Foxtail cold damage - any hope?

[sf34711]

Hi there,

I have 6 foxtails (4 small - around 8ft, and 2 larger around 16ft), that were all damaged by the recent 2 week cold snap in central Florida (lows of upper 20s). They were covered, but it didn't seem to help much. All leaves have turned brown. This is their first winter, so I dont know how they will respond. Is there any hope of them recovering (photo attached)?

Many thanks for any help and advice.

Steve

[sf34711]

Here is a closer view of one of them

[Zeeth]

Chances aren't looking good, I must say... Is the growing spear green on any of them? All the advice I can give you is to fertilize starting spring and wait. Don't cut off any leaves though, no matter how much you want to.

[Kostas]

They are not looking too good but the trunks and crownshafts seem ok so there are chances they may recover You can mark the spear and see if its growing if you want to know fast. If it has moved in a few days,they will be fine

[Kathryn]

My Wodyetia bifurcata palms have been damaged and survived a low of 28ºF, but this was only for a night or two each winter. Anything less than 28ºF usually kills them.

If the center spear pulls out, pour some hydrogen peroxide in it and hope for the best. Some people also use a copper fungicide, but I'm not familiar with them. Perhaps someone else can comment on that treatment.

[chris78]

Steve

They might recover, but will take some time... they can be slow at recovering. I had 2 trees recover from 25F but it took a few years.... Florida should be faster.... I did loss them after two nights at 18F a few years ago.... You just got to give them some time and wait.... I would plant hardier palms around them to help protect then in the event of future cold smaps...

Edited January 14, 2010 by chris78

[Zeeth]

You should try a Butiagrus next time you decide to plant something. They will laugh at this kind of cold.

[epicure3]

What are those 3 plants behind the palms?

[spockvr6]

What are those 3 plants behind the palms?

Looks like maybe they were Ti plants that are feeling a little down in the dumps?

Edited January 14, 2010 by spockvr6

[Tyrone]

I've seen foxtails like that recover after a few years. You should see some warm temps sooner or later which may prompt them to grow. That's a pretty sad picture I must say.

I hope they recover. They must have looked beautiful before.

Best regards

Tyrone

[SunnyFl]

I've seen foxtails like that recover after a few years. You should see some warm temps sooner or later which may prompt them to grow. That's a pretty sad picture I must say.

I hope they recover. They must have looked beautiful before.

Best regards

Tyrone

I would second the recommendation on fungicide. Foxies are quite susceptible to fungies. Also, if you're trying to save them, avoid using overhead irrigation/sprinkling on them - they do NOT like it.

Good luck with them - they must've been beauties. Foxies can look deceptively robust, but can be quite wimpy in the event of frost.

edited to add: about the fence behind them - if the plants are just north, or N/E, of the fence, the solid fence can cause cold air coming from the north to "pool" around the base of the plants - just what they don't need. Sadly, VOE.

Edited January 14, 2010 by SunnyFl

[Gallop]

Foxtails are real wimps, tried these several times and light frost and freeze kills them out right everytime. I quite wasting my time with these. Planted P sagentii out instead 13 nights below freezing @ 8 to 10hr periods unprotected ,no damage as of yet. These are showing promise for my area.

Regards,

Gallop

[Lowey]

I've seen foxtails like that recover after a few years. You should see some warm temps sooner or later which may prompt them to grow. That's a pretty sad picture I must say.

I hope they recover. They must have looked beautiful before.

Best regards

Tyrone

I would second the recommendation on fungicide. Foxies are quite susceptible to fungies. Also, if you're trying to save them, avoid using overhead irrigation/sprinkling on them - they do NOT like it.

Good luck with them - they must've been beauties. Foxies can look deceptively robust, but can be quite wimpy in the event of frost.

edited to add: about the fence behind them - if the plants are just north, or N/E, of the fence, the solid fence can cause cold air coming from the north to "pool" around the base of the plants - just what they don't need. Sadly, VOE.

Guys,

Have a look where it comes from! the lowest temps it would see in its native habitat would be +14 degrees C, I am a bit the same, anything in the sort of Temperature range you guys have been suffering would probably make me curl up my toes too.

Seriously, I hope they survive for you.

[sf34711]

What are those 3 plants behind the palms?

They are (or were) Hawaiin Ti. They didnt fair well either (nor did the Gold Mound infront)

Fingers crossed, our Sylvester Palm and Bismarcks made it through.

[sf34711]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions everyone, I'll report back iwth how it pans out.

We knew we were taking a bit of a gamble with them, but it's our favorite palm so we thought it worth the go. The record cold just came at a real bad time.

[sf34711]

Here is a before photo

[sf34711]

and another

[Rafael]

Dont cut burn leaves, dont replace them.

Do not overwater these hardier times of winter.

Apply hydrogen peroxid from the new spear, and copper sulfate all over leaves.

Follow kostas advisement concerning spear's growth.

In middle March, fertilize it weekly.

And wait.

Unfortunately i know what you are passing by.

Last year the same occured here with an alexandrae.

This was the topic: http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=17141

Good luck

[Nick L]

Hi Steve,

I started with 6, have 4 left, ea.3gal babies that survived the freeze of 07 here in Cali, they started recovering later in 08 and are doing fine now. The later demise of 2 was due to a neighbor’s irrigation system unknowingly watering down the crown shafts thru out the winter.

Good luck

[Eric in Orlando]

Most likely they will survive. Foxtails can tolerate some cold but the foliage is sensitive to frost. I have had them survive 26F in Feb. 1996. What area of Orlando ?

[sf34711]

Most likely they will survive. Foxtails can tolerate some cold but the foliage is sensitive to frost. I have had them survive 26F in Feb. 1996. What area of Orlando ?

Thanks for the info. Did yours look similar after 96? We're in Clermont.

[Davidl]

My guess is you will lose all the fronds but it will come back. Foxtails are pretty tough.

[Eric in Orlando]

At that time in '96, we had one specimen at Leu Gardens, they were still kind of expensive and uncommon, at least in thes area. It was maybe 8ft or so. It was defoliated but came back. Same with a small 3ft specimen I had where I was living at the time. The one at Leu Gardens is probably 15ft now (its in shade from bamboo so would probably be bigger if it got more sun and less cometition). The other I transplanted to my moms house after I moved and it is over 20ft tall now.

[sf34711]

Hi Guys,

Here is a look at the Foxtails now. They are still looking very rough. No signs of green at all. I'd be very grateful to hear any opinions of chances of recovery based on these latest photos. Many thanks.

[gsn]

Unfortunately it looks like the crowns have collapsed on all but one of them,and even that one shows no green anywhere!

I have several foxtails and all have been growing and showing new green growth for some time now.Even though all were more than 70% defoliated!

My guess is those are NOT going to recover!

Edited May 2, 2010 by gsn

[Afripalm]

Hi Guys,

Here is a look at the Foxtails now. They are still looking very rough. No signs of green at all. I'd be very grateful to hear any opinions of chances of recovery based on these latest photos. Many thanks.

I'm sorry to say - does not look good. Is there any green even at the base of the spear? Have you tested to see if the spear can be pulled?

Cheers Jeff

[sf34711]

I'm sorry to say - does not look good. Is there any green even at the base of the spear? Have you tested to see if the spear can be pulled?

Cheers Jeff

Thanks for the feedback both.

The spears will not pull out, but there really isn't any green that is visible.

I also put tape on the spear back in January to track any movement, and there has been absolutely no movement.

[Afripalm]

Hi Guys,

Here is a look at the Foxtails now. They are still looking very rough. No signs of green at all. I'd be very grateful to hear any opinions of chances of recovery based on these latest photos. Many thanks.

[epicure3]

The great news is that you can plant some more or something else. Those 3 are gone.

[BS Man about Palms]

Sadly, the only things can do is increase the size of your mulch pile.