Fan palm damaged by Wilma

[Sam]

My beautiful fan palm before Hurricane Wilma.

someone identify and give me the correct name of my fan palm?

It was very damaged by the storm. I will send a picture tomorrow, but must of the frawns are damaged. Can I cut it low and hope for it to re grow the frawns?

[Toni]

That is not a palm- it is a Traveler's tree- Ravenala madagascariensis.

can remove the outermost leaves (the lower ones) but do not remove too many as even as shredded as they are they continue to nourish the plant. I try not to remove leaves before they yellow on their own.

Hurricane damage is unsightly to be sure- my entire garden is shredded. But give the tree a bit of time to recover before you remove too many of it's leaves. It may take a year or more before all the damaged leaves are gone.

-- Toni South Florida USA Zone 10b

[Sam]

Thanks for the quick response. Here is an after picture