phoenix robellini fungus maybe?

[Aaron]

My robellini is sick Fronds are thin and wispy, leaves are a gray-green color and this white, crumbly stuff is all over the fronds right where they emerge from the trunk.

Thanks for your help!

http://i.imgur.com/DGpO2zk.jpg

[quaman58]

Aaron, I've gone through this several times with these palms. I believe it is pest infestation, although I can never see any specific pest. It is always related to stress: transplanting or really cold weather are the usual culprits. It also goes unnoticed by me until it gets really bad, like yours. Water, plus serious, ongoing pesticides will lead to recovery. But it takes time. Whatever this malady is, it's persistant, so you have to keep pounding it.

Bret

[Aaron]

yep, it looked great in the box. This started about a month after transplanting. I kept thinking it would turn around until this white stuff appeared. Is that being produced by the plant in reaction to infestation? Its bizarre...they are all over my neighborhood (coastal Carlsbad) Mines the only one that looks like this...Can you recommend a pesticide?

Edited January 20, 2013 by Aaron

[rprimbs]

That looks like powdery mildew to me. It is a fungus. I think that any fungicide with chlorothalonil in it would work. Chlorothalonil is good because it is not particularly toxic -- well you don't want to drink it, but it is not a super toxic systemic and it evaporates easily. It has been used for a long time on fruits and vegetables.

Edited January 20, 2013 by rprimbs

[gilles06]

Hello Aaron,

For me that's not a fungus, but a "Pseudococcus" infestation. I put the latin name because i don't know his english name!

But maybe am i wrong?

Salut.

[LJG]

This is a pest infestation. I used Malathion to stop it. You need to be aggressive as the infestation is way down in there. If you do nothing the stem will eventually die.

[rprimbs]

I think I was wrong and you guys are right. I looked at some pictures. My parents have this problem on some of their plants in Leucadia. I had always assumed that it was a fungal infection because their infected plants were in the shade.

[BS Man about Palms]

2 of the roebys that WERE part of the "triple" I got as part of my rec x roeby accidental hybrid planted out front died from this.. never was sure what it was.

[LJG]

This happens to stressed out Robellini's. They are easy targets. This pest (guessing, but I think it is a newer introduced scale to SoCal) seems to be getting worse too. I see it often on Robellini's.

[Aaron]

Thanks for the replies everyone..I will start with Malathion and watch it for a few weeks. When I zoom way in on the photo, I can see what appears to be little brown balls mixed in with the white stuff. Could be the molting skin of whatever is in there.

[Aaron]

After extensive googling I'm almost certain that it is red date scale Phoenicococcus marlatti (Cockerell). University of Florida recommends Imidacloprid applied to the roots but this stuff is tough to kill. Hopefully this helps someone in the future.

Edited January 26, 2013 by Aaron

[LJG]

After extensive googling I'm almost certain that it is red date scale Phoenicococcus marlatti (Cockerell). University of Florida recommends Imidacloprid applied to the roots but this stuff is tough to kill. Hopefully this helps someone in the future.

Thanks for this. I think you are right that this is what it is.