Pygmy Date Palm Damage

Discussion in 'Outdoor Tropicals' started by LucyBee210, Jan 26, 2009.

  1. LucyBee210

    LucyBee210 Member

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    We live on the West Coast of florida - just north of Tampa area and bought 2 beautiful Pygmy Date Palms from Home Depot in July of 08.. They have done fine until we got 3 hard freezes. The fronds on my palms are now brown. I have read once they turn color they will never return to green again. So, do I prune and remove the brown ones which would just about strip the trees or leave them alone? Will new growth in the form of the fronds appear eventually? I am just sick over this.. Any help appreciated.
     
  2. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Frost damaged fronds, as you've pointed out, will never green up again. Removing them is purely up to you, but they're not a functioning part of the palm anymore. As long as the central growth bud is alive, new growth will come in time.

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  3. LucyBee210

    LucyBee210 Member

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    Thanks for your comment.. I called Home Depot where I purchased them and they said basically the same thing. He said the tree is not dead - just frost damage and to watch the center core. If it appears dead in a few months then it is gone but most likely won't be. I am just sick about the appearance of my two palms but nothing you can do... Thanks again.
     
  4. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    In the future, if frost threatens again, you can do a few simple things to avoid damage.
    Gather the fronds together with a bungy cord and wrap the fronds in burlap or frost cloth. Remove once the threat of frost has past. This will give it a few more degrees of protection.

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  5. LucyBee210

    LucyBee210 Member

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    Thanks for the advice on wrapping the fronds like that.. We're expecting yet another freeze but alittle late for this suggestion. Thanks again..
     
  6. Chungii V

    Chungii V Active Member

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    If you are going to get another hit of cold weather then don't prune the damaged fronds yet and still do whatever you can to protect the main central shoot. The palm will need as much protection as possible and leaving the dead fronds, at least until warm weather, will do that.
     
  7. Danny N

    Danny N Member

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    Next time you expect a freeze in paradise just break out those christmas lights and wrap the trees, light up and keep the tree a little warmer. Too bad I found out this tip a little late...... lost 3 trees.
     
  8. LucyBee210

    LucyBee210 Member

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    Sorry to hear you lost 3 .. we're still not sure if our 2 survived. Home Depot says to wait and see if the center core sprouts new green growth and if not it's stone cold dead.. The fronds are very unsightly right now - all brown and dried out but if I clip them off there is basically nothing left to what once was a beautiful tropical palm .. Things froze this past winter that should never have froze but it just stayed too cold for too long a period of time.. I don't ever remember a winter like this in Florida before and I've been here over 50 yrs ... Thanks for the tip on the string of Christmas lights. I had heard that before but never tried it .. Like you I should have .. Thanks for replying...
     
  9. johans460

    johans460 Member

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    I bought a beautiful tri pygmy today on the way from Lake Placid, FL to Atlanta, GA. I appreciate the info and tips. I knew I had to check up on the zone for these palms, since I had a feeling the guys on the side of the road were bamboozaling me when they said it'll withstand 2 deg fahrenheit. With your info I'm sure my babies will do well. I'm going to plant them into a large pot and just bring them in when freezing temps are coming like in the last 2 weeks over here. I like the Christmas light idea! I just saw artificial ones in the Sky Mall catalogue with beautiful lights on it.
     
  10. K Baron

    K Baron Well-Known Member

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    Try encasing the false Palms, when a frost is nigh, if they succumb to a light frost they may sprout from the caudiciform or culm/bulb.
     
  11. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    These do not have the ability to re-sprout as mentioned above. Once the center growth has perished, the palm dies. It will not send new shoots as there isn't a "caudiciform or culm/bulb". All growth emerges from this central point so it's essential to protect it or risk losing it.

    Cheers, LPN.
     
  12. K Baron

    K Baron Well-Known Member

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    Hi LPN, I had my Pig. palm sprout out the edge of the caudiciform. It must have birthed an alien! LOL
     
  13. outajax

    outajax Member

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    Location:
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    If you are in Atlanta, GA and will be subject to multiple and extended hard freezes, cover your patio palm(s) with a light blanket, multiple sheets, or bedspread all the way to the ground and put a work light in the enclosed area. Works for small citrus trees and shorter young newly planted palms as well (we hung a work light from a garden wire fencing that provided a light structure and fully covered it).
    I live in Jacksonville FL where we had a number of freezes into the lower 20s this year and all of our palms survived with almost no damage at all. We gathered all of our patio plams (that recommend nothing under 40 degrees) and rigged posts, gathered the fonds with bungy cords and placed an indoor 200 watt bulb photography lamp facing up in a pot to stablize it and provide a warm climate under the cotton bedspread and sheets.
    It occasionally rained along with the colder temp so we used a very light tarp just to keep the rain off. It was a pain to rig it at night an remove it after the temps climbed above 40 the next day, but I'm glad we did it. Right now, they've all be put back in their normal places and we are ready for summer.
    But a warning, it was extremely important to pull the lamp out and keep it under cover during the day...just in case it rained. That would have destroyed the lamp as it really is meant for indoors. Anything that will take a 200 watt bulb and keep from touching the plants will work...just protect it from any contact with water as well.
     

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