Lately your palm has not been looking as it should? The fronds are browning when they ought to be full and green. One is put in mind of what may be happening more seriously out of sight.
We have had our hands on the palms of South Orange County since 1928, so to speak; the ISA-certified arborists at Luna Tree know them well. If there is anything about a palm on your grounds that is of concern, (949) 240-5925 is the number to call.
Palms give the Beach Cities their character, there is no question of it. But they are living things and they get sick. They do not make their problems known in the way some trees do and an issue can be well along before you are any the wiser.
Yet there are indications. For the sake of the tree’s recovery one would do well to be observant and catch them at the first sign.
The Nature of Palms
Do not expect a palm to put itself right as an oak or other broadleaf will. New tissue does not wall off an injury or infection. Hence the need for timely action. Consider the crown, the heart at the apex of the tree: it is vulnerable and any damage there is potentially fatal. It is something a homeowner should be aware of.
Frond Discoloration
Normally the fronds are where trouble makes itself known. You will see brown lower ones on an older specimen but these call for a closer inspection:
- Yellowing in the older fronds from below
- Spots of brown or gray on the leaflets
- Fronds that are drooping and have turned brown
- Damage on only one side of the canopy
- Stems with a reddish tint or streaks
If the new growth is discoloured or wilting, particularly the topmost fronds, it is a sure sign of something wrong with the crown.
Problems with the Crown
New fronds originate here. Have a look at the spear leaf at the top, the unopened one. A softness and browning at its base, or if it yields to the slightest pull, means rot has probably taken hold in the heart of the tree. Structural failure will manifest as a leaning or collapse of the crown.
A palm is hard put to survive such damage; this is where an arborist needs to step in.
What the Trunk Will Reveal
An examination of the trunk is informative:
- Spongy bark
- Oozing sap or dark streaks
- Cracks or hollow sounding parts
- The like of conks or fungus
- An increase in the lean
Any of these could be the work of decay or infection.
Pests
Insects and mites leave their mark too. Stickiness on the fronds, holes in the trunk, fine webbing or sawdust at the base. In most cases visible evidence of a pest means the infestation is already considerable.
Course of Action
There is no call for alarm when you see such warning signs, but they are not to be ignored. Some problems are easily dealt with in the early stages, others must be removed for the good of your home and family.
We face our own challenges in the Beach Cities with the climate, the soil and the varieties of palm suited to it. What is fatal to one type is not necessarily so to another. A certified arborist will put it in perspective and at Luna Tree we are happy to give a free estimate, without any pressure.
As a family business in South Orange County we are around the clock for what is urgent and have been serving the area’s trees for generations.
So if your palm is showing any of the above, do not delay. Put us at (949) 240-5925 and an ISA-certified arborist from Luna Tree will have a look and tell you what he thinks.
