Chamaedorea metallica dying

[HonkyTonk]

I have had two chamaedorea metallica plams that have been in the same pots for about 10 years. They started off very healthy but recently are not doing great. I think they have been exposed to too much sunlight. 

About 4 months ago I repoted the palms into bigger bags and have put them in a shaded area. They have not bounced back yet (it is winter in Auckland, New Zealand).  They will be planted in the garden in about 12 months.

Does anyone have advice? 

[Jim in Los Altos]

That’s about the height they begin to decline of old age. I have numerous C. metallica and the oldest have died and all at the approximate height of yours. I wish I had better news but that’s what I experienced with these. 

[LJG]

Not sure they are aging out but maybe. Shade to sun is a killer. I would have also planted deeper to make sure all roots are covered in soil. Also, I would look deep in growing point for mealy bugs. I have lost Chams this way and didn’t notice until too late. Mealys hide and eventually them and fungus together kill the plant. 

[Darold Petty]

Perhaps too late for your plants, but C. metallica can be air-layered.  I was successful with a split-leaf pair that had almost  2 m of trunk, reducing the height down to 75 cm.  Here is one before shortening.

[OC2Texaspalmlvr]

2 hours ago, Darold Petty said:

C. metallica can be air-layered.  I was successful with a split-leaf pair that had almost  2 m of trunk

My mind is blown by this statement,  how is that possible ? Very cool stuff that can be learned on PT everyday =) 

[Darold Petty]

In addition to their great height, the two plants were in the same pot for more than 20 years, a California "1-gallon", which is 6 inches diameter by 7 inches tall.  I did use a very clever and well designed plastic device, called a "rooter pot" .   Just position the rooter pot at a node where the adventious roots have already begun to develop.  If you look closely you can see this in the photo, about 75 cm down from the top.  

These two split-leaf C. metallica palms were a gift from the late Dick Douglas, and I still have the original label in Dick's handwriting.  

[tropicbreeze]

I have 3 C. metallica which suddenly lost their overhead canopy and got badly scorched before I noticed it. Put some shade cloth over them and they came good. Then a wallaby knocked over one and snapped the trunk low down. I propped it up, there were some short adventitious roots above the break. These seem to be maintaining it so far. They seem to be tougher than what you'd think.

[Pal Meir]

Ch metallica can grow stems of over 3 m tall; I guess the pots after repotting were too big —> root rotting.