Advice on Pseudophoenix

[Austinpalm]

Curious if anyone has experience with spearpull in Pseudophoenix and subsequent cutback efforts to save the palm.  I have an approximate 15-gallon size (4-5 ft to top of frond with the beginnings of a trunk starting to appear) which has experienced spearpull after transplant to a pot and storage in a too shady location for about 2 months. The palm is showing black spots on the trunk and crownshaft.  Since removing to a sunnier location and awaiting an opportunity to replant in my new yard I have treated with fungicide and saltwater.  Unfortunately, the last month here in South Texas has come with extended shady and cool/wet conditions.  I have on several occassions used a large and extended eye dropper to remove yellow fluid that collects inside the crownshaft where the new spear would presumedly grow.  I anticipate this has been created mostly from rainfall up to this point but am concerned something is rotten inside and needs to be aired out as the next newest frond is turning brown and I expect will pull in the near future.

If this were a washy or a queen I likely would have already tried to cut down to the growing point to encourage new frond growth.  Howerver, this pseudophoenix is one of my favorite palms and they are not exactly easy to find here.  Also, it has always been a slow grower and I am worried if it could survive a cutback to expose the growing point.  Anyone have any advice/suggestions on how to proceed?

[Looking Glass]

That sucks.   These palms love hot, full sun spots and are native to areas with hot, wet seasons and warm dry seasons with brief cool periods that are mainly dry.   In my experience, rot can be tricky in these, as they cannot outgrow it like some palms can.  The life span of a single frond here is over 2 years, with maybe 3.5 fronds per year under ideal conditions.  I’d treat with peroxide in the crown and daconil.   You might not have much to lose by a cutback.   A picture would help.  The palm sounds too young for Pseudophoenix decline, which does not normally cause spear pull (in reference to the saltwater).  

I’ve bought several very beat up specimens, that all responded to heat and fertilizer over 1-2 years, but one I got with minor crown rot never recovered and I finally gave up on it.   
 

 

[aztropic]

I've grown about 100 of these from seed, and sold them off in various sizes from 1-7 gallon size. Once a spear pulls on a Pseudophoenix though, they are pretty much done. Because they are so slow growing to begin with, the prognosis is not good. Honestly,your best bet is to start shopping around if you want to keep one in your collection.🤷‍♂️

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[96720]

In my opinion they are a hard palm to grow I have killed more than I can remember of all different sizes I finally think I might have one to make it but it is so small I will never get to enjoy it!!!

[aztropic]

I do have one that had a spear issue, that absolutely refuses to give up. Not a spear pull - originally just a dried up spear that plugged up the growing channel. Before I could dig it out, it just busted a new growth point right through the old base, and is working on a recovery. Very tough species that I've had great luck growing in the Arizona desert. 🌴

 

aztropic 

Mesa, Arizona 

[Frond-friend42]

🧐man that is some weird growth!

[Phoenikakias]

I keep a sargentii var navassana in pot, which I had been growing since a seedling. In one stage of its life it began having the usual issues, described above. Only I was monitoring the plant closely and have been thus able to intervene quite early, that is as soon as I detected newly emerged part of the spear displaying a chlorotic discoloration (but still no dead tissue). I managed to suppress it through the combined application of thiophanate-methyl (suitable for Thiealaviopsis) and fosetyl (suitable for Phytophthora), I was not sure which exact fungus had been the culprit but I was sure it was in every case a fungal infection. In the following years, as the plant was becoming a juvenile, I had one or two rebounds of probably same pathogen, which it was clear that plant could cope with easier now (necrotic tip of the spear but subsequent new growth absolutely healthy. Nevertheless in such occasions I resorted again to those fungicides for a couple applications.  Once I dared irrigate it with brackish water, just in case it needed some marine salt in the roots, but did not notice afterwards any spectacular response, just older fronds were staying for a longer time alive. In short during the last few years my potted specimen remained trouble free and iI have the impression that it less sensitive to cold and wet, in fact it seems needing some water even during winter.

[flplantguy]

My sargentii was planted about two years ago, and had been laid down and covered in a nursery for cold protection.  This got some dirt in the crown and almost rotted a spear, which broke off TWO YEARS later after it emerged from the crown. Its now just above the first whole, decent spear ive gotten from it, and i did everything i could to prevent problems. It will hopefully now grow out and look good, but there is still crownshaft damage as well that needs to grow out on the outermost frond. It was very minimal dirt that caused that too, so they are pretty sensitive at the point where cells are dividing within the palm. There are stories here of mechanical damage breaking off the entire palm head from something that would not harm most palms too, so they are finicky about some things and not others like heat.  Wet is their enemy too so that oozing is very concerning to me, and i agree with the others to try and source a new one.  Mine is my pride and joy, so i understand the anxiety about it too.

[Phoenikakias]

On 2/27/2025 at 11:18 AM, Phoenikakias said:

I keep a sargentii var navassana in pot, which I had been growing since a seedling. In one stage of its life it began having the usual issues, described above. Only I was monitoring the plant closely and have been thus able to intervene quite early, that is as soon as I detected newly emerged part of the spear displaying a chlorotic discoloration (but still no dead tissue). I managed to suppress it through the combined application of thiophanate-methyl (suitable for Thiealaviopsis) and fosetyl (suitable for Phytophthora), I was not sure which exact fungus had been the culprit but I was sure it was in every case a fungal infection. In the following years, as the plant was becoming a juvenile, I had one or two rebounds of probably same pathogen, which it was clear that plant could cope with easier now (necrotic tip of the spear but subsequent new growth absolutely healthy. Nevertheless in such occasions I resorted again to those fungicides for a couple applications.  Once I dared irrigate it with brackish water, just in case it needed some marine salt in the roots, but did not notice afterwards any spectacular response, just older fronds were staying for a longer time alive. In short during the last few years my potted specimen remained trouble free and iI have the impression that it less sensitive to cold and wet, in fact it seems needing some water even during winter.

My Pseudo today. Notice, that it grows mainly in a non organic substrate consisting of leca, lava and pine bark. All ingredients contributing to an acidic pH, while irrigation water is alkaline. Like I had already written, I have been raising it from two leaves seedling.