I am so sorry Sri Lanka is facing a severe drought since 2 months,
Thabit Suby told many of his palms are dry.

In Doranakanda, leaves are falling... well is empty... Heat is terrible.

Can you, experimented Palmtalk friends, tell me how palms can recover?

Are they able to loose all or most of their leaves and start again with a new spear?

Or are they definitely lost and ready for making compost or mulch for a new planting ?

I am afraid we loose Verschaffeltia, Phoenicophorium, Pelagodoxa and Pinanga species...

Many thanks.

Please, can you send mineral water to Sri Lanka?

It seems you all have automatic watering systems!

I'll show you pics of dry palms and we'll see if they recover....
I wonder if any third world palm-addict like us in Doranakanda has already seen all his palms cooked by the heat and dry and what happened next.

3 years ago we had an all-time record drought in Louisiana. Since our normal rainfall does not require watering systems, I had nothing in place. There was some minor browning, and everything stopped growing. I lost no established palms, meaning those that had been here for more than 3 years. Interestingly, last year was probably close to an all-time record rainfall year. That is the thing with averages. i am guessing palms established and indigenous to your area are built to take the drought, and have been through it before. The weak will probably die, and the strong will survive to propagate another generation adapted for local climate variation.

I am so sorry Sri Lanka is facing a severe drought since 2 months,

Thabit Suby told many of his palms are dry.

In Doranakanda, leaves are falling... well is empty... Heat is terrible.

Can you, experimented Palmtalk friends, tell me how palms can recover?

Are they able to loose all or most of their leaves and start again with a new spear?

Or are they definitely lost and ready for making compost or mulch for a new planting ?

I am afraid we loose Verschaffeltia, Phoenicophorium, Pelagodoxa and Pinanga species...

Many thanks.

Please, can you send mineral water to Sri Lanka?

Rainforest palms aren't likely to come back, especially if they're newly planted. I recommend you dig a deeper well.

Dry season and heat is normal, isn't it? March and April are the hottest driest months in the tropics. May should bring Moonsoons.

Keith and Axel,

Thank you for your answers, we'll see who is weak and who's not. ( I think broad leaves will be weak...)

Axel ,

The situation is really NOT normal since normally it's sunny and rain every two days or when we were lucky every evening.

There is no coconut anymore on the trees which is really not normal. No more king coconut to drink!

We already dig the well deeper, and got 1 feet water!

There is a long way before monsoon, I hope rain will come before that (and before I go there in april!)

regards

Philippe

I 'm doing a rain dance for you right now Phillipe and sending out good vibes to all your Sri Lanken babies

Phillippe

In Brisbane we went through the worst drought on record a few years ago.

I found many rainforest species that turned their toes up and died.

Some had no problems however. A green joey lost all its overhead cover(treeferns) and had no problems in full drought sun.

A mature Kerriodoxa also survived easily with slightly smaller leaves which was a real surprise.

They both have large leaves so I don't see any pattern there.

Whatever dies or lives is not something you can really control in full drought.

Doesn't make it easier though

Steve

Many thanks Rob, We wait for the clouds

Steve, you're right: Whatever dies or lives is not something you can really control in full drought.

We'll see how long last this drought.