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Help please - 40yr old Phoenix dactylifera (Date Palm) struggling

Cthis

By Cthis
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

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Cthis Rookie

Cthis

Posted
Posted

Hello all!

Hope everyone is well.

I have been following the forum as a guest for quite some time now, so it's nice to finally have an account and be with you all!

I'm reaching out because I'm having a slight issue with my family's 40 yr old date palm.

It's been healthy and growing well for many years with little to no maintenance but in the last two years it is struggling to hold onto new leaves and I can't work out why. The area around it was repaved about 8 years ago but it has only been looking poorly for 2/3 years now. The new leaves look healthy initially and very quickly appear slightly burned at the edges, then it doesn't take very long for them to dry out and wilt. Really don't want to lose this guy as he is the pride and joy of the neighborhood.

Does anyone have idea, what it might be? Fungus, Bugs, Growing Conditions? I'm no expert so it may be something obvious I have missed.

Is there anything I can do? Just recently I have broken up the pavement surrounding the base of the trunk to ensure it isn't missing out on water (which it very rarely gets due to climate).

Climate: Mediterranean, Dry Subtropics. Cyprus

Before (slightly over trimmed here):

IMG_8066.thumb.JPG.f03f66e9c6772aa47a667

After:

5b7a840590314_WhatsAppImage2018-08-20at1

Any help would be very much appreciated!

Thank you,

Chris

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kinzyjr Grand Master

kinzyjr

Posted
Posted

Has fusarium wilt or phoenix palm decline been active in your area?  Definitely looks like it is on the way out.

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

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PalmatierMeg Grand Master

PalmatierMeg

Posted
Posted

Not good. Could be fusarium wilt (always fatal). Is RPW in Cyprus and does it attack dactyliferas? Sorry to see this.

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.

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Cthis Rookie

Cthis

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi all,

Thank you for getting back!

Have to say I am gutted. I think you are right it looks like a case of fusarium wilt. It's trimmed by local council which prunes all the trees on pavements and it's quite likely it could have picked it up from trimming tools.

Tbh though I have not seen many other palms go this way in the neighbourhood.

RPW is active in Cyprus and attacks dactyliferas but I've read up on the symptoms and it doesn't sound like it's the reason in this case.

:( can't believe they haven't sussed out a way to get treat this horrible pest. Knowing it's in the root ball too is even more of a worry because I'm nervous to replant anything in the same spot.

Ah what can you do.

Thanks again folks, at least I know what is up now.

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Stelios Experienced

Stelios

Posted
Posted

Hi Chris. Maybe now is better to plant something in your yard away from overtrimming of local council or electricity cables. Here in Paphos the council also ovetrimming the palms and many times makes the wrong planting. Red palm weevil is what makes me avoid CIDP and dactylifera. But in our climate you can try different varieties.

Welcome to the forum! Best regards.

Stelios

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Phoenikakias Grand Master

Phoenikakias

Posted
Posted

If it is an rpw infestation in progress on root zone, first you have to ask yourself how the heck it got infested in this particular part, especially if it is devoid of offsets (very probable in this age).  Then you may consider the necessity of its removal, as it may collapse rather soon (it has happened before in the island of Kos).

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aztropic Grand Master

aztropic

Posted
Posted

We've been losing a greater number of queens and date palms lately,here in the desert,most likely to wilt.( no palm weevils yet...) Once it is officially dead or you give up on it,be sure to remove it as they often rot in the trunk and collapse under their own weight.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

20180821_150920.jpg

  • Upvote 1

Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

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  • 7 months later...
aztropic Grand Master

aztropic

Posted
Posted

A few more Phoenix lose the fight... Just 2 years ago,there were 5 trees on each side of this store entrance.They've been there 40 + years but looks like it's game over. 7 down-3 to go...

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

IMG_20190411_111427656.jpg

Mesa, Arizona

 

Temps between 29F and 115F each year

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Kris Grand Master

Kris

Posted
Posted

Dear Friends,

From all the above stills,one thing is strikingly clear...is that all the above palms were over trimmed.And after that we see the palm decline.The trimmers have weakened the palms considerably by removing most of its green/healthy leaves making way for pest and disease attack.

No doubt those growing in wild and unattended palms are less susceptible to trouble.

Kris.

love conquers all..

43278.gif

.

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ck_in_fla Community Regular

ck_in_fla

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Kris said:

Dear Friends,

From all the above stills,one thing is strikingly clear...is that all the above palms were over trimmed.And after that we see the palm decline.The trimmers have weakened the palms considerably by removing most of its green/healthy leaves making way for pest and disease attack.

No doubt those growing in wild and unattended palms are less susceptible to trouble.

Kris.

Also, no doubt spreading the organism by not sterilizing their equipment between trees...

  • Upvote 1

Winter Springs (Orlando area), Florida

Zone 9b/10a

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Kris Grand Master

Kris

Posted
Posted (edited)

Watch this video,the tree trimmer is once again removing the hardened trunk section and exposing the soft inner new region to sun,rain and insects/fungus attack...As long this does not stop i think many more phoenix palms are going to go to the grave !

.

 

Edited by Kris

love conquers all..

43278.gif

.

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kinzyjr Grand Master

kinzyjr

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, Kris said:

Watch this video,the tree trimmer is once again removing the hardened trunk section and exposing the soft inner new region to sun,rain and insects/fungus attack...As long this does not stop i think many more phoenix palms are going to go to the grave !

This is the reason "landscapers" are asked to leave my property without touching anything.  I have enough issues to deal with without introducing disease vectors from the city's landscape or from other private gardens.

  • Like 2

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

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Merlyn Grand Master

Merlyn

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

This is the reason "landscapers" are asked to leave my property without touching anything.  I have enough issues to deal with without introducing disease vectors from the city's landscape or from other private gardens.

Yup, my neighbor's helpful landscapers infested the edge of my lawn with Wavyleaf Basketgrass, which has proven to be really difficult to get rid of.  I won't let any landscapers here either, I feel like being one of those old guys yelling, "You kids, get off my yard!!!"

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NOT A TA Mentor

NOT A TA

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, Merlyn2220 said:

Yup, my neighbor's helpful landscapers infested the edge of my lawn with Wavyleaf Basketgrass, which has proven to be really difficult to get rid of.  I won't let any landscapers here either, I feel like being one of those old guys yelling, "You kids, get off my yard!!!"

I am that old guy now yelling "HEY!!! Get outta my yard!".  But it's because I live near a high school and the "walkers" are always trying to steal coconuts on their way home (almost every house has some in the front yard). They take the young nuts, whack them hard on a fire hydrant, telephone pole, or other hard object so they'll split. They drink the water and throw the coco remains in the lawns. I regret cutting the tall Coconuts in the back yard because now I have to chase off the high school kids and the professional Coconut procurement specialists (nut thieves) just so I can get nuts off of MY trees for myself and mature nuts for seeds. It's my yard dammit!

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