** Queen Palms / 2 dead, 2 dying, 2 alive / Ganoderma / Fungi ?? **

[cgu]

I have lost 2 Queen Palm trees within the last 3-5 months, 2 seem to look like they are dying and 2 are still nicely alive. Someone told me that I have Ganoderma but I did not see any mushrooms around. You can see all of some digital pictures I took at:

DVC00080.JPG - DVC00091.JPG are the Queen Palms which are dying. The only really strange item I saw was picture: DVC00098.JPG which was some sort of flower / fungi I saw growing out of the soil about 1 foot away from a dead palms trunk.

Pictures: DVC00092.JPG - DVC00097.JPG are some pictures of 3 coconut palms in the back yard which I was just wondering if anyone thinks there are any problems with them which look aparant.

I may add a few more pictures shortly if the sun can help bring out some better colors on these items then it did when I took them before.

I'd greatly appreciate any advice someone can offer.

The Queen palm closest to DVC00098.JPG started off with about 3 or so fronds looking dried up and brown with a bit of green at the top and then that faded. Finally the crown seemed to just tip over and it now seems totally dead.. This took a number of months to occur. I had been watering with the sprinklers about once every other day and have since cut it back to about 2 times / week.

-David

[glenon]

I looked at the pix, where do you live? I am in SW Fl very near the gulf and have two queen palms that are doing well. One thing I noticed in your photos is that there are plants all around the base, along with leaves, and rich moist soil. This may be the problem. I believe that they tend to like drier bases, like most trees. So, there may be a problem with rot. Other folks may be able to diagnose better, I just grow them in my yard! Oh yes, I also thought of something else - if these were planted as grown trees in a subdivision, they may not have a good root ball or were improperly planted. Also I keep my coverings of the bark (the base of the fronds when the fronds are dead) on the tree, I like the look and they catch more water. Palms are shallow-rooted grasses. Good luck!

[Toni]

Are these trees being fed? They all look like they need a good feeding to me.

Queen Palms need supplemental palm food and additional applications of manganese 2-3 times a year- those are the recommendations I follow at any rate. They are susceptible to "frizzle top" if a manganese deficiency is allowed to develop. Frizzle top can indeed kill your palms.