My well established (18 foot, and planted in the ground)) Trachycarpus Fortunei's fronds are looking sick. The fronds have elongated holes throughout with the outer edges of the frond turning brown and dying. The winter was terrible here in Vancouver and at first I thought the problem was due to frost damage. The new fronds are growing well, but also developing elongated holes. The tree is obviously still alive and growing well. Hoping it will recover if we get some real heat. Any suggestions?
Check this out: http://www.palms.org/palmsjournal/2002/palmthreat.htm http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/Alert_List/insects/PAYSAR-a.htm It's a South American insect, which is causing severe damage to palms in southern Europe after it was introduced accidentally as a result of poor plant health import control. Don't know if it occurs in BC, but if it can get to Europe, it might also be able to get to BC.
As a fairly close neighbour to you I also had some frost damage on the first fronds to open up this spring. As well, the next ones had a series of holes. But now the fronds are coming nice and clean and complete. I put all the brown bits and holes down to damage from the frost getting even into fronds just starting to form within the heart. Islandweaver
Thanks for the replies. I'm hoping it is just frost damage which will hopefully clear once the newer fronds emerge with sustained warm weather.
Winter damaged palm fronds should be a distant memory at this time of year (August). Damaged fronds maybe an insect problem. Cheers, LPN.
Plenty of tattered fronds still hanging on palms here, that got hit last winter. Windmill palms, like others respond to moisture and fertility. Many local specimens have chronically poor color. A friend has a fairly far along one, maybe 10' tall on a sandy soil that really greens up when he fertilizes it.
