Etsy Old Man Palm - Help!

[MrTropical]

Hey everyone. I just received an Old Man Palm in the mail. It was purchased from Etsy. It came in a 3-gallon pot, but that seems large for the palm at this stage in its life. So as I was in the repotting process (downsizing), I noticed there are several rotten roots. Keep in mind I just received this palm 30 minutes ago, so this was not something I caused. The seller claims that I caused the root rot by removing the palm from the pot (?). Still trying to reach a resolution of some sort. In the meantime, can this palm be saved? Thank you.

[Harry’s Palms]

By looking at the pics , maybe this palm was field dug prior to potting. These are not too root sensitive so it may be ok unless the palm looks bad. I would keep it warm( room temp ) and not too much sun for a while with good , fast draining soil and regular watering until it comes around. Maybe some Kelp based organic fertilizer ( sparingly ) . These are pretty tough palms!  It would help if we could see a pic of the palm itself. Harry 

[MrTropical]

42 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

By looking at the pics , maybe this palm was field dug prior to potting. These are not too root sensitive so it may be ok unless the palm looks bad. I would keep it warm( room temp ) and not too much sun for a while with good , fast draining soil and regular watering until it comes around. Maybe some Kelp based organic fertilizer ( sparingly ) . These are pretty tough palms!  It would help if we could see a pic of the palm itself. Harry 

Thank you for the reply. It’s staying in a 75°F bedroom with grow lights for now. It is now in a 2-gallon pot as well. The palm is in a well-draining mix with sand mixed in. Also, I currently have a fan blowing on it (lightly) so things don’t stay too wet. 
Here’s some pictures of the palm…

 

[Harry’s Palms]

That’s a nice one ! It may be too early to tell , just keep an eye on it . Happy growing . Harry

[MrTropical]

27 minutes ago, Harry’s Palms said:

That’s a nice one ! It may be too early to tell , just keep an eye on it . Happy growing . Harry

Thank you again, Harry. 

[MrTropical]

I don't normally do this, but given the seller's blatantly rude response, I feel that this is appropriate. For context, I reached out to the seller about the issue I described in this thread. I was civil and respectful in my message to him. He stated to me that this was my fault because I "did not read directions and removed the palm from the original pot". I replied and stated my intentions were not to up-size the pot, but rather *down-size* the pot. A 3-gallon pot seems excessive for a palm this size. I reiterated that root rot does not occur instantaneously. Then I get this as a response...he then tried saying it was "compression" from the box it was shipped in (?). This palm was shipped in a box nearly 3 feet tall. Also, he only mentioned "compression" once, not "ten times" as he claims. Shortly after, he cancelled the order and issued a refund. I assume he cancelled the order to prevent any feedback from being left on his shop. I guess the upside is that I received a refund. This response isn't very professional & business-like though. 



For those of you curious, the name of the Etsy shop is Exotic Palm Source and the owner's name is Anthony. That's who sent this response. 

[Johnny Palmseed]

The palm looks good up top but if some of the roots are rotted, that could be a concern for later. Root rot is certainly not caused by compression or removing it from the pot. The sellers response is pretty inappropriate. You didn’t post your actual comments but it seems over the top, especially calling you an idiot.

[MrTropical]

1 hour ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

The palm looks good up top but if some of the roots are rotted, that could be a concern for later. Root rot is certainly not caused by compression or removing it from the pot. The sellers response is pretty inappropriate. You didn’t post your actual comments but it seems over the top, especially calling you an idiot.

I'm hoping for the best.

Also, it appears the seller has blocked me on Etsy so I can't go back to the original conversation, but here's a screenshot from earlier today with the comment I made before his inappropriate response...


 

[TropicsEnjoyer]

That is such a disrespectful response for a seller. I’ve only ever sold 1 palm on etsy but I know that as a seller it’s priority to ensure your plants are in good health before they ship and at least try to make sure they arrive safely too. As you said, root rot does not occur overnight, and for a tropical palm such as an old man it should not occur over the days it was shipped either. Meaning the palm probably already had the rot and seller didn’t bother to make sure everything, including roots, looked good. Also their reply is completely ignorant to the fact that not only did you downsize it but also that root rot should not be left to happen for the sake of not disturbing the roots. good luck with your palm I think it’ll make it just fine though

[Johnny Palmseed]

19 hours ago, MrTropical said:

I'm hoping for the best.

Also, it appears the seller has blocked me on Etsy so I can't go back to the original conversation, but here's a screenshot from earlier today with the comment I made before his inappropriate response...


 

The guy sounds like a complete jackass. Making blanket statements like “Digging around in the roots will definitely kill the plant-there’s no doubt about it.” is ridiculous.

[MrTropical]

3 minutes ago, Johnny Palmseed said:

The guy sounds like a complete jackass. Making blanket statements like “Digging around in the roots will definitely kill the plant-there’s no doubt about it.” is ridiculous.

100 percent. 

[MrTropical]

6 hours ago, TropicsEnjoyer said:

That is such a disrespectful response for a seller. I’ve only ever sold 1 palm on etsy but I know that as a seller it’s priority to ensure your plants are in good health before they ship and at least try to make sure they arrive safely too. As you said, root rot does not occur overnight, and for a tropical palm such as an old man it should not occur over the days it was shipped either. Meaning the palm probably already had the rot and seller didn’t bother to make sure everything, including roots, looked good. Also their reply is completely ignorant to the fact that not only did you downsize it but also that root rot should not be left to happen for the sake of not disturbing the roots. good luck with your palm I think it’ll make it just fine though

Absolutely. This is my first bad experience on Etsy in the 3 years I've used it. I've never dealt with something to this degree on any platform. 

Thank you, I sure hope so. It's a beautiful palm. 

[Harry’s Palms]

I am glad you at least got compensation . The seller has a very short sighted attitude that will inevitably hurt future sales. To work with a customer is a necessary part of selling just about anything . I really think you have a good chance of that palm surviving. Harry

[JohnAndSancho]

On 11/5/2025 at 3:19 PM, MrTropical said:

I don't normally do this, but given the seller's blatantly rude response, I feel that this is appropriate. For context, I reached out to the seller about the issue I described in this thread. I was civil and respectful in my message to him. He stated to me that this was my fault because I "did not read directions and removed the palm from the original pot". I replied and stated my intentions were not to up-size the pot, but rather *down-size* the pot. A 3-gallon pot seems excessive for a palm this size. I reiterated that root rot does not occur instantaneously. Then I get this as a response...he then tried saying it was "compression" from the box it was shipped in (?). This palm was shipped in a box nearly 3 feet tall. Also, he only mentioned "compression" once, not "ten times" as he claims. Shortly after, he cancelled the order and issued a refund. I assume he cancelled the order to prevent any feedback from being left on his shop. I guess the upside is that I received a refund. This response isn't very professional & business-like though. 



For those of you curious, the name of the Etsy shop is Exotic Palm Source and the owner's name is Anthony. That's who sent this response. 

Oh wow. 

 

I've bought from him before and had no issues. But did you at least get a chance to reply "*You're" before he blocked you? 

 

On the other hand, free palm. 

[MrTropical]

21 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Oh wow. 

 

I've bought from him before and had no issues. But did you at least get a chance to reply "*You're" before he blocked you? 

 

On the other hand, free palm. 

Unfortunately I did not seize that opportunity. But you're right, free palm at the end of the day.  

[DoomsDave]

@MrTropical looks good to me! I concur in all respects with @Harry’s Palms,

Keep it warm and watered and it should grow.

Let us know one way or the other! Betting on you gloating over success!

[happypalms]

As a seller of plants mail order, I only sell healthy quality plants, if iam not happy with the quality I won’t sell it, basically it has to be in close to a hundred percent perfect for me to sell them. You as a customer have a right to say what you said in a nice manner, the seller was rude to you and it will affect his business. The customer is always correct and top priority in my eyes as a seller. Fear not your palm will be fine, don’t overwater it! 

[mnorell]

From the photo of your repotting--and perhaps this is just an optical illusion--it appears to me that the plant is perhaps too high, with the Root Initiation Zone (base of the stem where new roots are produced) above soil-level. I'm concerned that in the dry climate of your house, and particularly with a fan blowing dry air across it, the couple of new roots that appear to be poking out may dry out and die. If for some reason you don't want to have the full-strength soil up to that level (but it really should be covering the RIZ for long-term health and the growth of any new roots), I think if you top-dress it with some orchid-bark or sphagnum or similar, that could help to preserve some humidity and moisture around that area, and help it recover and thrive.

You could also bag the top of the plant during its convalescence, with a wad of wet/damp paper towel placed inside the bag for extra humidity, if you are concerned there was substantial damage to the roots. This could very much help keep the top in good shape while it adjusts and grows some new roots, particularly since it's not in a humid greenhouse.

[Mazat]

On 11/6/2025 at 3:12 PM, TropicsEnjoyer said:

That is such a disrespectful response for a seller. I’ve only ever sold 1 palm on etsy but I know that as a seller it’s priority to ensure your plants are in good health before they ship and at least try to make sure they arrive safely too. As you said, root rot does not occur overnight, and for a tropical palm such as an old man it should not occur over the days it was shipped either. Meaning the palm probably already had the rot and seller didn’t bother to make sure everything, including roots, looked good. Also their reply is completely ignorant to the fact that not only did you downsize it but also that root rot should not be left to happen for the sake of not disturbing the roots. good luck with your palm I think it’ll make it just fine though

Indeed, very surprised in a bad sense. The customers brings the money

or not ?☹️🤔

[MrTropical]

1 hour ago, mnorell said:

From the photo of your repotting--and perhaps this is just an optical illusion--it appears to me that the plant is perhaps too high, with the Root Initiation Zone (base of the stem where new roots are produced) above soil-level. I'm concerned that in the dry climate of your house, and particularly with a fan blowing dry air across it, the couple of new roots that appear to be poking out may dry out and die. If for some reason you don't want to have the full-strength soil up to that level (but it really should be covering the RIZ for long-term health and the growth of any new roots), I think if you top-dress it with some orchid-bark or sphagnum or similar, that could help to preserve some humidity and moisture around that area, and help it recover and thrive.

You could also bag the top of the plant during its convalescence, with a wad of wet/damp paper towel placed inside the bag for extra humidity, if you are concerned there was substantial damage to the roots. This could very much help keep the top in good shape while it adjusts and grows some new roots, particularly since it's not in a humid greenhouse.

I will correct that with some sphagnum. Thank you! 

[MrTropical]

1 hour ago, mnorell said:

From the photo of your repotting--and perhaps this is just an optical illusion--it appears to me that the plant is perhaps too high, with the Root Initiation Zone (base of the stem where new roots are produced) above soil-level. I'm concerned that in the dry climate of your house, and particularly with a fan blowing dry air across it, the couple of new roots that appear to be poking out may dry out and die. If for some reason you don't want to have the full-strength soil up to that level (but it really should be covering the RIZ for long-term health and the growth of any new roots), I think if you top-dress it with some orchid-bark or sphagnum or similar, that could help to preserve some humidity and moisture around that area, and help it recover and thrive.

You could also bag the top of the plant during its convalescence, with a wad of wet/damp paper towel placed inside the bag for extra humidity, if you are concerned there was substantial damage to the roots. This could very much help keep the top in good shape while it adjusts and grows some new roots, particularly since it's not in a humid greenhouse.

How does this look? 

 

[mnorell]

4 hours ago, MrTropical said:

How does this look? 

 

It looks better, since those new roots look to be covered, although the base still looks a bit too high to my eyes...any palm should have the base of its stem at or just slightly below the surface, particularly in a dry atmosphere, so that it can grow new roots. This can be soil, sphagnum or any other material that will provide a moist, humid atmosphere around the roots.

If this were my palm, I would reset it, or, if the depth of the root-mass won't allow that, choose a taller pot. Also, if this is intended as a long-term indoor/potted palm (I'm presuming this because you're in North Carolina), you might consider minimizing or removing any fine, organic content (commercial "potting soil") in your mix, and instead incorporate a high percentage of inorganic/mineral media like lava rock/pumice, coarse perlite, coarse builder's sand, etc. with organics limited to large chunky material like coco-coir chunks (not fines) as  moisture reservoirs and some orchid-bark similar to what you already have (a grieat starting-point is to look on youtube to see how aroid growers create their "chunky" mixes), because potted plants will generally rot in mucky, compost-rich soils. While the top portion of the soil-mass will be dry when you check it with your fingers, telling you to water the plant, water will have been pooling in the bottom third of the pot (the "perched water table"), creating a suffocating, dense muck-zone, and the oxygen-starved roots will literally drown in that over time. You might also look into hydroponics. Many plants thrive in these systems, producing amazing masses of healthy roots, a different appearance indeed from the root-mass you received from the grower.

[MrTropical]

1 hour ago, mnorell said:

It looks better, since those new roots look to be covered, although the base still looks a bit too high to my eyes...any palm should have the base of its stem at or just slightly below the surface, particularly in a dry atmosphere, so that it can grow new roots. This can be soil, sphagnum or any other material that will provide a moist, humid atmosphere around the roots.

If this were my palm, I would reset it, or, if the depth of the root-mass won't allow that, choose a taller pot. Also, if this is intended as a long-term indoor/potted palm (I'm presuming this because you're in North Carolina), you might consider minimizing or removing any fine, organic content (commercial "potting soil") in your mix, and instead incorporate a high percentage of inorganic/mineral media like lava rock/pumice, coarse perlite, coarse builder's sand, etc. with organics limited to large chunky material like coco-coir chunks (not fines) as  moisture reservoirs and some orchid-bark similar to what you already have (a grieat starting-point is to look on youtube to see how aroid growers create their "chunky" mixes), because potted plants will generally rot in mucky, compost-rich soils. While the top portion of the soil-mass will be dry when you check it with your fingers, telling you to water the plant, water will have been pooling in the bottom third of the pot (the "perched water table"), creating a suffocating, dense muck-zone, and the oxygen-starved roots will literally drown in that over time. You might also look into hydroponics. Many plants thrive in these systems, producing amazing masses of healthy roots, a different appearance indeed from the root-mass you received from the grower.

Thank you for this. Very detailed and explained well.

I've heard of hydroponic palms before, but I thought it was restricted to certain species. I may go with a hydroponic setup. I'll have to explore my options on that. 

[MrTropical]

To add to my above post, would a mix of small landscaping rocks & seashells be a suitable medium for the palm?