Palm Problems Key - Trunk

• Gummy sap flowing from trunk; usually discolored (“bleeding”)

  a. Bleeding from single large wound with evidence of wood rot

  1) light salmon pink spores present on trunk—Gliocladium trunk rot 2)

  2 ) light salmon pink spores not present; rotted, black fibers remain; often upper half of trunk.

  Thielaviopsis trunk rot (Fig. 65)

  FACTSHEET: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PP143

  b. Bleeding from one or more widely dispersed areas throughout the trunk

  1) symptoms appear rapidly and all at one time (1 to 7 days)

  lightning injury (Fig. 66)

  FACTSHEET: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP263

  2) symptoms do not appear rapidly; evidence of nail hole, climbing spikes, woodpecker feeding, etc.—physical injury

• Holes in trunk

  a. holes present at any location along trunk

  1) large 5/8 inch diameter holes; on Washingtonia only in California, Utah, and Arizona—

  borer damage (Dinapete) (Fig. 67)

  2) many small 1/4 inch diameter holes, often in rows—woodpecker feeding damage

  3) very small 1/16 inch diameter holes, randomly dispersed; typically having sawdust plugs protruding out of hole—ambrosia beetle damage (Fig. 68)

  http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/beetles/platypus.htm

  4) evidence of nail hole, climbing spikes, woodpecker feeding,etc.

  physical injury (Fig. 69)

• Longitudinal splitting of trunk

  a. palm rapidly dying (1 to 7 days)

  lightning injury (Fig. 70)

  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP263

  b. palm appears to be otherwise healthy

  excessive water uptake (Fig. 71)

  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP263

• Tapering of trunk near the top (pencil pointing)

  a. leaves chlorotic and/or necrotic

  1) leaves chlorotic, but no necrosis present

  nitrogen deficiency (Fig. 8)

  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP268

  2) leaves chlorotic and necrotic

  late stage potassium deficiency (Fig. 9)

  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP269

• Shriveling of trunk

  5. shriveling of trunk

  water stress (Figs. 72a)

  (may be caused by deep planting, in addition to very severe drought)

  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP263

  water stress (Figs. 72b)

  (may be caused by deep planting, in addition to very severe drought)

  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP263

• Fungal conk (basidiocarp) present on lower trunk

  6. fungal conk (basidiocarp) present on lower trunk

  Ganoderma butt rot (Fig.1)

  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PP100

• Trunk collapses on itself; trunk rotted at point of collpase

  7. trunk collapses on itself; trunk rotted at point of collpase

  Thielaviopsis trunk rot (Fig. 73)

  FACTSHEET: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PP143

• Leaf canopy falls off trunk

  8. leaf canopy falls off trunk

  Thielaviopsis trunk rot (Fig. 74)

  http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PP143

• Outer “bark” of trunk sloughs or peels off

  9. outer “bark” of trunk sloughs or peels off

  natural phenomenon (Fig. 75)