[Arid_gardener] Queen Palms

[Cathy Rymer]

Hi David and Janet,

 

Thanks for your questions.  Queen Palms are native to tropical regions
of South America and often struggle here in our salty soils, low
humidity, freezing temperatures and brutal summer heat.  In the
southwest deserts, weak or collapsed fronds, or fronds that are
"accordion pleated" are an indication of a manganese deficiency.  Using
a complete palm food that contains manganese monthly during the warm
months will help.  (Old fronds will not be improved however).  This
condition is NOT due to the bud rot (caused by a fungus), so treatments
with a fungicide like Bordeaux will be ineffective.  There has never
been a confirmed case of bud rot on queen palms in Arizona by the
University of Arizona Plant Pathology lab.

 

To keep them looking their best make sure you are watering deeply but
infrequently, allowing the soil to dry just a bit in-between.  When
soils are too moist the palms are unable to pull nutrients (especially
iron) out of the soil which can result in the pale yellow fronds
(chlorosis).  Apply water to these palms as you would to any tree, that
is, make sure the water is soaking in to a depth of two or three feet
and that you are not applying water right next to the trunk.  Instead,
place emitters two to three feet away from the palms' trunk.  If you
have a drip system and are using one-gallon emitters, water for at least
three to four hours each time.  The interval will depend on the season -
once every week to 10 days in the summer; once every three to four weeks
in the winter (for zone 9).

 

Our salty soils in the southwest also interfere with the absorption of
nitrogen and iron.  Adding a 3 inch layer of organic mulch on top of the
soil will slow evaporation, cool the soil and add nutrients back into
the soil as it decomposes.  The addition of soluble soil sulfur will
help lower the pH just a bit which should help with the absorption of
nutrients.

 

Because Queen palms grow so slowly, you may not see improvement for some
time.  Queens only produce about 5 or 6 new fronds each year so be
patient.

 

There is an outside chance that something could be affecting the roots
of your palms. Nematodes (microscopic worms) have been reported on palms
and could be identified by a sending a sample to a laboratory.  If
herbicides like Triox have been used to control weeds it could be
affecting your trees.  This product can move through the soil with water
and affect nearby plants.

 

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

 

Cathy Rymer

Certified Arborist

Master Gardener U of A Cooperative Extension

 

David & Janet Day
85338
dayaz at cox.net
<http://CALS.arizona.edu/mailman2/listinfo/arid_gardener> 
 
"Queen Palms"  
Firstly, we have 7 Queens grouped in two different locations that were
planted about 9 years ago.  They were beautiful for the first several
years and then we suffered through 4+ years with them unable to keep
their center fronds from falling over.  We used Bordeaux religiously as
prescribed by landscaper but to no avail.  They were just beginning to
bounce back in the last year from the stumpy, dwarfed center stem state
to what appeared to be a normal frond when the larger trees started
having difficulty keeping their center stem upright.  About a month ago
one of the smaller Queens center stem fell over before it opened and
started burning brown.  Very soon thereafter and all fronds started
turning brown, and   within 2-3 weeks it became apparently it the tree
was dying.  We are now seeing the exact symptoms on the tree next to
this one (also one of the smaller ones)  and we are afraid we are
loosing it too.  Is this something contagious?  Will we loose all of my
trees?  Is there anything we can do?  Now none are able to maintain
their new center stems although they still appear green.  Our neighbor
immediately behind us has 2 dead Queens that are approximately 10 feet
from ours - is there a connection?  Also, if they are all infected with
something and we lose them, can we plant new Queens in same locations?
Thank you for your assistance
David & Janet Day

 

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