Mule palm emergency.

[Cody Salem]

I had a spear pull from my mule palm today, I guess from rot.  It seemed like it was growing fine back in October, then kinda went dormant last month, just as it normally does.  Today i noticed some brown on the spear and it broke off without to much effort.  It has been a warm winter with no frost yet so I have no idea why it happened.  Has anyone else experienced this?  Can I save it with this much winter still ahead of us?

Location, very well drained 

 

Spear broke off about 8 inches down.

 

Brownish/blackish spots on the ends of some of the fronds.

 

[Palmerr]

23 minutes ago, Cody Salem said:

I had a spear pull from my mule palm today, I guess from rot.  It seemed like it was growing fine back in October, then kinda went dormant last month, just as it normally does.  Today i noticed some brown on the spear and it broke off without to much effort.  It has been a warm winter with no frost yet so I have no idea why it happened.  Has anyone else experienced this?  Can I save it with this much winter still ahead of us?

Location, very well drained 

 

Spear broke off about 8 inches down.

 

Brownish/blackish spots on the ends of some of the fronds.

 

I don’t know exactly where the rain hit and all that, but I’m a Weather Analyst and I have been seeing absolutely bonkers rain totals and rain events that have never happened there before. Maybe the constant moisture caused it to rot?

[Allen]

1- Pour a whole bottle of hydrogen peroxide down spear

2 - clear plants around area of trunk/roots 1-2' so sun/wind can get into that area fully

3 - mix up copper fungicide and spray down spear trunk and any exposed roots, probably go ahead and spray entire palm

4 - don't water or fertilize

5- repeat copper fungicide or hydrogen peroxide down spear immediately after any heavy rain until spear regrows

Mule palms can develop frond spots in cooler temps as nutrient uptake is slowed

[Cody Salem]

23 minutes ago, Allen said:

1- Pour a whole bottle of hydrogen peroxide down spear

2 - clear plants around area of trunk/roots 1-2' so sun/wind can get into that area fully

3 - mix up copper fungicide and spray down spear trunk and any exposed roots, probably go ahead and spray entire palm

4 - don't water or fertilize

5- repeat copper fungicide or hydrogen peroxide down spear immediately after any heavy rain until spear regrows

Mule palms can develop frond spots in cooler temps as nutrient uptake is 

Is there a limit to how much copper fungicide can be used?

[Allen]

36 minutes ago, Cody Salem said:

Is there a limit to how much copper fungicide can be used?

Think of it like protectant,  just barely coat surfaces where fungus hangs out to knock it back all around your palm.  Hydrogen peroxide is instant kill but no long term protection,  copper has a lasting protection.  I wouldn't be too worried about spraying every week for a few weeks.  If you have other palms I would spray the spear areas with copper now one time as well with all the rain you've had.  Maybe also measure the spear pull depth with a little stick and see if it is moving in a week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EwU4F-Gotw

 

[Las Palmas Norte]

Just another thought. If this was mine, I'd be tempted to provide an overhead canopy or some way to keep the central growth point dry during the recovery period. Good luck on saving your palm.