Jump to content
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT LOGGING IN ×
  • WELCOME GUEST

    It looks as if you are viewing PalmTalk as an unregistered Guest.

    Please consider registering so as to take better advantage of our vast knowledge base and friendly community.  By registering you will gain access to many features - among them are our powerful Search feature, the ability to Private Message other Users, and be able to post and/or answer questions from all over the world. It is completely free, no “catches,” and you will have complete control over how you wish to use this site.

    PalmTalk is sponsored by the International Palm Society. - an organization dedicated to learning everything about and enjoying palm trees (and their companion plants) while conserving endangered palm species and habitat worldwide. Please take the time to know us all better and register.

    guest Renda04.jpg

Adonidia merrillii issues


pj_orlando_z9b

Recommended Posts

One year ago, we had a freeze to 28F and one of my Adonidia merrillii palms suffered. I had no real growth over the last year so I suspected it had root damage or perhaps died. 1 spear pushed but never opened. It seems to have gained some momentum the last month or so and a second spear is pushing. The original one is even trying to open but looks like what I recognize as boron deficiency. Almost hook leaf. My yard must lack boron because my coconut developed a deficiency in 2018 (I switched to Carl Pool fertilizer because it is typically higher in boron than other brands). How can one distinguish cold damage from boron and Manganese deficiency? I'm not giving up hope yet. Pics are 1) palm as a whole 2) marker test last weekend (so 1 week's growth) and 3) that spear on the right finally trying to open and looks like classic boron issues to me.

PSX_20190113_173856.jpg

PSX_20190113_173701.jpg

PSX_20190113_173819.jpg

Edited by pj_orlando_z9b
  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I lost two adonidia palms back in 2010. They never grew normally again after the freeze, and the crown shafts got skinny like the ones in your photo. They eventually croaked. I've had many species of zone 10b palms that got severe cold damage, and they never grew normally again. Some hung on for a year or two, producing maybe 1/4 the amount of normal fronds. I had an Archontophoenix cunninghamina with boron deficiency, but it had corrugated/bellow pleated frond leaves. But it grew out of that once warm weather stayed consistent. I sprinkled some 20 Mule Team Borax soap detergent booster around my palm for the boron in it.

Mad about palms

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The skinny crown shaft was my biggest concern Walt. It just doesnt look normal to me. On the other side of my pool is another and it is rocking. Much thicker crown shaft, full crown, and growing seeds. Now that I think of it, the healthy one is located next to my coconut that had the boron issue. So I now doubt boron as the issue. 

20190113_173245.jpg

  • Upvote 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, pj_orlando_z9b said:

The skinny crown shaft was my biggest concern Walt. It just doesnt look normal to me. On the other side of my pool is another and it is rocking. Much thicker crown shaft, full crown, and growing seeds. Now that I think of it, the healthy one is located next to my coconut that had the boron issue. So I now doubt boron as the issue.

Looks like it is flowering already.  Very nice!  I have 8 seeds that just sprouted, but those will likely head to the nursery or to an auction.  How long did it take for yours to reach that size?

  • Upvote 1

Lakeland, FL

USDA Zone 1990: 9a  2012: 9b  2023: 10a | Sunset Zone: 26 | Record Low: 20F/-6.67C (Jan. 1985, Dec.1962) | Record Low USDA Zone: 9a

30-Year Avg. Low: 30F | 30-year Min: 24F

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Walt. The low of 28F permanently damaged your Adonidia double and it will likely keep declining, i.e., penciling, until it collapses and dies. They are cheap and plentiful so i suggest you replace them come spring.

  • Like 1
  • Upvote 1

Meg

Palms of Victory I shall wear

Cape Coral (It's Just Paradise)
Florida
Zone 10A on the Isabelle Canal
Elevation: 15 feet

I'd like to be under the sea in an octopus' garden in the shade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/13/2019 at 9:33 PM, pj_orlando_z9b said:

The skinny crown shaft was my biggest concern Walt. It just doesnt look normal to me. On the other side of my pool is another and it is rocking. Much thicker crown shaft, full crown, and growing seeds. Now that I think of it, the healthy one is located next to my coconut that had the boron issue. So I now doubt boron as the issue. 

20190113_173245.jpg

I think the issue is severe cold trauma. If those two adonidia look like that after an entire year of being able to recover, I believe they are goners, in a matter of time. The palms are barely growing and are just languishing. They will keep declining until the finally croak. At least that's my experience.  I have a triple (I think A. alexandrae) that are similar to your adonidia. They have skinny crownshafts and only a partial compliment of fronds. They got cold damaged last winter, and this is all the better they look after a year now.  

Triple_alex_palm_1.jpg

Triple_alex_palm_2.jpg

  • Like 1

Mad about palms

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 1/13/2019 at 8:12 PM, Walt said:

I lost two adonidia palms back in 2010. They never grew normally again after the freeze, and the crown shafts got skinny like the ones in your photo. They eventually croaked. I've had many species of zone 10b palms that got severe cold damage, and they never grew normally again. Some hung on for a year or two, producing maybe 1/4 the amount of normal fronds. I had an Archontophoenix cunninghamina with boron deficiency, but it had corrugated/bellow pleated frond leaves. But it grew out of that once warm weather stayed consistent. I sprinkled some 20 Mule Team Borax soap detergent booster around my palm for the boron in it.

Thanks for sharing your personal story. I will likely remove and replace this spring. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/13/2019 at 9:46 PM, kinzyjr said:

Looks like it is flowering already.  Very nice!  I have 8 seeds that just sprouted, but those will likely head to the nursery or to an auction.  How long did it take for yours to reach that size?

I bought the house in 2015 and it was a disaster. Previous owners did not care for it. The palm was suffering from frizzle top and I came close to losing it. This pic was from July 2015 before I treated it. I'm not sure how long before that it was planted. 2018 was the first year the fruit matured. I collected about 2 dozen seeds. Never tried to grow them though! BTW, it is ridiculous that photobucket watermarks my own photos unless I pay them. 

Screenshot_20190113-223916_Photobucket.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...