Foxtail frond not opening…

[Breaktheory]

So with the new heat I’m finally seeing nice growth on the foxtail - thing is that even though it put up a frond, a second has already started before the first even opened - what the heck is going on friends?

 

[aztropic]

Looks happy - totally normal growth pattern.  

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

[Merlyn]

The tip of the spear looks like it has a bit of brown on it.  That might be some leftover winter damage, and might be "fused" together so it's not opening normally.  Sometimes that fixes itself, sometimes it needs a little help.  I had a couple of store-bought Bottles with a fused tip on a spear, and instead of opening it just kept growing a new spear.  Since it was only about 4 feet tall, I just gave the fused spear a little twist.  It opened up a couple of leaflet tips and I manually separated a couple more.  After a few days it had started opening most of the others, and I only had to "help" a couple of leaflets that were stuck together at the tips.  Afterwards it's grown normally, so I don't really know what caused it.  Fused spears are sometimes a boron deficiency.

[PalmatierMeg]

I would say it is making up for growing time lost to your rainy winter and chilly spring. Palms under stress from adverse growing conditions can jumpstart growth when those conditions improve.

[James B]

It’s normal for palms to have more than one spear in the chamber in summer. Take a palm like Ravenea Rivularis. When it’s cranking it’s not uncommon for it to have 4 spears cooking.

[Randall SD]

I have the same thing going on this year. It is probably just due to the wet winter and mild spring here. My Foxtails have occasionally had multiple unopened spears in the past but have always caught up later with warmer weather. 

[Breaktheory]

On 7/2/2023 at 1:45 PM, Merlyn said:

The tip of the spear looks like it has a bit of brown on it.  That might be some leftover winter damage, and might be "fused" together so it's not opening normally.  Sometimes that fixes itself, sometimes it needs a little help.  I had a couple of store-bought Bottles with a fused tip on a spear, and instead of opening it just kept growing a new spear.  Since it was only about 4 feet tall, I just gave the fused spear a little twist.  It opened up a couple of leaflet tips and I manually separated a couple more.  After a few days it had started opening most of the others, and I only had to "help" a couple of leaflets that were stuck together at the tips.  Afterwards it's grown normally, so I don't really know what caused it.  Fused spears are sometimes a boron deficiency.

Great tip - I went to untwist it and there’s a gluey substance holding it together - scraped most of it off and the frond is now starting to fluff itself open

[byuind]

Neem oil!

[Breaktheory]

5 hours ago, byuind said:

Neem oil!

Is that the solution to this - I use that to get rid of powdery dust mites I think

[byuind]

Purely anecdotal… but someone on here told me about it a while back and I’ve used it on 3 different “stuck” spears and within days they started to open. I really soaked the suckers though!

[pj_orlando_z9b]

On 7/2/2023 at 4:45 PM, Merlyn said:

The tip of the spear looks like it has a bit of brown on it.  That might be some leftover winter damage, and might be "fused" together so it's not opening normally.  Sometimes that fixes itself, sometimes it needs a little help.  I had a couple of store-bought Bottles with a fused tip on a spear, and instead of opening it just kept growing a new spear.  Since it was only about 4 feet tall, I just gave the fused spear a little twist.  It opened up a couple of leaflet tips and I manually separated a couple more.  After a few days it had started opening most of the others, and I only had to "help" a couple of leaflets that were stuck together at the tips.  Afterwards it's grown normally, so I don't really know what caused it.  Fused spears are sometimes a boron deficiency.

I'm seeing this on most of my palms too. The next one ironically is pushing and the tips are already separating while it's pushing so I thought probably more cold damage related. I'll try the twist. 

[Merlyn]

2 hours ago, pj_orlando_z9b said:

I'm seeing this on most of my palms too. The next one ironically is pushing and the tips are already separating while it's pushing so I thought probably more cold damage related. I'll try the twist. 

On those I'd guess you could just snip off the top 6 to 24 inches or so, in the photo it looks like the tip is dead anyway.  My foxtails are 20+ feet tall and I can't even reach them with my 12' A-frame ladder.  So I'm just leaving them alone for now.  I've decided I'm not a big fan of rapid growing "telephone pole" palms anyway.   

[pj_orlando_z9b]

10 hours ago, Merlyn said:

On those I'd guess you could just snip off the top 6 to 24 inches or so, in the photo it looks like the tip is dead anyway.  My foxtails are 20+ feet tall and I can't even reach them with my 12' A-frame ladder.  So I'm just leaving them alone for now.  I've decided I'm not a big fan of rapid growing "telephone pole" palms anyway.   

You are correct. I twisted them and it was dead at the point they were glued. Same challenge with my foxtail...it's too tall!

[pj_orlando_z9b]

I've watched this coconut and posted about it over the years. About a half mile from me by way the crow flies. One of best microclimates on the S side of the lake and sort of protected by large oaks. Snapped this pic today and was surprised the petioles are still green and it's holding some coconuts. Mine all dropped. They never have protected. I think this will make a full recovery. 

[Maddox Gardening-youtube]

On 3/20/2026 at 11:28 PM, pj_orlando_z9b said:

I've watched this coconut and posted about it over the years. About a half mile from me by way the crow flies. One of best microclimates on the S side of the lake and sort of protected by large oaks. Snapped this pic today and was surprised the petioles are still green and it's holding some coconuts. Mine all dropped. They never have protected. I think this will make a full recovery. 

That’s good that all of your tropicals in your area aren’t dead. personally, it really makes my day when I drive past a zone pushing palm in my area to see it has survived and will keep growing.