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edbeek
03-10-2012, 07:49 PM
Was asked to look at a couple of sick palms that are dying off today.
They were planted as babies 12 years ago.
Looks like root rot to me but I don't think they would have been overwatered due to limited tank water supply. But we have had a couple of above average rainfall years (but it's been a dry winter).
The biggest one has a quite large hole in its stem at ground level and the leaves on the branches on that side of the tree look dead. One branch on the opposite side still has pretty healthy looking leaves. Just above the hole, there are several new shoots coming out of the trunk, so I'm thinking it's trying hard to survive.
The second tree doesn't have any visible damage, but also looks to be dying off.

Any ideas if they may be able to be saved?

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great nature
04-10-2012, 09:11 AM
if its not root rot you could look for any root disturbance through digging nearby(by man or beast)? ive heard of rabbits and such chewing the roots of water-rich plants through dry times. severing of roots can cause leaf drop too. any burrows? broken septic tank can over-fertilise.
Hopefully its just in shock and not actually dying. youll know if its recovering if you see new growth from the top pretty soon. Ide also just lighly open up the soil with a fork and give it a light sprinkle of blood and bone. never over feed a sick plant. g'luck

PaulG
04-10-2012, 12:42 PM
It's definitely struggling and is probably a goner I think. The new shoots are reminiscent of gum trees etc, when they are really struggling. They do the same thing from their trunks and branches. Ponytails are a dryland plant being originally from Mexico and desert areas of the USA so overwatering or constantly wet soil or mulch heaped around wouldn't help (if that's been the case at all). The other thing could be a fungal infection like Ganoderma (butt rot) as a result of a wound to the trunk at some point. Do you know if any fungus brackets or growths have been removed from the affected area Ed? Either way I can't see that recovering. Palm trunks are completely vascular unlike trees which will try to heal over a wound to the sapwood. It looks like it has spread further already where you can see areas of the trunk is cracking apart and crumbling.

edbeek
04-10-2012, 07:58 PM
Thanks raegn & Paul.
I went and had another look today. The hole at the base looks like some critter might have chewed it's way into the trunk at some stage. The hole goes in 250-300mm that you can see. I didn't want to poke around too much in case a snake had taken up residence in there now.
Had a scratch round the roots and they look quite normal and strong but the damage to the trunk seems pretty widespread. Seems like it is breaking down from the inside out.

I found out that the garden bed was mulched with peanut shells about 2 years ago. Peanut crops are susceptable to fungal diseases so maybe some fungus was introduced then.
Apparently peanut shell is also very good at retaining moisture in the soil as well.

They are expecting to lose the bigger tree and hopefully the second tree survives.