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Palm Tree Trunk has holes

garden novice
garden novice
in DISCUSSING PALM TREES WORLDWIDE

Featured Replies

I have holes in my palm tree trunks. Not sure whether these are woodpecker holes or wood borer...Leaves are dropping....See pics. Help!

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    •
    • Upvote 2

    They look more like hole made from climbing spikes. Has anyone climbed this palm to trim it? 

    "it's not dead it's sleeping"

    Santee ca, zone10a/9b

    18 miles from the ocean

    avg. winter 68/40.avg summer 88/64.records 113/25

    1 hour ago, Stevetoad said:

    They look more like hole made from climbing spikes. Has anyone climbed this palm to trim it? 

    Agree....

    • Author

    No I don't have a gardener and no one has climbed this tree.

    • Upvote 1

    They look just like the holes pileated woodpeckers make in the Sabal palmetto trunks here in FL, but I don't think they range as far south in CA as you are.

    Naples (inland), FL - technically 10a but more like 9b in the winter :hmm:

    They do look like climbing spike damage from frond trimming many years ago. Any current infestation or trunk damage would

    likely be oozing liquid or sap. 

    Many coconut palms show spike damage from fruit and frond trimming and still live a very long time.

    Tim

    Tim

    Hilo, Hawaii

    Yeah I'm still convinced this is spike damage. Like Tim said it could be from many years ago as palm trunks won heal like a normal tree. Just by chance I am eating lunch on the road and I'm staring at spike scars  looks exactly like your photo. I took pics but for some reason I can't upload them.  

     

    "it's not dead it's sleeping"

    Santee ca, zone10a/9b

    18 miles from the ocean

    avg. winter 68/40.avg summer 88/64.records 113/25

    I agree with Steve. Spike damage. 

    If you are concerned about leaf losses, please post a photo so we can see what is happening up top.

    Whatever the case, these are unrelated.

    • Author

    Thanks all. Now I am reassured.

    • 2 years later...

    I just lost a Queen palm that also had holes in it.  I noticed it when my palm tee trimmers were here.  This particular queen palm didn't need any trimming, and because the foliage on it was so sparse, I asked if the tree was on its way out.  We walked up to it and my trimmer pointed out the holes.  Surprisingly, he also told me that it looked like someone had used spikes to climb it!  I replied that no one has ever used spikes on the trees, and have used only ladders to climb up. It was like he didn't believe me! 
    I am adament that there have been NO SPIKES in my trees! So it was really strange to read that YOUR first impression of holes were due to spikes! 

    I think he also found a fungus at the base of my tree, so he cut it down. :(
    Now I'm noticing holes in 2 other palms (Bottle and Spindle).  The bottle palm is defiinitely not tall enough to warrant climbing it with spikes. so... what else could cause holes??

    • 1 year later...

    Can anyone help me identify the issue with my foxtail palm in Venice, FL. I noticed this hole on the side of the trunk. Otherwise, the palm seems fairly healthy?

    https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvogwCJzPDDbgb9P_uKjyxvAIRH4-g

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