Is this Queen Palm doomed forever?

[Ashley S]

Please look at these pictures and let me know what you think. I think it's pretty clear that this one is a goner. I planted it in the early summer with fertilized soil. I haven't fertilized since. It's been too cold at night. We also had a lot of rain last month. There's only one frond, and it's an ugly yellow green brown. I can't tell if the new frond is bad as well.  It's so hard to get good pictures to show the color. Another taller palm next to it doesn't look good either. The fronds are really tall so it's hard to tell. I am in Southern California zone 9b and 10a. I appreciate any help I can get! Thank you!

[idontknowhatnametuse]

Fusarium?

[Jim in Los Altos]

These like lots of water and are impossible to overwater. Being in Southern CA makes it very easy to grow Queen palms. The only things you can do wrong with a newly planted one are underwater or fertilize too soon. 

[Frond-friend42]

If this happened to me Ione thing I would pour a bunch of hydrogen peroxide into the crown/growth tip area.  This can help with fungal rot.  People often suggest that here on Palmtalk.

[SeanK]

I would cut it back and mark it for growth. Meanwhile give it peroxide in the crown twice a week. That being said, if it's Fusarium, there is no saving it. Plus, the fungus resides in the soil. Lets hope it's not that serious.

[Harry’s Palms]

I agree with @Jim in Los Altos. You are in Murrieta  where summer and fall temps can be hot. Lots of water on that thing and it should come around. I never fertilize my Queen palms. We have a pretty nice storm coming so that will take care of watering for now . When the temps start climbing , just be sure it stays well watered . Harry

‘This was trimmed pretty severely due to our Santa Ana winds we get. This was planted in the wettest part of the yard . It was going to the dumpster at a big box store ,it looked much worse than yours in a 24” box . I gave the guy $25 for it . This area always had standing water ….until I planted the Queen Palm! It took care of that problem soon after planting. Harry

[gyuseppe]

[Ashley S]

@Harry’s Palms I really thought that they didn't need too much water. I put them in a drier area because it's the only tree I thought would work. It's hard to find accurate information online. Thank you for your input!

[Ashley S]

Thank you everyone!

[Ashley S]

Shouldn't I be watering less in the cold?

[ChrisA]

Hi Ashley, if you are in zone 9b/10a your cold is not likely to affect your Queen palms. They are very tolerant of cool weather. Cold temperatures would need to the mid to lower 20's to start to affect them. Here in TX, advective cold below 23-25F is frond killing especially for newly planted Queen palms, while a radiational cold night down to 25F has no affect on the fronds. I'm with others here to confirm that you can't water these enough. My Queen palm on the Tx coast got 30" of rain in few days and was thrilled.

 

[Ashley S]

Thanks!?

[Josue Diaz]

On 2/16/2026 at 7:50 AM, ChrisA said:

Hi Ashley, if you are in zone 9b/10a your cold is not likely to affect your Queen palms. They are very tolerant of cool weather. Cold temperatures would need to the mid to lower 20's to start to affect them. Here in TX, advective cold below 23-25F is frond killing especially for newly planted Queen palms, while a radiational cold night down to 25F has no affect on the fronds. I'm with others here to confirm that you can't water these enough. My Queen palm on the Tx coast got 30" of rain in few days and was thrilled.

 

plus, you can tell the bougainvillea in the background is alive and well. Cold would affect bougainvillea way before it affects a queen palm. 

[Merlyn]

@Ashley S it doesn't look like Fusarium.  That has a one-sided death pattern almost all the time.  For example, the leaflets on the left side of the frond stem may be totally dead, but the ones on the other side are deep green.  This photo from UFL's EDIS/IFAS website shows it: https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/PP278

I agree with the others, it needs more water.  I wouldn't cut anything off, just mark the new spear and frond horizontally with a sharpie sonyou can easily see if it is growing.

[Ashley S]

Great reference pic. Thanks!