Just Won't Open!

[palmislandRandy]

Help. I've had this Foxtail twin for 5 years. It recently started putting out fronds that won't completely open. I've had other palms do the same thing after the cooler weather. Eventually after a few fused fronds, they seem to grow out of it. I thought this one would also, but not yet. The taller one now has 3 semi opened fronds & needs some help. Is it some kind of minor element deficiency? Thanks in advance for the advice.

[redant]

I have only seen this problem in my foxtails (and I have many) for two reasons, to wet or something that bored into the trunk. Check for small pinholes and any oozing on the trunk. Past that they seem really easy.

[Stevetoad]

This is a problem I've seen a lot in SoCal. It doesn't seem like anyone knows for sure why. I've heard lack of heat and lack of water. I have a bizzy that's doing the same thing right now. I saw a dypsis albafronosa with no open leaves at all on it and it now it's dead. Dypsis decaryi seems to do this a lot too. I don't get it

[dp92651]

Ditto. If you figure it out, let me know.

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

We really did not have any cold to effect it this past winter. Have you tried the shotgun approach to fertilizing it? Give it all ya got?

[MattyB]

I think that this is different than the "multiple spears that won't open" problem that we sometimes see with Dypsis decaryi. It's that fused leaf problem. I had a Dypsis baronii that did this and I think we discussed a possible boron deficiency. Your leaves look pretty healthy so it probably isn't magnesium or potassium deficiency. My Dypsis baronii was cured by adding a lot of fertizer and keeping it wet.

The other palm that I've had this fused leaf on was Howea forsteriana, and on more than one plant. I had scale on the plant and I think that the leaves got fused down in the crown by the insect activity.

Can you get up there and start separating the leaflets and see if they are rotted together or just sticky, or what?

[Palmlover]

I recently had the same issue with two of my Foxtail palms. Each plam had the spears stuck for over 8 months and I researched a few forums that recommended a Fertilizer mix that would be fast acting but wont burn the roots from excess use along with a root stimulator. I used a mixture of water, vitamin B and Alaska Fish Fertilizer you can buy at the big box stores. The results were great! It pushed the spear out and both the foxtail plams fronds opened up in a matter of two weeks.

[MattyB]

and that fish fertilizer is excellent with vodka, on the rocks

[dp92651]

I recently had the same issue with two of my Foxtail palms. Each plam had the spears stuck for over 8 months and I researched a few forums that recommended a Fertilizer mix that would be fast acting but wont burn the roots from excess use along with a root stimulator. I used a mixture of water, vitamin B and Alaska Fish Fertilizer you can buy at the big box stores. The results were great! It pushed the spear out and both the foxtail plams fronds opened up in a matter of two weeks.

Is that much different from "Superthrive"?

[Palmlover]

Super thrive is a root stimulator. I don't know if it would work with out the fertilizer.

[Palmlover]

and that fish fertilizer is excellent with vodka, on the rocks

Matt,

I never tried it. LoL

[palmislandRandy]

Last week I hit it with a little Borax as my research suggested a boron deficiency. Also used some liquid seaweed & Superthrive (not sure if Superthrive really works, but what the hell) It gets plenty of 8-2-12. I can't get near the crown due to the height, but with a telephoto I don't see any scale binding the fronds. The palm is really nice & green & shows no other deficiencies.

Thanks for the advice, keep em coming!

[palmislandRandy]

I've had problems with potassium & manganese in my garden, but this palm is really nice & green as are my other Foxtails.

Matt, fish fert is best with OJ!

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

If you have had problems with Manganese deficiency before with other plants, this might be your problem here. Maybe only a little deficient as it does not look like full blown frizzle top and everything else looks super healthy.

Be careful with that Borax. Very easy to over do it and reach toxic levels.

[MattyB]

Get a bottle of the Hydrogen Peroxide with the little squirt tip and try and squirt some up in the crown, just in case you have some fungus that is rotting the leaves together in the crown. It can't hurt.....unless you get it in your eyes. Wear some eye protection.