you Colin, Jim, Mat & Matty!  Great input, and I'll give the SulPoMag an opportunity to work.  Fortunately it isn't a slow growing palm, its chugging right along, so it will be able to grow out of it!