Triangle Palm, Any hope?

[_Keith]

Got this message from a friend. I think I know the answer, but checking with the experts here, first.

" I enjoyed seeing your site. I wonder if you might have experience with regrowth in a trianglepalm. Our trianglepalm had been 17 ft tall in our indoor atrium. It had done well for years and then became infested with scale insects that we just could not continue to manually kill. As the tree became taller, it was increasingly difficult to reach the area where the white fuzzy insects from which the brown scales came and to squish and kill them. We did not want to use any insecticides since it is inside our house. I had used insecticidal soap and cinnamon, but nothing worked other than keeping up squishing the bugs every day. Finally, there was so much die back that my husband was removing dead leaf bases to get rid of the hiding places for the bugs and he accidentally snapped the trianglepalm off at about 4 feet above ground level. So, we lost the apical meristem from which new leaves were produced. The trunk appears still to be living and is bright green. Have we any hope that new shoots will develop off of the trunk or from the base or should we just dig it up and replant something else. We loved the tree, but the insect problem was horrendous and it took many hours on almost a daily basis to keep up with it."

[Zeeth]

Got this message from a friend. I think I know the answer, but checking with the experts here, first.

" I enjoyed seeing your site. I wonder if you might have experience with regrowth in a trianglepalm. Our trianglepalm had been 17 ft tall in our indoor atrium. It had done well for years and then became infested with scale insects that we just could not continue to manually kill. As the tree became taller, it was increasingly difficult to reach the area where the white fuzzy insects from which the brown scales came and to squish and kill them. We did not want to use any insecticides since it is inside our house. I had used insecticidal soap and cinnamon, but nothing worked other than keeping up squishing the bugs every day. Finally, there was so much die back that my husband was removing dead leaf bases to get rid of the hiding places for the bugs and he accidentally snapped the trianglepalm off at about 4 feet above ground level. So, we lost the apical meristem from which new leaves were produced. The trunk appears still to be living and is bright green. Have we any hope that new shoots will develop off of the trunk or from the base or should we just dig it up and replant something else. We loved the tree, but the insect problem was horrendous and it took many hours on almost a daily basis to keep up with it."

I've heard of it happening with a foxtail. Someone, unknowing of how palms grow, chopped his foxtail in half because it was getting too tall for their indoor house, and leaves started emerging from the stump. He showed pics, otherwise I wouldn't have believed it. Chances are slim though, I'd say almost impossible. Better off digging it out and replacing it.

[Jeff Searle]

A palm that size will never,ever resprout a new head of leaves from a trunk 4' high. Plants in atriums are always going to have more problems with insects than plants outdoors. Predator insects to keep the "bad guys" in check and a lack of good air circulation are two good reasons why he's fighting an uphill battle with insects. If he dosen't want to spray insecticides inside ( due to foul odors), he can use a granular systemic insecticide like Merit, which works real well and has no smell. It's incorporated down into the soil. Something to consider.....

Jeff

[Tala]

quite a few palms can regrow from 4 ft stems, but that part. Dypsis isn't one of them - if it were decipiens or one of others that form leaves well below ground you'd have a shot at it. But decaryi doesn't grow like that. A 1 ft, maybe 2 ft stem at most, you'd have a chance, but 4 ft is pretty far along for them. They are cheap, easy to find, and relatively quick, they could always plant another - 17 ft is tall for any interior palm! Drench the bud w/ hort. oil, very safe, worst case scenarios usually need a 2nd app. It prob. picked up scale from over watering, poor air circulation or being too wet in general. These are way more drought tolerant than most people would believe, esp. indoors.

[Paul The Palm Doctor!]

Unh, uh

Too much to come "back" from. Dr. Paul

[DoomsDave]

Ouch.

Death.

Plant a new one.

OUCH!

[SunnyFl]

Unh, uh

Too much to come "back" from. Dr. Paul

Yep, tell your friend just pitch it. Even in the (highly unlikely) event that it did resprout, it would have the same scale problem only worse, because it had been weakened by the trauma of being cut.

And the advice about air circulation is right on. I'm assuming your friend is in Louisiana - one thing about growing plants indoors down here is, it's not like up north where you can grow houseplants with few problems. It's more humid here, and the heat & humidity, without good air movement, can be lethal.

In my 2 years living in an apartment up north, I had 40+ tropicals growing indoors - all salvaged from clippings & throw-aways - with no problems. Brought a few of them down here - within a month they're dying off. We don't have central ac and don't have the a/c or fan on all day - there's no air movement and the plants decline. So they stay outdoors.

Perhaps your friend can select a better choice of palm for indoor use (chamaedorea?) and make sure that he has a fan, open window, or something to keep the air circulating.

[_Keith]

Unh, uh

Too much to come "back" from. Dr. Paul

Yep, tell your friend just pitch it. Even in the (highly unlikely) event that it did resprout, it would have the same scale problem only worse, because it had been weakened by the trauma of being cut.

And the advice about air circulation is right on. I'm assuming your friend is in Louisiana - one thing about growing plants indoors down here is, it's not like up north where you can grow houseplants with few problems. It's more humid here, and the heat & humidity, without good air movement, can be lethal.

In my 2 years living in an apartment up north, I had 40+ tropicals growing indoors - all salvaged from clippings & throw-aways - with no problems. Brought a few of them down here - within a month they're dying off. We don't have central ac and don't have the a/c or fan on all day - there's no air movement and the plants decline. So they stay outdoors.

Perhaps your friend can select a better choice of palm for indoor use (chamaedorea?) and make sure that he has a fan, open window, or something to keep the air circulating.

Friend is in South Carolina. Recommended they dig out and replant anew.

[DoomsDave]

Unh, uh

Too much to come "back" from. Dr. Paul

Yep, tell your friend just pitch it. Even in the (highly unlikely) event that it did resprout, it would have the same scale problem only worse, because it had been weakened by the trauma of being cut.

And the advice about air circulation is right on. I'm assuming your friend is in Louisiana - one thing about growing plants indoors down here is, it's not like up north where you can grow houseplants with few problems. It's more humid here, and the heat & humidity, without good air movement, can be lethal.

In my 2 years living in an apartment up north, I had 40+ tropicals growing indoors - all salvaged from clippings & throw-aways - with no problems. Brought a few of them down here - within a month they're dying off. We don't have central ac and don't have the a/c or fan on all day - there's no air movement and the plants decline. So they stay outdoors.

Perhaps your friend can select a better choice of palm for indoor use (chamaedorea?) and make sure that he has a fan, open window, or something to keep the air circulating.

Friend is in South Carolina. Recommended they dig out and replant anew.

Wisely, but hopefully with hugs and crying towels in abundance.