Rhopalostylis Oceana Spear pulled

[Billeb]

It was a sad day yesterday. I walked by one of my Rhopalostylis and noticed the tip of the emerging spear was brown so I tried to pull on it a tad and low and behold….pulled the spear right out. Dumbfounded I went and got some Hydrogen Peroxide and poured a few ounces down the now empty hole to which it fizzed and bubbled as expected. 
Looking at the base of the spear, it looked super soggy and I also noticed it smelled terrible. The only thing I can think of is I overwatered it which resulted in some type of rot. As you can tell by the tree, it looks pretty healthy and showed no previous signs of struggle. I planted it out from a 15G pot about 6 months ago and it’s given me at least a couple fronds so it seemed like it was taking off. 
I’m at a complete loss. Not sure what I could have done? I think it’s a goner but any advice / input / experiences is appreciated. Thanks in advance. 
 

-dale

[PalmCode]

Sorry to see this. Ive heard they can be prone to spear pulling...Juding from the second photo the only thing I think off, is that it's been planted too deep. Seeing all the soil well above the oldest  dead branches is probably not good. These palms do like air around lower base. Maybe you should clear away  some soil around the base. Good luck.

Edited September 30, 2021 by PalmCode

[Billeb]

7 hours ago, PalmCode said:

Sorry to see this. Ive heard they can be prone to spear pulling...Juding from the second photo the only thing I think off, is that it's been planted too deep. Seeing all the soil well above the oldest  dead branches is probably not good. These palms do like air around lower base. Maybe you should clear away  some soil around the base. Good luck.

It’s a little deceiving. Although I do think the plant is lower than it should be it may not be as bad as it looks. I have about 3” of loose organic material over the top soil. My drip irrigation is below the organic soil so its consistently dry and loose. 
 

I’m just shocked this happened to such a good looking plant. 
 

-dale

[Darold Petty]

Don't give up yet, this is a tough species, good luck !

I have had Howea survive spear pull, but then succumb to an opportunistic, secondary  fungal infection within the leafbases, so watch for that also.

[TomJ]

I would treat it with Peroxide down the growing point..

Repeat after a week.

Once more in a month.

 

[DoomsDave]

@Billeb ouch, not good, but far far from the end of the world.

As @Darold Petty noted, they're not wimps; and @TomJ gives good advice too and I concur in their advice and add, if in doubt, give it more h2o2.

If I had a dollar for every spear I've pulled, I'd be well off . . . and, most do come back, particularly, where, as in your case, the palm appears generally healthy otherwise, and it's got a good daddy (or mommy as the case may be) to look after it.

Let us know how it goes.

[Tyrone]

Impossible to over water these. It could be just one of those things. Keep the peroxide up too it and hope for the best. 

[BigFrond]

Yeah, I cannot drown mine.  Planted too deep maybe.  I do not see the heel.

[Jim in Los Altos]

It’s right next to your lawn. They love water but is there overspray from lawn sprinklers getting into the palm’s crown? I’ve witnessed many palms ending up with spear pull that had tap water regularly getting into the crowns. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by Jim in Los Altos

[DoomsDave]

54 minutes ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

It’s right next to your lawn. They love water but is there overspray from lawn sprinklers getting into the palm’s crown? I’ve witnessed many palms ending up with spear pull that had tap water regularly getting into the crowns. 

Me, too. Wonder why tap water is such a problem, but not rain water?

[TheMadScientist]

2 hours ago, Jim in Los Altos said:

It’s right next to your lawn. They love water but is there overspray from lawn sprinklers getting into the palm’s crown? I’ve witnessed many palms ending up with spear pull that had tap water regularly getting into the crowns. 

Jim, you always have valuable information to help us.  I put about 12 CIDP grown from seeds in 5 gallon containers in the front yard on top of a 1 foot planter wall.  Because I had the sprinklers coming on during the early mornings, I never saw the spray landing on the crown...It took 4 years of constant watering, but they all got crown rot and died.

Edited October 1, 2021 by TheMadScientist

[Dusty CBAD]

I had spear pull on a cheesemanii. I’m thinking of switching to drip but right now everything I have is on lawn sprinklers/shrub sprinklers with overhead watering. Everything seems to be doing fine 1.5 years in except for that cheesemanii. 

Seems like the best gardens are on drip, but there’s people successfully using overhead irrigation in so cal right? 

[Jim in Los Altos]

2 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

Me, too. Wonder why tap water is such a problem, but not rain water?

Seems to be a mystery still. Dave. Rain water and distilled water have no negative effect on palm crowns but tap water often does when it’s getting into palm’s crowns on a regular basis.. There’s lots of stuff in tap water that’s not in rainwater though. Lots of minerals, chlorine, Chloramines, etc. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

1 hour ago, TheMadScientist said:

Jim, you always have valuable information to help us.  I put about 12 CIDP grown from seeds in 5 gallon containers in the front yard on top of a 1 foot planter wall.  Because I had the sprinklers coming on during the early mornings, I never saw the spray landing on the crown...It took 4 years of constant watering, but they all got crown rot and died.

That’s a shame! It seems an occasional spritzing is okay but watering into the crown on a regukar basis seems to lead to trouble all too often. 

[TomJ]

19 hours ago, Dusty CBAD said:

I had spear pull on a cheesemanii. I’m thinking of switching to drip but right now everything I have is on lawn sprinklers/shrub sprinklers with overhead watering. Everything seems to be doing fine 1.5 years in except for that cheesemanii. 

Seems like the best gardens are on drip, but there’s people successfully using overhead irrigation in so cal right? 

I have overhead sprinklers.

I have an "Oceana" that' has had overhead on /in the crown for 10 years and is fine.

If recently planted, it could be shock / acclimation.

I think it'll grow out of it.

[Billeb]

All that gave input…..it’s been a few weeks since I had the spear pull and did what was suggested in an attempt to save this thing. As of now…I’m still at a bit of a impasse and holding pattern patiently waiting for anything to happen. Plant still looks the same and has not grown much at all. Has not declined either. Marked the newest front when this began. Little movement per picture. 
 

Regarding the peroxide treatment and as @TomJ instructed, I gave it another splash yesterday and will hold off for a month before adding more. Is there an end to this or should I just continue until I see some sort of improvement or decline? We’re headed into Winter so “growing season” has come to an end and I’m not sure if I should keep adding peroxide if the growing slows to a vault considering the season? Any more input is always appreciated. Thanks

 

-dale

[Darold Petty]

I would continue the hydrogen peroxide applicaton every few days for the next 3 weeks.  

[Tyrone]

Your winter will not stop this one from growing. Your winter will feel like summer in the Chatham Islands. I hope it gets it together for you and gets over it’s issue. 

[Tassie_Troy1971]

21 hours ago, Tyrone said:

Your winter will not stop this one from growing. Your winter will feel like summer in the Chatham Islands. I hope it gets it together for you and gets over it’s issue. 

All My Oceana (Chatham Island grow strongly through my winter 10 c - 16 C average

[Tyrone]

2 hours ago, Tassie_Troy1971 said:

All My Oceana (Chatham Island grow strongly through my winter 10 c - 16 C average

Yes, I can say the same thing about mine. I get your round strong growth out of the Chathams and all my sapida grow year round. The Chathams are just faster than the mainland form. 

[Billeb]

All, thought I’d give an update as it’s been nearly 2 months since my first post. Nothing much to add other than I complied with the recommendations all the smart people advised and still nothing. No decline or acceleration of growth noted. Per the picture, my mark has barely moved (if at all). If I shine a flashlight into the hole I can see the leftover part of the spear that pulled but it has no evidence of life. It is still stiff so it’s not soggy or dead tho which I suppose is good. 
Any input on what I should do moving forward is greatly appreciated. Happy Turkey day to all. 
 

-dale

[DoomsDave]

@Billeb patience! 
 

Your plant still looks okay. Keep up the peroxide.

[TomJ]

keep it wet, especially with all these dry winds !!

[Billeb]

*Update #2*
Its been nearly 5 months since the spear pulled on my Oceana and good news is brewing. It appears this thing is growing thru winter just as @Tyrone & @Tassie_Troy1971 stated. As you can see from the pictures I’ve got a spear shooting up so I’m hoping she makes a full recovery. Crossing fingers. The plant doesn’t look the healthiest but it’s had a rough winter. Novicely thinking…if it made it thru a non-growing season with such damage and shock, I’m hoping when spring comes in a month or so, it’ll really do well. 

The first 1.5” of the new spear is all screwed up so I’m fairly certain when (if*) it opens, it may look sub par but I’m obviously ok with that. It may take another frond or so to return to normal. 
 

To any interested,  I started the Peroxide treatment for about a week and then tapered for the next month or so. Then sporadically  adding more every couple weeks. At the 2-3 month mark, I stopped.  I removed dirt around the base to ensure the heal was above grade. I actually backed off on the watering schedule and slowly started watering more until I got back to the previous schedule. 
 

thanks to everyone. Will update this thread into growing season. 
 

FYI: Zoom in to see my Bismarckia in the back left with baby Bentinkia Condapanna and Kentiopsis Oliviformis to the right of those. Next to my Oceana in the foreground is a Dypsis Heteromorpha doing its thing which I’m super excited about. Should be a stunner.  Excuse the Anigozanthos Kangaroo Paws around the Oceana, my neighbor was throwing them away so I dug em outta the trash and planted them out. 

-dale

[Billeb]

Update #3

Its been a year since I got a spear pull on my Rhopalastylis Oceana so an update is in order. 
Appears all is well with this thing and all signs point towards a full recovery after a huge shock. I noticed it took about 6 months for the first healthy spear to come. This spear was actually two consecutive fronds. I haven’t cut off much of the dead growth as I’m scared so it doesn’t look the best.  I’m gonna give it a few more months. It’s working on its 4th healthy frond now and was marked with a sharpee about 3 weeks ago so you can determine growth rate. 
 

I tried to take a couple pictures from the same vantage point as previously to compare other plant growth in the background. Everything is doing well thanks to the heat and humidity we’ve got this year. 
 

-dale

[Billy]

Rhopie's looking good! Good looking garden all around. I especially like the dypsis heteromorpha. Side note...interestingly enough I chose to plant the same red coleus near my Bismarckia just like you did to get the wild red-blue contrast. I got the inspiration from Jeff Hundscheidt's garden.

[Phil Petersen]

You have nicely pulled that rhopie back from the brink.  I like what you have done with the Anigozanthos (Kangaroo Paw) too.

[Billeb]

2 hours ago, Billy said:

Rhopie's looking good! Good looking garden all around. I especially like the dypsis heteromorpha. Side note...interestingly enough I chose to plant the same red coleus near my Bismarckia just like you did to get the wild red-blue contrast. I got the inspiration from Jeff Hundscheidt's garden.

The Heteromorpha is a winner. Next to the K. Oliviformis and another Dypsis hybrid, it’s definitely one of my favorites in the front yard.

It’s actually Irestine Herbstii (blood leaf). It is super similar to coleus in growing and light requirements. And you’re correct with the contrast. It stands out like crazy which is awesome. 
 

-dale

[DoomsDave]

9 hours ago, Billeb said:

Update #3

Its been a year since I got a spear pull on my Rhopalastylis Oceana so an update is in order. 
Appears all is well with this thing and all signs point towards a full recovery after a huge shock. I noticed it took about 6 months for the first healthy spear to come. This spear was actually two consecutive fronds. I haven’t cut off much of the dead growth as I’m scared so it doesn’t look the best.  I’m gonna give it a few more months. It’s working on its 4th healthy frond now and was marked with a sharpee about 3 weeks ago so you can determine growth rate. 
 

I tried to take a couple pictures from the same vantage point as previously to compare other plant growth in the background. Everything is doing well thanks to the heat and humidity we’ve got this year. 
 

-dale

You go brotha! Happy obscenities screamed in northern OC. (They're used to it.) 😀