Help plz- what’s wrong with my palms

[palmneko]

Hi all, one of my queen palms have been yellow for a while. I tried apply Palmgain a couple weeks ago but there are mulch and then fabric around the trunk so I don’t know how much is getting through. It seems the yellowing is getting worse and now brown spots showing up. Another bigger plan next to it has a little bit yellowing as well but overall ok. What should I do? Thank you!

[Merlyn]

The translucent yellow dots are a clear sign of a potassium deficiency, the droopy yellowing leaves and dead leaf tips could be nitrogen deficiency, too much water, too little water, or a combination of both.  Once a frond starts turning yellow it will never turn back green, so what you need to keep an eye on is the new spear.  If the new spear is growing out a solid green and without brown spots or physical distortion, then the deficiency isn't at the *critical* stage, but is still pretty severe.

Generally speaking it is a bad idea to have weed cloth or mulch up next to the trunk of any palm.  It seals in moisture and can contribute to trunk rot and root rot.  Make sure you leave a few inches of clearance around the trunk, at a minimum.

How much water are you giving them, and what type?  Sprinklers, drippers, estimated gallons, etc?  This can help determine if you might be overwatering or underwatering.

[Stevetoad]

I agree with the above statement. I will add that over pruning will cause the trunk to constrict and give you a deformed trunk. I like the ole “if it’s brown cut it down” rule of thumb. But if the leaves are dying early that isn’t really something you can control. 
 

If worse comes to worse and you decide to remove it, you can take that as an opportunity to plant something a little more unique. I’m at the stage where when something dies I’m almost excited that I get to plant something new. 

[palmneko]

Thank you. The tree is on dripper irrigation.  Wonder if it is possible to cut the fabric around the trunk

[sonoranfans]

Wow those are some unhappy queen palms.  Queen palms are difficult to keep happy, they are fertilizer and water pigs.  There are obvious nutrient deficiencies, but they can occur from soil pH, fertilizer application, or watering regimen.  I suggest you detail your watering frequency days dripper(2 gallon?) and time in hrs that it gets run.  then describe your soil, clay, load, high or low drainage.  Then how long have these palms been in the ground?  With those facts, someone here will be able to interpret your problem.  It also would help to understand your climate/location in CA, a state with vastly different growing conditions.  Welcome to palmtalk!

[PalmatierMeg]

They look underfed, underwatered and overtrimmed. That's what most queens in FL look like - neglect (not saying you did this) and alkaline soil will do that. Yours look so wretched I wonder if they will recover no matter what you try. The penciling will be difficult if not impossible to correct. I'm with Steve: if they were mine I would take them out and replace them with species better adapted to your area (where in CA?). Ask here for recommendations and other CA members will gladly give advice. Queens are, generally, cheap trash palms not worth the angst and work.

Welcome to PalmTalk.

[Darold Petty]

Palmneko, first of all, Welcome to Palmtalk ! 

  Queen palms require large amounts of fertilizer and water to look good in California.  Your palms have suffered, to the point of reduced trunk diameter just below the leaves. (pencil pointing).  This can never be remedied.  Even if your palms somehow recovered, adult queen palms are very messy, and drop huge amounts of seeds.

If you are in southern California in Sunset zone 23 or 24 there are many choices for more refined palms.  Palmtalkers here can offer you advice both for species selections and sources.  Your adjacent turfgrass looks very good, so I assume that you have irrigation in place.  Please consider removing these queen palms for something better like perhaps some of the Dypsis species.  Your future self will thank you!

  So give us a more concise location, and then, fellow SoCal palmtalkers please offer suggestions to Palmneko.  

[Hillizard]

  On 10/24/2019 at 4:46 PM, Darold Petty said:

Palmneko, first of all, Welcome to Palmtalk ! 

  Queen palms require large amounts of fertilizer and water to look good in California.  Your palms have suffered, to the point of reduced trunk diameter just below the leaves. (pencil pointing).  This can never be remedied.  Even if your palms somehow recovered, adult queen palms are very messy, and drop huge amounts of seeds.

If you are in southern California in Sunset zone 23 or 24 there are many choices for more refined palms.  Palmtalkers here can offer you advice both for species selections and sources.  Your adjacent turfgrass looks very good, so I assume that you have irrigation in place.  Please consider removing these queen palms for something better like perhaps some of the Dypsis species.  Your future self will thank you!

  So give us a more concise location, and then, fellow SoCal palmtalkers please offer suggestions to Palmneko.  

Expand  

Palmneko: Darold has it right. At my previous home I planted three 3-gal. queen palms close to one another. Almost year-round they had abundant water, sunshine, warmth and fertilizer.  Within about 6 years they had  grown so fast and tall their trunks resembled three bare telephone poles in my small backyard. Although queen palms can provide shade and frost protection for more tender palms, as taller-growing palms they look best from a distance, not crammed into a small suburban lot, at least IMHO.  Dypsis species are a very good suggestion.

[palmneko]

Wow, thank you everyone. I have been busy for a few days and did not get to come here.

i am in Southern California inland empire so it is quite hot and dry here. But not quite into the dessert yet. We just moved from the Midwest and bought the house with these palm trees. So I know NOTHING about palms... there are about 6 tall queen palm in the front of the house which look healthy and the one here is in the back and smallest of all palms in the yard. There is another taller one next to this small tree which is showing the yellow leaves but not quite as bad. I can’t tell how much water the dripper waters but I will guess not quite enough as I am still learning what is the right amount for my irrigation system as well. There is also the mulch and landscape fabric I mentioned previously which makes me doubt the fertilizer I put down can get to the tree properly. This part of the yard is facing west and get a lot of sun. 

 

On on the side of the yard we also have some smaller palms that have the finger type trunks. Don’t know what they are called. But they are also looking weird lately. The leaves are curling up and have white wax type of thing on the tip. Here is a pic. 

There are also two palms in pots on the patio that are browning on the tip. I put Palmgain in the pot and hopefully they will recover. These all seem to be happening in the 3 months we have moved in. Quite frustrated and appreciate everyone’s help here!

 

 

[Jeff985]

Can’t really see the trunk, but it looks like a phoenix roebelenii (pygmy date palm). It’s normal for them to have a white residue on new leaves. I can’t tell if that’s what’s going on with yours or not from that picture. It looks like it’s on the lower leaves which would be odd. Usually it comes off over time. 

[Merlyn]

Some of the drippers are color-coded so you can tell the gallons per hour at a glance.  Blue=0.5gph, black=1gph, red=2gph.  I don't know if that's universal on the color codes, but if they are Rainbird drippers thats what the colors mean.  That might help determine your current watering amount.  If not, you could run the system and put one of the drippers over a bucket and see how much it drips in 15 minutes.

[DoomsDave]

@palmneko, welcome!

Where in the IE are you? City is okay. That really can make a difference as to the climate.

And, where in the midwest are you from? I'm from Cleveland, Mistake on the Lake, Ohio.

Nice to meet you!

[palmneko]

If I want to have someone come and take a look at these trees and advise on what to do, something like a “tree doctor”, What kind of service should I search for on google? Is it arborist? 

[palmneko]

DoomsDave, I am in Riverside. We moved from Michigan. I heard they are expecting first snow this week up there 

[joe_OC]

The advice in this thread is spot on.  But, you will not see any results new fronds open.  With the temperature dropping, that might not be until next year.  

[palmneko]

Yes fall is definitely setting in here. So does that mean even if the fertilizer I put down a few weeks ago may be working, I won’t know until new growth happen? I see there are Potassium spikes for palm trees. With mulch and landscape fabric around my trees, are these spikes better choice than granules? 

Will also try to test my dripper output. The smart water controller we jus put in has been cutting watering since it’s getting cooler. 

[Jim in Los Altos]

Jessica, please keep in mind that Queen palms are all but impossible to overwater. They are well known to be growing well in swampy wet soil. Your's is definitely potassium and nitrogen starved as already stated. PalmGain is an excellent fertilizer but it will take months to see much in the way of improvement. There are hundreds of other really desirable palm species that will grow in your area as well. Your smaller palms are Pygmy Date palms and appreciate plenty of water as well being from Southeast Asia. 

[joe_OC]

I agree with Jim.  I would look at this as an opportunity to replace the queen palm with something different.