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

What's wrong with my Sabal etonia?


redbeard917

Recommended Posts

This Sabal etonia has grown here slowly but steadily for years. It's always been completely green. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever watered or fertilized it. I'm not far from the native range and have placed it in a location with sandy soil and a good bit of sunlight.

Very recently, perhaps a month or so ago, I noticed it starting to decline. The newest leaf looks green, but the most recent look mottled and the oldest have gone completely brown. All the leaves you see on it were green previously. It almost looks like cold damage, but it hasn't been very cold here. I have other tender palms that get damaged every year and all are still untouched.

Thanks

Woodville, FL

zone 8b

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a sabal maritiformis die when I repotted it (the spear pulled), but the existing fronds remained green and it looked alive for just over a year. I held on to it hoping it would pull through. There wasn't ever any new growth from the center though, and eventually the leaves all collapsed and I knew then it was gone. Maybe yours has been dead for a long time and just now ran out of energy to keep the leaves green? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How cold has it got in Woodville? Isn't that near Tallahassee? I doubt it got anywhere cold enough to damage a Sabal etonia.

 

Zone 8a/8b Greenville, NC 

Zone 9a/9b Bluffton, SC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/1/2019, 7:40:02, redbeard917 said:

This Sabal etonia has grown here slowly but steadily for years. It's always been completely green. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever watered or fertilized it. I'm not far from the native range and have placed it in a location with sandy soil and a good bit of sunlight.

Very recently, perhaps a month or so ago, I noticed it starting to decline. The newest leaf looks green, but the most recent look mottled and the oldest have gone completely brown. All the leaves you see on it were green previously. It almost looks like cold damage, but it hasn't been very cold here. I have other tender palms that get damaged every year and all are still untouched.

Thanks

It is SSD, welcome to the club, I have lost during recent years quite  few Sabal palms this way. I am sure that if you give central part a persistent tag, it will pull.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, I'm near Tallahassee. It's been very warm this winter. I'm not sure it will ever get cold enough to damage a Sabal etonia here, but this year, even my most tender palms are untouched.

What is SSD?

Woodville, FL

zone 8b

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn’t rule out some sort of root issue, especially since it appears to have declined out of nowhere. Has it been very wet there?

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In FL looking that is sure to be bad news.  Hope it has a chance to recover.

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@tntropics - 60+ In-ground 7A palms - (Sabal) minor(7 large + 27 seedling size, 3 dwarf),  brazoria(1) , birmingham(4), etonia (1) louisiana(5), palmetto (1), riverside (1),  (Trachycarpus) fortunei(7), wagnerianus(1),  Rhapidophyllum hystrix(7),  15' Mule-Butia x Syagrus(1),  Blue Butia capitata(1) +Tons of tropical plants.  Recent Yearly Lows -1F, 12F, 11F, 18F, 16F, 3F, 3F, 6F, 3F, 1F, 16F, 17F, 6F, 8F

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Appears to be suffering from a mild case of death.

  • Like 2

Longview, Texas :: Record Low: -5F, Feb. 16, 2021 :: Borderline 8A/8B :: '06-'07: 18F / '07-'08: 21F / '08-'09: 21F / '09-'10: 14F / '10-'11: 15F / '11-'12: 24F / '12-'13: 23F / '13-'14: 15F / '14-'15: 20F / '15-'16: 27F / '16-'17: 15F / '17-'18: 8F / '18-'19: 23F / '19-'20: 19F / '20-'21: -5F / '21-'22: 20F / '22-'23: 6F

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Laaz said:

I would have to say, some type of root damage. Rodent or insect most likely.

I agree. Moles killed my young Sabal x brazoriensis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

46 minutes ago, Henoh said:

I agree. Moles killed my young Sabal x brazoriensis.

Moles? Moles don't eat roots and such. Moles tend to eat grubs and earth worms. 

Voles, however, are herbivorous and will eat roots and tubers. I don't know if you distinguish between the two on the other side of the pond or not. ;)

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/18/2019 at 3:48 AM, redbeard917 said:

Yes, I'm near Tallahassee. It's been very warm this winter. I'm not sure it will ever get cold enough to damage a Sabal etonia here, but this year, even my most tender palms are untouched.

What is SSD?

Sudden Sabal Death. I have posted a whole topic on this issue.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/31/2019 at 4:47 PM, Phoenikakias said:

Sudden Sabal Death. I have posted a whole topic on this issue.

 

Sabal mexicana in the ground with drip irrigation suffering from Sudden Sabal Death. No spear pull yet but omens are not bad.

20190201_124156.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A close up of the central part. Newest, fully developed leaf is already dead and removed and spear is also dry but a small basal part.

20190201_124208.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another potted Sabal mexicana from same seed batch growing in a medium consisting of native soil mixed with peaty substrate at equal rates. Has not diseased yet, but I used to let soil dry out substantially before next watering.

20190201_124235.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sabal minor, complete central part (spear and newest rosette of fully developed leaves) dead, but no spear pull yet.

20190201_124315.thumb.jpg.89ed778de24ca9d0124c5794d4dd2093.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And a close up of the former central part. No spear pull, but also no new growth for almost two years except a weed. Plant is imo dead.

20190201_124321.thumb.jpg.5f78b0a467a16ea06a982b3cf50990e3.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Phoenikakias that is strange. I have never seen that before. Here sabals are native & you never see this. A virus or disease in your area maybe?

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Laaz said:

Phoenikakias that is strange. I have never seen that before. Here sabals are native & you never see this. A virus or disease in your area maybe?

There have been several more Sabal casualties in my garden, like domingensis, bermudana, palmetto, an older mexicana, brazoria  and  uresana. Always the pattern of their decline has been the same; a dramatic deterioration of plant's central part ending in spear pull within two to three weeks, no matter my effort to save them. I suspect that whatever factor kills regularly my Sabal plants here, has made an exceptional entrance also in your place. I mean redbeard917's place...

Edited by Phoenikakias
  • Upvote 1
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...