Identification: Please help identify and save this palm!

Discussion in 'Indoor and Greenhouse Plants' started by Mystery, Apr 22, 2007.

  1. Mystery

    Mystery Member

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    Boise, ID USA
    I'm sorry if I started this thread in the wrong section... I just wasn't sure where it belongs. Feel free to replace it.
    Back to the subject.....
    ...Oh I am so glad to find you guys!!
    I live in Idaho and I understand that for palm trees, our winters are too cold, that's why mine is indoors.
    So, my parents gave me a palm tree. They said it doesn't grow. And no wonder - it's gotten sick! As you can see in pics, the leaves started going brown, in the middle and on the ends.
    First of all, can anyone tell me what kind of palm tree this is? I did some research online to identify it but they all look alike to me.
    Second, can anyone tell me how to save this tree?! Are there any fertilizers out there to help my tree get better, or is the problem in watering? Too much water? Too little? How often do I need to water it anyway?
    Any help I could get would be greatly appreciated!
     

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  2. Junglekeeper

    Junglekeeper Esteemed Contributor 10 Years

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    Appears to be Phoenix roebelenii, Pygmy Date Palm.
     
  3. saltcedar

    saltcedar Rising Contributor 10 Years

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  4. violetbaby123

    violetbaby123 Member

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    I would like to suggest a soaking 15 or 20 minutes to saturate the entire root system (or thorough watering) with a Fish Emulsion soulition for fertlization. It smells, but I think it will work wonders for you plam. The smell will subside after watering. Water the rest of your plants that you want to have green lush foliage with the rest of the soaking water. Do not store fish emulsion solution ( because of the smell) and other reasons.

    One more thing, the light green stems may suggest too little light or not enough fertlizer. I don't know if it is the picture or if that is the true color.
    Moving it outdoors in shade and feeding may give you nice deep green color.
     
  5. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Skip the fish emulsion (it isn't very good for fish), and use some ordinary plant fertiliser.
     
  6. violetbaby123

    violetbaby123 Member

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    Michael F.
    I have been using fish emulsion for years. I thought they used by-products of fish to recycle it into emulsion. I still stand by fish emulsion for the phoenix palm. I find that is gentle and won't burn plants, or was it just a joke? What do you mean by "ordinary plant fertlizer? I would be interested to try what you suggest on my palms, to test the difference.
     
  7. Michael F

    Michael F Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Hi Violetbaby,

    Here's some info that might help you realise it isn't so good:
    http://cas.bellarmine.edu/tietjen/Environmental/Fishmeal catch 'hits UK seabirds'.htm
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3662934.stm
    http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/umwelt_naturschutz/bericht-37321.html

    And an industry report:
    http://www.fishkey.com/news2.asp?s=957
    From the North Sea alone:
    This sort of exploitation just isn't sustainable, and is causing immense ecological damage to the oceans all around the world.
     

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