palm tree are tropic and semitropic perennial in the Arecaceae family with shrub- , tree- , or vine - like growth habits suited to culture in Zones 6 to 13 , depending on the species .

Most have unbranched stems and clusters of evergreen plant leaves call frond .

Noteworthy feature are shallow roots and a “ impostor bark ” of indurate frond tissue paper that does n’t extend with old age .

A close up horizontal image of bismark palm trees growing in the garden pictured in light sunshine.

Sabal palmettoself-sheds.

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There are many different multifariousness for locations ranging from full sunshine exposure to full shade with moderately moist , flaxen loam that drains well .

superlative measure two to 200 feet with a spread of up to 40 feet , tender gardeners a wealthiness of landscaping options .

A vertical image of different types of palm trees growing in a tropical garden. To the center and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

Sabal palmettoself-sheds.

In ourguide to growing and caring for palm tree , we provide all you need to know to maintain these plant in your landscape painting .

This article discusses the top reasons why fronds may scratch or shed and how to address them .

Here ’s what we ’ll cover :

A horizontal image of large self-shedding Sabal palmetto trees growing in a circle in a public park pictured in bright sunshine on a blue sky background.

What You’ll Learn

Disease

Herbicide Absorption

Moisture Stress

A close up horizontal image of the stem of a palm tree growing in a pot indoors.

Nutrient Deficiency

pestilence

weather condition

A close up horizontal image of the fronds of a Washingtonia filifera that are fraying at the edges naturally.

allow ’s start out our discussion with how these industrial plant grow naturally .

Some species , like the cabbage , Sabal palmetto , Christmas aka Manila , Adonidia merrillii , and foxtail grass , Wodyetia bifurcata , are self - shedding , otherwise known as self - cleansing .

These type drop their dead leaf , a boon to gardener who might otherwise have to mount a ladder and use a saw to remove it .

A close up horizontal image of the yellowing tips of a palm frond suffering from pest and disease damage.

It ’s normal to see a “ wench ” of all in fronds before they begin to neglect off of their own accord .

If yourpalm is dropping frondsand is not a self - shedding variety show , the reason may be one of the reasons we ’ll talk about below .

Another characteristic you may observe is “ reins . ”

A close up horizontal image of curly, wilted, brown palm fronds.

These are yarn - like filaments protruding from the English and/or tips of the folio blades that produce a frayed appearance as they separate from the leaves , dry , and turn chocolate-brown .

rein are residual plant tissue that abut the leaves before they opened .

Cabbage , California , Washingtonia filifera , and Christmas type exhibit this benign characteristic , and many growers make practical consumption of the filaments , pinch them off and curve them into a sturdy string .

A close up horizontal image of a frond that is turning brown through disease.

Fraying of this nature is a harmless natural trait , but other leaf crest and bound anomalies may be of headache , as we ’ll discuss .

Three disease that cause folio abnormalities in these plant life are :

These are fungal circumstance that get foliage discoloration , wilt , shrivel up , and dropping .

A vertical image of a large tree that is shedding fraying, brown fronds, growing in the garden pictured in bright sunshine on a blue sky background.

look at disease - induced downslope if you see these symptoms in metal money that are not know to be self - shedding .

A classic symptom of Fusarium wilt disease is brown , withered leaf on one side of the principal erect leafage vena or pinnae .

The disease is incurable and affected works should be absent and disposed of .

A close up horizontal image of a hand from the left of the frame touching a palm frond from underneath pictured in light filtered sunshine.

Ganoderma root and behind buncombe is also incurable and results in industrial plant death . Symptoms admit leaves that fail to open , foliage turn yellow or brown and withering .

evidence - tale signs of leafage spot are sinister , water - plume lesion that get halos in black , brown , grey , and/or yellow . Treatment with copper fungicide spraying may be efficient .

If your palms are of substantial size of it , confer an arborist to valuate their health , diagnose diseases , and treat when appropriate .

Leaf anomalies can result when the plant take up weedkiller employ to turf , either through the soil or foliage .

Products derived from phenoxyacetic Lucy in the sky with diamonds and those that hold metsulfuron - methyl may cause folio to twist , turn yellow , and dry out .

If you have to apply herbicides anywhere in your landscape , protect the leaves and stems of your palms to forestall immersion and physiologic hurt .

Over- or under - water botany can stick out from wet tenseness that may cause symptoms like leaf yellowing , browning , and moult . wrong lacrimation increase susceptibleness to pests and pathogens and may lead to antecedent rot , another cause of foliar decline .

fresh transplants want uniform moisture while they are becoming instal over the first one to six month , depending on the size and species .

After that , water when the top three inches of stain are ironic . Ensure that your plants are growing in well - draining stain .

An evaluation of your lachrymation practices should serve you determine if the fraying and shedding may be due to moisture accent .

Consider installing adrip irrigation systemfor keep in line wet delivery .

Another intellect for leaf irregularity is a lack or imbalance of indispensable nutrient , include atomic number 19 , manganese , atomic number 12 , and nitrogen .

There are numerous causes of nutrient deficiency , including :

Let ’s discuss each of these .

Soil pH

The appropriate soil pH for growing palms is 5.5 to 7.5 – slenderly acidic to barely alkaline .

High pH story ( alkaline soil ) causes the required nutrients to be less usable to the industrial plant , leading to growth abnormality , leafage stain , and leaf death .

Conduct a soil testto determine the pH in your growing area and amend as involve .

Growing in soil with the appropriate pH aid to forestall nutrient want that adversely affect leaf .

Herbicides

The presence of weedkiller in the grunge can conquer the uptake of nutrient or furnish them toxic when absorbed . Avoid using turf grass weed slayer in proximity to palms .

Planting Depth

When plant , it ’s crucial to plant the crown of the flora one column inch above ground level . Planting too deep not only increases the risk of the roots rotting , it can impair nutrient uptake .

Soil Quality

The ideal territory for palms is easy , sandy loam that drain well . Compacted soil is atomic number 8 - deficient , poorly draining , and prejudicial to root development and nutrient assimilation .

A soil test is helpful to mold the amendment needed to provide balanced victuals in sufficient quantities .

Aphids , mealybugs , andscaleare most likely to feed on weak plants . If an infestation goes uncurbed , these aggressive sapsuckers disfigure and arid foliage .

Treatments include a fast spray with the hose to dislodge seeable insect and program of insecticidal soap or horticultural neem oil to reduce population .

It is challenging to monitor some of the larger species for pests , and insects like the devastating South American palm weevil , a voracious beetle , can put down a Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree in calendar month .

You may take an arborist with an aerial aerodynamic lift to examine and deal the canopy with a high-pitched - pressure hose .

When plague - free , palms are less probable to suffer foliar loss .

Palms that endure unseasonably frigid or live weather , strong winds , or a lightning strike are likely to suffer damage like fraying or shedding .

Proactive mitigation measures include supplementary H2O during a drouth , frost cloth wrapsfor sudden cold snap , and the somewhat controversial practice of pruning gullible fronds prior to a hurricane to derogate wind damage .

Those opposed to the practice advise that the risk of nutrient deprivation and gadfly and pathogen vulnerability associated with the cut of green fronds outweigh the likely welfare of a come down canopy for better steer resistivity .

Let the conventional wisdom of your region be your guide .

After an extreme weather event , utilise sanitized saws and pruners to flawlessly lop damaged fronds and dispose of all leafage litter to inhibit a proliferation of cuss and pathogen .

Know Your Palms

As we ’ve seen , fraying and sloughing frond may be a natural part of growth or as a solvent of other factors , like weedkiller preoccupancy , disease , nutritionary insufficiency , pests , or weather .

With six potential reasons to look at , you ’re better equipped to understand the species you develop , meet their ethnical requirements , measure them for environmental stressor , and display them to the ripe vantage .

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Nan Schiller