Silver coating on fronds of Phoenix sylvestris

[Pee Dee Palms]

So hopefully I can describe this well enough just by words, it is getting dark out right now and I don't have a picture of it, I'll post a picture of it tomorrow if this post gets any attention. So my P. sylvestris in my yard has this strange silver/white-ish coating on the base of the fronds (it could be even further up from the base, I can't tell). It also seems to look like a little like powder, which it isn't, because when you touch it, nothing really happens. It is most definitely a part of the palm tree, not any sort of disease (at least I don't think so). I've heard rumors of this meaning it could have more hardy genetics, and that is my main question. I am not sure how true this claim is, or if it could just be genetics that make it look like that, or if it is on all sylvestris...