New needle palm issues

[Colin1110082]

Hello,

I planted this northeast Ohio palms 3 gallon needle palm around 3 weeks ago. It gets full sun from around 7:30 AM to 3 PM and it’s been hot so I’ve been watering every day. I noticed some brown spots on the leaves so I contacted the nursery and they said it might be over watering. Do you think this is correct and how can I reverse the damage? These grow painfully slow and are super expensive so I hope it doesn’t die. Thank you so much!

[SeanK]

It needs to acclimate to the sun. I wouldn't have planted it directly into full sun in the middle of summer. 

I leave palms potted and start them with morning sun for a couple weeks. Then increase an hour every two weeks. Also, Needles are understory plants.

[Colin1110082]

10 hours ago, SeanK said:

It needs to acclimate to the sun. I wouldn't have planted it directly into full sun in the middle of summer. 

I leave palms potted and start them with morning sun for a couple weeks. Then increase an hour every two weeks. Also, Needles are understory plants.

Interesting. Do you think I should cover it with something to give it shade?

[SeanK]

Can you set up a canopy that shades it from 11AM to 3PM?

[KPoff]

I planted a needle palm in full sun in west Texas in late spring last year and the sun killed the heck out of it even with regular water. All the ones I’ve planted in partial shade do ok. It looks sun scorched to me.

[JohnAndSancho]

I'd move it, honestly, if you can. It's getting cooked. It might grow out of it, but not any time soon. 

[Allen]

If it's sun new fronds will grow out and be fine.  

[N8ALLRIGHT]

I agree with @Allen, maybe in Texas you'd want some shade but in Massachusetts I think you will be fine. Mine is in full sun and I'm a little farther south than you. It's doing fine, going on 4 years in the ground. The new fronds will be acclimated to sun,they will be shorter as well. Here's mine, it also came from North East Ohio palms

[MrTropical]

I lean towards overwatering being the issue. I would strongly recommend full sun for a Needle Palm in Massachusetts. 

My potted Needle Palm (also from Northeast Ohio Palms) gets full sun in eastern North Carolina and the new growth looks great...

[Colin1110082]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think i’ll keep it here and try to cover it for a bit to get it acclimated.

[Harry’s Palms]

Yea , just a bit of shade cloth for a while. I got one earlier this year and put it directly in the ground in full SoCal sun on a south facing slope . It is already growing out of the slight burn . It was larger than yours and had been in a bit of sun already so it had a head start. From what I’ve read about these , they are tough palms . That’s why I bought it . The slope at my house is fully exposed but the hardy palms love it there. Harry

About 3 fronds browned and were trimmed after planting , but then showed growth of new fronds 

This one already had a pup growing out . It was shaded by the main stem so it showed no burn. I water it at least once a week in the ground with good amended soil . 

[Subtropical LIS]

My guess is overwatering too.

I planted two Needle Palms about 7 years ago, one along the Maryland coast at my mother’s house, one on Long Island Sound on the Connecticut coast (both roughly zone 7a/7b). Over the years (with much trial and error of many palms), I found that slightly drier is always better than too wet.

Also, I think nature always knows best: Most locations along the East Coast have hot and humid summer weather with passing thundershowers interspersed with periods of warm/hot weather with very little rain (like this week - lol). This is typical of the climate farther down the East Coast in their native range (coastal South Carolina to Florida). Unless your way up in the higher elevations of northern or NW Massachusetts (cooler& drier summers), I would leave it alone. Water with a good soaking once a month in summer and let nature take care of the rest. Passing showers will give it all the moisture it needs. 

Don’t have a pic of one in Maryland, but here is one on Long Island Sound in CT, about 6 feet tall with fronds 4 feet wide after 7 years in the ground. I only water once a month (good soaking) and let nature do the rest.  

 

 

[PalmatierMeg]

Needle palms in native habitat in NFL are understory palms and do not adapt well to full sun esp. in the deep southern US. They do not survive well in SFL. I've tried them a number of times in full, partial sun and mostly shade; none of them survived more than months or a year. They cannot tolerate hours of ferocious FL sun, esp. in summer.  I believe my winters are too warm and that needles require cooler winters than we get in SWFL. Six to seven months of summer night time swelter followed by too-warm winters is a formula for death. First of all you should get those sunburned palms under shade cover. Make sure they have adequate water. They may be "cold hardy" but are woefully heat sensitive.

I really love needle palms but, to my regret I can't grow them.

[NMPalmjunky]

I get some leaf burn every summer, but they start to outgrow it in the fall when the sun is less intense. I’m hoping that my Washy and my oleander completely shade it out by next summer. 

[Colin1110082]

Thanks again for the ideas. I haven’t watered it in about a week and it looks about the same. Just sucks because they grow super slow. The spear has barely moved up since I planted it! Hopefully next year it grows faster

[MarcusH]

I agree to what other say.  Provide it some shade to acclimatize to the new environment. Planting anything in the yard at this time of the year in full sun stresses out any palm,  plants or whatsoever.  

I live in a hot , mostly dry climate I give my palms a good amount of water.  Depends on what type of soil but what works good for me in this brutal climate is infrequent watering.  Sometimes I let the top soil dry out slightly then other times I keep them moist by watering 2 days in a row. On hot days where temperatures exceed well above 90 I stick with 2 to 3 times a week , not more. Some people use a soaker I use a hose.  I water each palm about 3 to 5 minutes then repeat the cycle after 30 minutes again, for deep watering that I only do once a week.  You want to avoid standing water or poor drainage that can lead to root rot. 

But after a few weeks you can give it full sun . Ohio sun isn't going to kill your palm for sure.  

[Mazat]

On 8/6/2025 at 6:54 PM, KPoff said:

I planted a needle palm in full sun in west Texas in late spring last year and the sun killed the heck out of it even with regular water. All the ones I’ve planted in partial shade do ok. It looks sun scorched to me.

Kevin, Exactly the same thing happened here at the lake. The owner of a restaurant put her in a pot in full sun and then left her outside, and she died...
Unfortunately, I saw this relatively late, and I didn't even know the restaurant because it's very remote...

[MarcusH]

53 minutes ago, Mazat said:

Kevin, Exactly the same thing happened here at the lake. The owner of a restaurant put her in a pot in full sun and then left her outside, and she died...
Unfortunately, I saw this relatively late, and I didn't even know the restaurant because it's very remote...

I have some tropical palms that I grow in pots ( Chamaedorea cataractarum and 2x Ravenea rivularis ) or cat and majesty palms lol.  Anyway the palms I mentioned ,except my cat palm which prefers to be in shade , I try to move them to the shade for a few weeks after temperatures stay above 40f . From there they get partial sun especially in the peak of summer . They're thriving .Never bring potted palms out in the summer sun without acclimatizing it. Some get outright killed as you witnessed. 

[DTS]

defenitely sunburn. Mine did that when had all the sun stretched leaved on it lol

[SeanK]

7 hours ago, Colin1110082 said:

Thanks again for the ideas. I haven’t watered it in about a week and it looks about the same. Just sucks because they grow super slow. The spear has barely moved up since I planted it! Hopefully next year it grows faster

The leaflets that are toasted will not mend.

[Mazat]

13 hours ago, MarcusH said:

I have some tropical palms that I grow in pots ( Chamaedorea cataractarum and 2x Ravenea rivularis ) or cat and majesty palms lol.  Anyway the palms I mentioned ,except my cat palm which prefers to be in shade , I try to move them to the shade for a few weeks after temperatures stay above 40f . From there they get partial sun especially in the peak of summer . They're thriving .Never bring potted palms out in the summer sun without acclimatizing it. Some get outright killed as you witnessed. 

Very well observed and aptly described, Marcus.

Summer is back here, yes 30 degrees Celsius and more ...

Did I just hear someone laughing 😁

Yes, even a good friend had to laugh - he's lived near Palermo for 10 years and said it was a warm breeze....

[ryjohn]

I have 14 monster size needle palms here in my north Louisiana yard and they do tolerate full sun and drought.  The sun and heat here is so strong in summer that citrus fruit sunburns badly everywhere it’s not covered by the leaf canopy.  Admittedly the needles I have that get some afternoon shade are the nicest looking.  In the full blazing sun locations, silver saw palmetto is a whole lot prettier in similar sized clumps

north of zone 8 I wouldn’t plant them anywhere but full blazing sun! This is critical for faster growth 

[Allen]

On 8/6/2025 at 11:10 PM, N8ALLRIGHT said:

agree with @Allen, maybe in Texas you'd want some shade but in Massachusetts I think you will be fine. Mine is in full sun and I'm a little farther south than you. It's doing fine, going on 4 years in the ground. The new fronds will be acclimated to

Sun Acclimation of potted palms https://youtu.be/Izw0OkY3VeA

Plant Palms In Sun OR Shade? https://youtu.be/2exF5O9C0l8