palm tree assistance - hurricane damage

[steve_fl]

Hurricane Ian damaged both of our palm trees.  The "spear" of both palm trees have split, and there haven't been any new fronds since the Hurricane.  Are my palms toast, or do I give them more time before having to replace?  Thank you for your help!

[Little Tex]

Its hard to tell from the photo, did it just split the leaflets or did it split the petiole? either way it should be ok, it dosent look that large so I wouldnt replace it until it starts dying, just to be sure.

[steve_fl]

Yes, you are correct, we have only been in the home around a year, so these palms are very young.  In the picture, the petiole and leaflets of the remaining fronds are NOT split.  The spear is split, and my (limited) understanding is that all new fronds grow from the spear.

The second palm (not pictured) only has 2 fronds left: one frond is fine, but the other frond's petiole is split, and its spear is split as well.  Seems like I should leave them alone to give them a chance to recover, and if all fronds die off with no new growth, then I'll be forced to replace.  

[PalmatierMeg]

Give them time. They won’t show serious growth until spring-summer when the heat comes on. I am still waiting to see if some of my damaged palms will come back from Ian. I’ve already lost small ones that initially grew but have since turned brown and died. I lost a large Sabal palmetto Lisa 1-1/2 years after Hurricane Irma. It appeared fine but never grew or flowered again, then was finished off by weevils.

[Fishinsteeg234]

Kind of looks like a double spear that just separated. If the palm is still pushing spears, let it be. I think your foxtail will be fine. 

[Foxpalms]

1 hour ago, Fishinsteeg234 said:

Kind of looks like a double spear that just separated. If the palm is still pushing spears, let it be. I think your foxtail will be fine. 

That's what I was thinking since my syagrus romanzoffianana has two spears coming out of it like that.

[Merlyn]

Some palms (Bottle and Spindles) push one frond at a time, some push two at a time and then they separate when they get close to opening.  And some like Sylvestris can do 6 or so at a time.  I don't recall if Foxtails normally do one or two...?  Either way it's normal for them to grow really slow this time of year.  Many of my palms are pretty much stationary.

If the fronds are within reach you could take a sharpie and mark horizontally across the new spears and the existing ones.  Then it'll be easy to see if they are still growing.

[SeanK]

9 hours ago, steve_fl said:

Yes, you are correct, we have only been in the home around a year, so these palms are very young.  In the picture, the petiole and leaflets of the remaining fronds are NOT split.  The spear is split, and my (limited) understanding is that all new fronds grow from the spear.

The second palm (not pictured) only has 2 fronds left: one frond is fine, but the other frond's petiole is split, and its spear is split as well.  Seems like I should leave them alone to give them a chance to recover, and if all fronds die off with no new growth, then I'll be forced to replace.  

New fronds do not grow from the spear. They grow from the bud. The palm looks fine.

[steve_fl]

Thank you for all your help!  I will keep monitoring them and hope they continue to recover and get some new fronds later this year.