Royal Palm Tree Lightning Strike

[KCR]

Last week in SWFL, our 50’ (estimate) Royal Palm tree was struck. A couple fronds were blown up and there are at least 5 exit blasts at the bottom of the tree (in the roots) below the mulch. The lightning then followed a nearby tree lighting wire that was buried underground, which lead to the wall of our house where it exploded the timer box and timing mechanism. So far, nothing about the tree has changed. Remaining fronds are green and happy, including the unopened spear at the top. People I’ve mentioned this to are saying that Royals die 100% of the time after a direct strike, but that most of the time they immediately catch fire or have burn marks on the trunk. Neither of those things occurred. What chance do you give this tree of surviving? I’m okay with taking it down, especially with hurricane season really heating up in a few weeks, but I’m curious to see what you all think.

[JohnAndSancho]

If it lives, law requires you give it a cool name. 

[TropicsEnjoyer]

Give it a week or two, if it’s still looking ok at that point you have a lucky survivor. But usually they start to show the sort of aftershock soon after. That being said, how long has it been already? The best way to tell if it’s alive would be if the spear leaf has continued developing. 

[DoomsDave]

Whoa damn.

[happypalms]

Poor palm taking that dirt of hit. If it lives it might split into a double header. A lot of lighting struck palms either die or start to form twin heads, either way if it lives you will be lucky. 

[Johnny Palmseed]

I have seen a queen palm take a strike and catch fire but it did not immediately die. Although, it might not have been doing well after that because it was eventually removed. But it was months later if not a year or more. I can’t recall exactly because it was a neighbors palm.

[KCR]

9 hours ago, TropicsEnjoyer said:

Give it a week or two, if it’s still looking ok at that point you have a lucky survivor. But usually they start to show the sort of aftershock soon after. That being said, how long has it been already? The best way to tell if it’s alive would be if the spear leaf has continued developing. 

It’s been 6 days and no noticeable change other than some fraying of one of the older fronds. I was wrong about the spear. It either didn’t have one or it blew up during the strike. I’ll keep watching for a spear to show up or the other fronds to die off in the week. It’s super hot here with heat index in the 100’s and hit or miss rain this past week so we will probably water it today unless we get a downpour. Here are some photos I took this morning at different angles. The original photos were taken the day it was struck. Not much different unless I'm missing something.