I just purchased a 6 ft (tall with fronds, trunk about 4 ft) windmill palm a week ago and planted it in my garden (Richmond, BC, full sun, very sandy soil matrix). Almost all of the fronds are brown/dry at the tips (one two inches), including some that have a bit of black speckling on yellow near the tips (like a ripe banana). For the most part the palm looks healthy but I'm concerned that it has become more of an issue since I'd bought it (there were of course dry tips when I found it at the nursery). I realize some dry fronds may be normal but I spent a lot on this and am worried about yet another failed, expensive tropical (I've recently had two Kentia's die on me) The fellow at the nursery suggested very little water, just a spray here and there. There's also (palm) fertilizer on the soil surface that they'd sprinkled into the container at the nursery. He also said this was grown in California and brought up here this season. I've read this could be an issue with fertilizer. And, contrary to the store's opinion, I've been reading that these should perhaps be getting more than an occasional splash of water. I have watered twice in the past week (sunny weather, low 20's every day), both times only for about 30 seconds or so at the base to (hopefully) get enough water down throughout the roots. Any suggestions??? Thanks, Tom
Moist rich soil for these, "very little water" is completely wrong - especially for a newly planted specimen. On very sandy soil you may have a chronic drought and infertility problem. Many of these are beat up after this past winter, however maybe at the California growing site there was a little too much mineral content in the irrigation water. Are the undamaged portions of the fronds a good green color? Plants that have problems when planted may fail to establish well, it often does not pay to plant flawed merchandise. Kentia palms ARE tropical and should not have sold to you as a plant for outdoor cultivation here - if that was the case. Windmill palm is the proven hardy palm for this region, for whatever reason this past winter is the first one I remember seeing so much damage and even some losses. Don't remember the coldest-in-30 years 1990 winter being that much of a trial for them. But maybe the difference is just that I don't remember.
Thanks for the reply. Per your questions, the healthier portions of the fronds are still a vibrant green. I keep thinking, though, that I'm seeing more browning and yellowing each day. I inspected some of the tips this morning and they appear to be splitting where they are dry. The topmost fronds that extend upward from the crown appear to be ok, it's everything 3/4 of the way down that is afflicted. I'll take your suggestion and water more than I would have under the suggestion of the nursery people. As for the Kentias, they were kept indoors, could have been lighting but I did have a lengthy battle with scale mites. -Tom
Sounds like either too wet or too dry. Being told to give little water to a plant from a monsoon climate that then acts as though may not have been getting the right amount of moisture makes me wonder what was going on before you bought it.
24 hrs after my plant inspection that prompted my post I am this afteroon convinced that the condition I've described is getting worse. This was the healthiest and prettiest palm out of the many there were to chose from, so now I'm thinking that this may be an issue relating to transplanting into the ground, although I don't know how much could have changed other than temperature around the roots; its probably a lot cooler now that its in the soil, but the roots are still contained in the original soil compound that was in the wood container that I busted apart in order to plop this into the ground. Attached are three pics as of today. I've further noticed that the leaves seem to be shriveling in that the frond folds are a lot tighter and the overall finger pattern on some fronds appears more spaced out than on the healthiest (and yet unscathed) of fronds higher up.
Does look quite healthy except for the tips - which you often see with some damage or discoloration in this area. Maybe a palm enthusiast will chime in with some insight.
